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2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

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A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 13267

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Dr. Paraskevi K. Karachle

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Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, 46-7 Km Athens Sounio Ave, P.O. Box 431, 19013 Anavyssos, Greece
Interests: marine invasive species
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Dr. Elena Tricarico

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Guest Editor

Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
Interests: behavioral ecology; biological invasions; conservation; aquatic ecosystems; crustaceans; applied ethology
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Dr. Giorgio Mancinelli

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Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies–DiSTeBA, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Interests: community ecology; food web ecology; invasion ecology
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Dr. Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu

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Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
Interests: ecology and diversity of freshwater fishes; invasive fishes; fish conservation; databases; management of aquatic ecosystems
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Dear Colleagues,

Alien species and especially invasive alien species (IAS) are among the major drivers of change that can negatively affect biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services, and human health. Aquatic ecosystems suffer greatly from such invasions, with alien species being transported from one water body to another though a wide variety of pathways. Moreover, invasions of the aquatic realms are difficult to reverse as eradication can rarely be achieved, especially in marine ecosystems or wider and complex inland water bodies. Even though biological invasions have been monitored and recorded, their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services have not been thoroughly addressed. The aim of the present Special Issue is to compile state-of-the-art work that documents IAS impacts and provide tools for understanding, evaluating, and mitigating their effects on biota and aquatic services.

We are very pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue on “Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Volume II)”. All of us working in invasion ecology acknowledge the difficulties in obtaining proof of their impacts on native biota and the precious services of the aquatic realms. Here, we focus on accumulating knowledge on the abovementioned issues in one dedicated volume of scientific publications.

We consider this information both valuable and underexplored, and research on these issues will enhance our understanding of the effects of alien species on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and socio-economy. Moreover, such data will facilitate policymakers in applying targeted mitigation measures or implementing management actions when addressing the adverse impacts of invasive aquatic species.

Dr. Paraskevi K. Karachle
Dr. Elena Tricarico
Dr. Giorgio Mancinelli
Dr. Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

species
aquatic invasions
biodiversity
ecosystem services
conservation

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Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Biology (10 articles)

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Research

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24 pages, 4689 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Moving Northwards: Life-History Traits of the Invasive Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) Expanding into the Southwestern Atlantic

by Micaela Müller Baigorria, Maite Narvarte and Leandro A. Hünicken

Biology 2025, 14(5), 480; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14050480 - 26 Apr 2025

Viewed by 505

Abstract

The invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) poses a significant ecological threat due to its rapid global spread and disruptive impact on coastal ecosystems. In the southwestern Atlantic, the northernmost population was recently recorded in the San Matías Gulf, offering a unique opportunity to study its demographic and life-history traits at the leading edge of its range. We assessed the sex ratio, population density, size distribution, and size at which 50% of females were ovigerous (SM₅₀) in the intertidal zone. Our findings revealed a male-biased sex ratio (1.50 males per female) and low population density (0.42 crabs m⁻²), suggesting early-stage establishment. A size-structure analysis showed a well-structured population with clear cohort separation in both sexes and evidence of two recruitment events. The carapace width at which 50% of females were ovigerous was estimated at 61.48 mm. Although egg-bearing females exhibited a well-marked seasonality, with the highest prevalence from May to July, their presence nearly year-round suggests an extended reproductive period and adaptability to local conditions, which may be advantageous in recently established populations, facilitating invasion success. These traits, combined with the species’ ongoing range expansion, highlight the invasive potential of C. maenas and its possible ecological impacts on the San Matías Gulf. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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14 pages, 1787 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantifying and Predicting the Spread of Established Non-Native Fishes in Peninsular Florida, USA

by Katelyn M. Lawson, Hannah G. Talbert and Jeffrey E. Hill

Biology 2025, 14(2), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14020189 - 12 Feb 2025

Viewed by 757

Abstract

The spread of non-native species plays a substantial role in the designation of a species as invasive, yet the determination and measurement of non-native-species spread is challenging, particularly for fishes, which are limited by aquatic connectivity. Spread has been quantified for fishes in a variety of ways and exact methods vary by region and taxonomic group. In this study, we quantified fish spread in peninsular Florida and used life history traits to understand what factors contribute to the rate at which fish species spread. Using a variety of statistical analyses, we found that fast spreaders in peninsular Florida tend to have a larger body size, narrow diet, shorter time to hatch, greater salinity tolerance, and higher fecundity. However, some variables like parental care, egg diameter, and reproductive guild were the same or very similar across all established species that were included in the analyses. Predicting whether an established species will spread quickly or slowly in Florida may be more challenging than predicting whether an introduced fish species will establish, yet there is support across regions for the use of life history traits in the risk assessment process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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18 pages, 4301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metabolic Activity of Invasive Apple Snails Negatively Affects the Survival of Native Benthic Snail in Mangrove

by Jinling Liu, Caiying Zhang, Huixiu Yu, Zixin Fu, Huizhen Xie, Yiming Wang, Benliang Zhao, Qing Li, Kailin Kuang and Huanting Lin

