DOCSLIB.ORG

2015-11-16 Case Number: NV-06183-15 Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity United Nations Environment Programme I

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
2015-11-16 Case Number: NV-06183-15 Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity United Nations Environment Programme I 1(3) SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTA L PROTECTION AGENCY Josefsson, Melanie 2015-11-16 Case number: Phone: +46-10-698 1541 NV-06183-15 Melanie.Josefsson @swedishepa.se Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity United Nations Environment Programme Invasive Alien Species Officer 413 Saint-Jacques Street, Suite 800 Montreal, QC, H2Y 1N9 Canada Remaining Submission of information on Invasive Alien Species Management - Sweden i. Exploration of ways and means to address the risks associated with trade in wildlife introduced as pets, aquarium and terrarium species, and as live bait and live food, as well as methods of alerting suppliers and potential buyers to the risk posed by invasive alien species Invasive alien species in trade with wildlife introduced as pets, aquarium and terrarium species Illegal trade in crayfish for aquariums The illegal trade with wildlife introduced as pets, aquarium and terrarium species permits the continued introduction of a number of invasive alien species to Sweden. The import and sale of living crayfish for home aquariums continues, despite a national ban on the import of all living specimens of species within the Astacidae, Cambaridae och Parastacidae families. E-commerce (Internet trade) is the one source of this illegal import to Sweden. More than 125 species of freshwater crayfish are offered for sale on the Internet. Internet sites in our neighboring countries are sources of illegal import of the living crayfish to Sweden1. Buyers can, with the help of the Internet, localize species for sale and contract sales. The buyers then often collect and transport the species to Sweden via the Öresund Bridge or car ferries. The discovery of marbled crayfish was in the Märsta River, near Stockholm in 2011 is believed to originate from release by aquarium owners. Although there are very few actors within the Swedish commercial aquarium branch that engage in illegal sales of 1 Dr. Lennart Edsman, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Personal communication OFFICE : STOCKHOLM – VALHALLAVÄGEN 195 ÖSTERSUND – FORSKARENS VÄG 5, HUS UB POSTAL ADDRESS : SE-106 48 STOCKHOLM PHONE: +46-10-698 10 00 FAX : +46-10-698 10 99 E-MAIL: REGISTRATOR @ SWEDISHEPA. SE INTERNET : WWW. SWEDISHEPA. SE SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 2(3) prohibited invasive alien species, species like the marbled crayfish and the Black bullhead fish (Ameiurus melas) have been traded and found in the wild. The pet and aquarium industry is now active in preventing such practices. The purpose of the ban on import of living crayfish is to prevent the introduction and spread of pathogens that affect the endangered native noble crayfish Astacus astacus. Reports of sales of living crayfish in local pet and aquarium stores are not uncommon, despite the restriction on import and extensive information campaigns. The European Commission is presently working on a proposal, within the European Union’s regulation 1143/2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species, which if adopted would restrict the import, transport, sale and use of a number of crayfish species to and within the union2. This would strengthen the Swedish national ban on import by regulating suppliers in other EU countries, but this would apply only to the specified crayfish species listed within the regulation. There is a risk that the focus of trade with crayfish for aquarium use would shift to other crayfish species, which could also have potentially high risks for biodiversity. The need for informing potential buyers of the restrictions on trade with these species and the risks to biological diversity will thus still remain a priority. Illegal trade in the Raccoon (Procyon lotor ) and the Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) The Internet trade is also a major vector for the illegal import of the raccoon and raccoon dog to Sweden for use as pets or exotic animals held in captivity. Smuggling of raccoons, raccoon dogs, squirrels and other animals from small-scale breeders in neighboring countries also occurs, but it is not known to what extent. These animals are also offered for sale on the Internet. Raccoons are occasionally observed in the wild and captured. They are not escapees from zoos, as these animals are required to be micro- chipped. They are most probably escaped or released pets that are held illegally. The trade and illegal movement of animals to be used as pets into the country poses a great risk for biodiversity as well as for animal and human health. Sweden is a rabies free country and pets are not required to be vaccinated. The risk for the introduction and spread of rabies by these illegal movements into Swedish