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Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Volume II)

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Special Issue Information

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

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (1 paper)

Review

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

Viewed by 2257

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 Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Volume II))

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