Biology 2025, 14(2), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14020141 - 29 Jan 2025

Viewed by 992

Abstract

The golden apple snail (GAS, Pomacea canaliculata) has invaded mangrove forests. The effect of water contaminated by metabolic activity of GAS feeding on Acanthus ilicifolius (T1), Sonneratia apetala (T2), and without food (CK) on the native mangrove black helmet snail (BHS, Neritina pulligera) was investigated under salinity conditions. The GAS deteriorated saline water quality (2.5‰). DO contents in T1 and T2 approached zero at 9 d. Compared to CK, the contents of COD, total N, NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, and total P of the contaminated water in T1 increased by 297%, 205%, 262%, 210%, and 518% after 9 d, while these indicators in T2 increased by 74%, 31%, 57%, 326%, and 154%, respectively. The LC₅₀ of the contaminated water in T1 against the BHS reached 22.72%. The weight of the BHS exposed to the 100% contaminated water in T1 and T2 significantly decreased after exposure. The content of GPT of the BHS exposed to the 100%-contaminated water in T1 and T2 increased by 55% and 26%, while the MDA content increased by 38% and 34%. The 100%-contaminated water in T1 led to cell degeneration and incomplete structure in the hepatopancreas tissue of the BHS. The GAS feeding on holly mangroves can compete against native mangrove snails through water deterioration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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14 pages, 5596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Community Composition of Epibiont Hydroids of the Naturalized Alien Macroalga Acanthophora spicifera in Pichilingue, Mexico

by Jessica Licona Angeles, Francisco Rubén Castañeda Rivero and María A. Mendoza-Becerril

Biology 2025, 14(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14010044 - 8 Jan 2025

Viewed by 1073

Abstract

This study provides a detailed analysis of the community of hydrozoan epibionts of Acanthophora spicifera in La Paz Bay, Baja California Sur. The investigation was carried out in two season periods, corresponding to the warm and cold seasons on the pier of the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS) Pichilingue research station. The percentage of epibiont coverage was calculated and analyzed. The average length of the thalli was 7.8 ± 4.6 cm. Eleven taxa of hydrozoans were recorded; the hydrozoan Obelia cf. dichotoma had the highest coverage percentage, and in summer, there was a higher taxa richness. It is recommended to monitor this macroalga and its epibionts for its wide distribution in the bay, although in UABCS, Pichilingue Pier has not seen epibionts that threaten biological diversity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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12 pages, 2374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Populations of the Invasive Mussel Mytella strigata in China Showed Lower Genetic Diversity in Autumn than in Spring

by Peizhen Ma, Chenxia Zuo, Shaojing Yan, Xiangyu Wu, Xiaojie Ma, Yi Zhu and Zhen Zhang

Biology 2025, 14(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14010016 - 27 Dec 2024

Viewed by 927

Abstract

Native to tropical America, the charru mussel, Mytella strigata, has been spreading rapidly in the West Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. In order to study the adaptive evolution of M. strigata and examine the present status of invasion in China, the mitochondrial nad2 gene fragment was employed to analyze the genetic variations of seven populations sampled in both spring and autumn 2023. Results showed that all the populations had high haplotype diversity (>0.5) and low nucleotide diversity (<0.005), suggesting the ongoing rapid expansion following a genetic bottleneck. The Zhanjiang population had the highest genetic diversity in spring with 22 haplotypes, 37 polymorphic sites, and haplotype diversity, nucleotide diversity, and the average number of nucleotide differences being 0.911, 0.00623, and 4.341, respectively. However, in autumn, the Shanwei population had the most haplotypes (11) and polymorphic sites (19), with the highest haplotype diversity value of 0.891, while the Qunjian population had the highest nucleotide diversity (0.00392) and average number of nucleotide differences (2.809). Combining geographic populations by seasons confirmed lower genetic diversity in autumn compared to spring, evidenced by fewer haplotypes and polymorphic sites, reduced haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity, and lower genetic distance within populations. These findings provided evidence for understanding the molecular characteristics of M. strigata population expansion in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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20 pages, 1969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trophic Structure and Isotopic Niche of Invaded Benthic Communities on Tropical Rocky Shores

by Larissa M. Pires-Teixeira, Vinicius Neres-Lima, Plínio C. Barbosa and Joel C. Creed

Biology 2024, 13(12), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13121023 - 7 Dec 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1033