wildlife and pets would have great negative consequences for biodiversity, health and socioeconomic values. The raccoon and raccoon dog are also very adaptable predators. The establishment of these animals is a great threat to Swedish birdlife, especially ground nesting birds, and amphibians. Decision support tools used Work with dealing with the illegal trade and Internet trade with wildlife for pets is hampered by the lack of resources, guidance and methods for monitoring the Internet as well as a structured approach for crossboundary cooperation in controlling the trade and movement of animals. In Scandinavia, this trade is, as far as we know, relatively small- scale, but nonetheless is a high risk for biodiversity and human and health. Tools and methods are needed for effectively monitoring what animals are offered for sale on the Internet. Guidance and information materials that are directed at a multinational or regional scale to inform buyers and sellers of the risks are needed. 2 The crayfish species that are proposed as IAS of union concern and thus restricted are; Orconectes limosus, Orconectes virilis, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Procambarus clarkii, Procambarus sp SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 3(3) Agreements between governments, and regional strategies involving environmental authorities, health authorities and animal health authorities are needed on a regional scale to deal with the problem would enable a more effective control of both the illegal and legal crossboundary trade in invasive alien species. Awareness raising among pet owners about the issue of invasive alien species is extremely important, as the European Union’s generous exemptions for pet owners movement across the union allows for transport or pets that can become invasive if released to the wild. An international labeling system to indicate what animals and plants are safe for biodiversity and relevant guidance on safe handling by both buyers and sellers could aid national authorities in informing of safe behavior in selecting and keeping alien animals and plants. It would be an advantage if this labelling would apply to all alien species that are sold via the Internet (E-commerce), as well as in nurseries and pet and aquarium supply stores. The consequences of such a labeling system will need to be evaluated to balance the possible costs and administrative burden of this system with the benefits to biological diversity and society. Invasive Alien Species in trade with live food Trade with live specimens of the American lobster Homerus americanus is a threat to the native lobster species in European waters. Escape of the American lobster illegally hold in temporary storage in marine enclosures may lead to the establishment and spread of this species as well as the transfer of pathogens and parasites to native fauna. New finding in the sea are continuously reported, despite intensive governmental information campaigns about the risks associated with the handling of live H. americanus. Living specimens of H. americanus are handled by importers, fish dealers, restaurants and the public. Therefore, it is not possible to control the fate of individual lobsters. In 2014 nineteen individual of H. americanus were reported in the Gullmar Fjord, Sweden. One female had hybrid eggs. This has also been observed Norway in 2010. The findings in the Gullmar Fjord may lead a permanent subpopulation with a risk for natural spreading of the species in Swedish waters. Once the species is established it will be impossible to eradicate. The ecological and environmental risks associated with H. americanus in European waters are primarily hybridization with European lobster, introducing new diseases and parasites and carrying “hitchhiking” animals living on the lobsters (epibionts), competition with native lobsters and crabs and socioeconomic risks (primarily to the European lobster fishery). Since H. americanus reach the sea primarily through escapes from illegal holdings it is not known how the situation in the future will be regarding new subpopulations in European waters. This makes it difficult to predict future consequences of the introduction of the species. Decision support tools used In the work with assessing the risks of the American lobster, the Great Britain Non- Native Risk Assessment template and guidance was used in preparing the risk assessment. This template is a further development of the International Plant Protection Convention’s Pest Risk Assessment. Further development of the risk assessments and guidance is needed in order to assess the potential effects on biological diversity of possible changes in climate. This is essential for assessing future risks. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Estimating the Threat Posed by the Crayfish Plague Agent
    Estimating the threat posed by the crayfish plague agent Aphanomyces astaci to crayfish species of Europe and North America — Introduction pathways, distribution and genetic diversity by Jörn Panteleit from Aachen, Germany Accepted Dissertation thesis for the partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Doctor of Natural Sciences Fachbereich 7: Natur- und Umweltwissenschaften Universität Koblenz-Landau Thesis examiners: Prof. Dr. Ralf Schulz, University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany Dr. Japo Jussila, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Suomi-Finland Date of oral examination: January 17th, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 3 2. ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Zusammenfassung ......................................................................................................................... 5 3. ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................................. 6 4. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 7 4.1 Invasive species ............................................................................................................................. 7 4.2 Freshwater crayfish in Europe ......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Marbled Crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) Represents an Independent New Species
    Zootaxa 4363 (4): 544–552 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2017 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4363.4.6 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:179512DA-1943-4F8E-931B-4D14D2EF91D2 The marbled crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) represents an independent new species FRANK LYKO 1Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany Correspondence: Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum Im Neuenheimer Feld 580 69120 Heidelberg, Germany phone: +49-6221-423800 fax: +49-6221-423802 E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Marbled crayfish are a globally expanding population of parthenogenetically reproducing freshwater decapods. They are closely related to the sexually reproducing slough crayfish, Procambarus fallax, which is native to the southeastern United States. Previous studies have shown that marbled crayfish are morphologically very similar to P. fallax. However, different fitness traits, reproductive incompatibility and substantial genetic differences suggest that the marbled crayfish should be considered an independent species. This article provides its formal description and scientific name, Procambarus virgin- alis sp. nov. Key words: parthenogenesis, annulus ventralis, genetic analysis, mitochondrial DNA Introduction Marbled crayfish were first described in 2001 as the only known obligatory parthenogen among the approximately 15,000 decapod crustaceans (Scholtz et al., 2003). The animals were first described in the German aquarium trade in the late 1990s (Scholtz et al., 2003) and became widely distributed in subsequent years under their German name "Marmorkrebs". Stable populations have developed from anthropogenic releases in various countries including Madagascar, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and Ukraine (Chucholl et al., 2012; Jones et al., 2009; Kawai et al., 2009; Liptak et al., 2016; Lokkos et al., 2016; Novitsky & Son, 2016; Patoka et al., 2016).
    [Show full text]
  • Marbled Crayfish (Marmokrebs) Control in Ohio
    OHIO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Marbled Crayfish (Marmokrebs) Control in Ohio Injurious Aquatic Invasive Species (IAIS) are animals that cause or are likely to cause damage or harm to native ecosystems or to commercial, agricultural, or recreational activities that are dependent on these ecosystems. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife has the authority to establish an active list of Ohio IAIS high-risk species through a risk-analysis process to evaluate non-native candidate species via Ohio Administrative Code 1501:31-19-01. Listed species are unlawful to possess, import, or sell unless dead and/or preserved. Prevention: Risk Reduction State and federal partners are working to eliminate the risk of invasive Marbled Crayfish (also known as Marmokrebs) by preventing this Ohio-listed IAIS from public possession and sales in Ohio and to prevent their introduction and spread in Ohio waters and fish culture facilities. Background Marbled Crayfish (Marmokrebs) • Adult size – 10 to 13 cm (4 to 6 inches). Procambarus fallax f. virginalis • Grow and mature rapidly in captivity. • Not native to Ohio, Great Lakes or Ohio River watersheds. • Not known to occur in the wild, except through accidental or purposeful release. • Mostly a cultured species in the North American and European pet trade. “Marmokrebs” is its European common name. An all-female species, it reproduces asexually through parthenogenesis. • Closely related to the slough crayfish, Procambarus fallax, native to Florida and southern Georgia. Current Status, Management, Control and Exclusion in Ohio • Marbled crayfish have been defined as a high-risk IAIS in Ohio as they are non-native, adult females have a high reproductive capacity, and they can displace native crayfish.