Abstract

When a species is introduced in a new location, it is common for it to establish itself when it finds favorable conditions in the receptor community with regard to interspecific interactions with native species. The azooxanthellate corals Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis are invasive species introduced in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Brazilian Southwest Atlantic. They are successful competitors for space, have multiple reproductive modes, and have high larval dispersion and recruitment, but studies on food and trophic relationships of the genus Tubastraea are still scarce. In the present study, we used isotopic values of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N to investigate trophic relationships in rocky shore communities invaded by T. tagusensis and T. coccinea corals under different oceanographic and anthropogenic contexts. Using metrics derived from the isotopic values, we show that invaded communities have a lower degree of trophic diversity, with species characterized by similar trophic ecologies while abiotic factors seem to contribute to the biotic resistance of communities exposed to invasion events. Tubastraea spp. occupy a niche space similar to that occupied by the native community of suspension feeders, sharing resources already consumed by the receptor community, which makes invading corals successful competitors for food. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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Review

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18 pages, 1575 KiB

Open AccessReview

What Do We Know About Non-Native, Invasive, and Transplanted Aquatic Mollusks in South America?

by Gustavo Darrigran, Carlos Belz, Alvar Carranza, Gonzalo A. Collado, Modesto Correoso, Alejandra A. Fabres, Diego E. Gutiérrez Gregoric, César Lodeiros, Guido Pastorino, Pablo E. Penchaszadeh, Rodrigo B. Salvador, Sonia Santos, Silvana Thiengo and Cristina Damborenea

Biology 2025, 14(2), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14020151 - 1 Feb 2025

Viewed by 1130

Abstract

Global awareness of introduced species as one of the primary drivers of biodiversity change—causing environmental impacts, and economic and social effects—emphasizes the need to enhance our understanding of these species. Developing a comprehensive database will enable policymakers to identify global bioinvasion patterns and strengthen their capacity to manage them effectively. Aquatic mollusks play a crucial role in the ecosystems they inhabit, influencing food webs and nutrient cycling, and habitat formation and modification. They are also the dominant group in aquaculture, contributing significantly to the economy while also causing economic losses through macrofouling and posing health risks. Despite their importance, information on the introduction, establishment, and dispersal of mollusk species in South America remains scarce and is often confined to the grey literature. With the aim of organizing, increasing, and strengthening the knowledge of non-native and transplanted mollusks in general and aquatic mollusks in particular, 29 specialists in the introduced mollusks of South America, from seven countries, have been working collaboratively since 2016. Each member contributes expertise, data, and bibliographic resources to build the status of the introduced mollusks in South America and provide critical information to prevent future introductions and transplants. In aquatic environments, 41 non-native mollusk species and 18 transplanted species have been identified. Among them, the bivalve Limnoperna fortunei stands out with the greatest economic effect, while the gastropods Lymnaeidae and Thiaridae represent significant health concerns. Although this research represents a major step forward, it also highlights challenges such as the scarcity of taxonomic studies and the limited investigation of vast areas in South America. The information compiled in this review serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, and the general public when addressing mollusk bioinvasions in South America. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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19 pages, 2291 KiB

Open AccessReview

Assessment of Human Health Impacts from Invasive Pufferfish (Attacks, Poisonings and Fatalities) across the Eastern Mediterranean

by Aylin Ulman, Abdel Fattah Nazmi Abd Rabou, Sara Al Mabruk, Michel Bariche, Murat Bilecenoğlu, Nazli Demirel, Bella S. Galil, Mehmet Fatih Hüseyinoğlu, Carlos Jimenez, Louis Hadjioannou, Ali Rıza Kosker, Panagiota Peristeraki, Adib Saad, Ziad Samaha, Maria Th. Stoumboudi, Tarek A. Temraz and Paraskevi K. Karachle

Biology 2024, 13(4), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13040208 - 23 Mar 2024

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5232

Abstract

The silver-cheeked toadfish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin 1789), and to a lesser degree the orange spotted toadfish Torquigener hypselogeneion (Bleeker, 1852), pose threats to human health from physical attacks and poisonings in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This study reviewed human health-related impacts resulting from these pufferfish, compiling and assessing records from online sources, the peer-reviewed literature, medical records, personal interviews, and observations across the Eastern Mediterranean in the years 2004 to 2023. A total of 198 events impacting human health were documented: 28 records of physical attacks, at least 144 non-lethal poisoning episodes, and 27 human fatalities resulting from consumption. The majority of the reported incidences occurred in Syria, Türkiye, and Lebanon. Most physical attacks occurred in summer, while most poisoning events occurred during winter. The number of recorded incidents greatly increased after 2019, especially with regard to poisonings, yet whether this is related to greater media attention, or to increased fish abundance is unclear. This is the first comprehensive study to collate findings on attacks, poisonings and fatalities caused by these pufferfish in the Mediterranean Sea, and may help in improving national health policies. We urge the continuation of national campaigns to caution residents and tourists of these species’ high toxicities and potential aggressiveness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services )

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