    [Show full text]
  • 10-18 Establishment and Care of a Colony of Parthenogenetic Marbled
    (Online) ISSN2042-633X (Print) ISSN 2042-6321 Invertebrate Rearing 1(1):10-18 Establishment and care of a colony of parthenogenetic marbled crayfish, Marmorkrebs Stephanie A. Jimenez and Zen Faulkes Department of Biology, The University of Texas-Pan American Invertebrate Rearing is an online journal for all people interested in the rearing of invertebrates in captivity, whether for research or for pleasure. It is the belief of the editor that greater communication between professional researchers, amateur scientists and hobbyists has great benefits for all concerned. In order to cater for such a diverse audience the journal publishes short and popular articles and reviews as well as scientific articles. Where possible scientific articles are peer reviewed. Submissions to the journal can be made via the website (http://inverts.info) where you may also sign up for e-mail notification of new issues. Invertebrate Rearing Establishment and care of a colony of parthenogenetic marbled crayfish, Marmorkrebs Article (Peer-reviewed) Stephanie A. Jimenez and Zen Faulkes Department of Biology, The University of Texas-Pan American, 1201 W. University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA. Email: [email protected] Abstract Marmorkrebs are parthenogenetic marbled crayfish whose origins are unknown. They have potential to be a model organism for biological research because they are genetically uniform, and to be an invasive pest species. Maintaining self-sustaining breeding colonies is a key element of most successful model organisms. We tried to find the best conditions for establishing and maintaining a Marmorkrebs breeding colony for research. Marmorkrebs can be bred in a compact tank system originally designed for zebrafish.
    [Show full text]
  • Marbled Crayfish Or “Marmorkrebs” Procambarus Sp
    Marbled Crayfish or “Marmorkrebs” Procambarus sp. Identification Marmorkrebs reproduce asexually via parthenogenesis, meaning only females are needed to reproduce. Thus, all individuals are female and genetically identical. Usually brown in color, some are blue or a mixture of brown, blue and reddish colors. Why is it a Because marmorkrebs Problem? reproduce asexually, only one individual is necessary to establish a population. Their Want to know more? Check out quick reproductive rate, www.dnr.maryland.gov for more on widespread distribution in the invasive species in Maryland and North American pet trade, and what you can do about it. ability to survive fairly low temperatures makes marmorkrebs a potential pest species. Range/Habitat Origin unknown, but discovered in natural ecosystems in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Madagascar. Similar Species Although found in Europe, Method of Discovered in the aquaria of fish species belongs to the Introduction hobbyists in Germany in the late American Cambaridae 1990s. Individuals recently family. found in the wild in Europe and Madagascar were most likely Legal Status MD prohibits the import, aquarium discards. transport, purchase, possession, propagation, sale, Control and Never release live, unused bait and/or release of marbled Prevention or unwanted pets. Educate crayfish in State waters. others about the problems of bait bucket introductions and invasive species. Sources: http://marmorkrebs.org/ R. Seitz, K. Vilpoux, U. Hopp, S. Harzsch & G. Maier (2005). "Ontogeny of the Marmorkrebs (marbled crayfish): a parthenogenetic crayfish with unknown origin and phylogenetic position". Journal of Experimental Zoology A 303 (5): 393–405. G. Scholtz, A. Braband, L. Tolley, A. Reimann, B.
    [Show full text]
  • Arrival of Non-Indigenous Crayfish Species
    Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst. 2016, 417, 37 Knowledge & © G. Kotovska et al., Published by EDP Sciences 2016 Management of Aquatic DOI: 10.1051/kmae/2016024 Ecosystems www.kmae-journal.org Journal fully supported by Onema RESEARCH PAPER East European crayfish stocks at risk: arrival of non-indigenous crayfish species Ganna Kotovska1, Dmytro Khrystenko1,2,*,Jiří Patoka3,a and Antonín Kouba4,a 1 Institute of Fisheries of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Obuhivska 135, Kyiv 03164, Ukraine 2 Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, International Programs, B75 Mann Library, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA 3 Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamycká 129, Prague 6–Suchdol 165 21, Czech Republic 4 University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátisí 728/II, Vodňany 389 25, Czech Republic Abstract – An increasing number of non-indigenous crayfish species (NICS) of apparently pet trade origin have become established particularly in Europe. Especially alarming are recent confirmation of two distantly separated marbled crayfish Procambarus fallax f. virginalis populations in Ukraine and indications of more North American cambarids present in the local pet market. The present study aimed to investigate crayfish species availability within the Ukrainian pet trade together with the climate match and risk they represent to the freshwater ecosystems generally and indigenous crayfish species in particular. Altogether, 15 NICS belonging to all three crayfish families were detected. Considering their origin, availability, probability of establishment, invasiveness and further aspects, marbled crayfish and red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii appear to be potentially the most troubling.
    [Show full text]
  • Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan
    NORTH CAROLINA ria ut N e Mystery er Prim es S Wat ros in na e Ch il Aquatic ish F on Nuisance Li rn Sna Species Nor the kehead Marbled Cray fish Hydrill a h Spo fis tted Jelly MANAGEMENT PLAN NORTH CAROLINA AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN Prepared by the NC Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan Committee October 1, 2015 Approved by: Steve Troxler, Commissioner North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Donald R. van der Vaart, Secretary North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Gordon Myers, Executive Director North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements Executive Summary I. Introduction .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................1 The difference between Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) and Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) ................................................................5 Plan Purpose, Scope and Development ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Aquatic Invasive Species Vectors and Impacts ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 Interactions with Other Plan ................................................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Trophic Role of Marbled Crayfish in a Lentic Freshwater Ecosystem
    Aquatic Invasions (2019) Volume 14, Issue 2: 299–309 CORRECTED PROOF Research Article Trophic role of marbled crayfish in a lentic freshwater ecosystem Boris Lipták1,#, Lukáš Veselý1,#, Fabio Ercoli2,3, Martin Bláha1, Miloš Buřič1, Timo J. Ruokonen2 and Antonín Kouba1,* 1University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 38925 Vodňany, Czech Republic 2University of Jyväskylä, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland 3Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Chair of Hydrobiology and Fishery, Kreutswaldi 5, 51006, Tartu, Estonia Author e-mails: [email protected] (BL), [email protected] (LV), [email protected] (FE), [email protected] (MaB), [email protected] (MiB), [email protected] (TJR), [email protected] (AK) *Corresponding author # These authors contributed equally to this work Citation: Lipták B, Veselý L, Ercoli F, Bláha M, Buřič M, Ruokonen TJ, Kouba A Abstract (2019) Trophic role of marbled crayfish in a lentic freshwater ecosystem. Aquatic Species’ introductions may cause severe adverse effects on freshwater ecosystems Invasions 14(2): 299–309, https://doi.org/10. and their biota. The marbled crayfish, Procambarus virginalis Lyko, 2017, is an 3391/ai.2019.14.2.09 invasive parthenogenetically reproducing crayfish with rapid reproduction, Received: 5 July 2018 maturation and tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions, which was Accepted: 3 January 2019 introduced to many sites across Europe during the last decade. Due to its recent Published: 18 March 2019 speciation and limited number of field studies, the knowledge of trophic interactions of the marbled crayfish in freshwater food webs is scarce.
    [Show full text]
  • Marbled Crayfish
    Marbled Crayfish Technical White Paper SURESCREEN SCIENTIFICS Marbled crayfish The marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis), also known as Marmorkrebs, is an invasive freshwater crayfish species which was first recorded in Germany in the 1990s. It is thought that marbled crayfish originated entirely from the pet trade, with no known native populations in existence. Since its first discovery, the species has rapidly spread into the wild and is now found abundantly across Europe in Germany, Italy, Ukraine and Sweden and also further afield in Madagascar and Japan. Parthenogenic Reproduction What is interesting about the marbled crayfish is that it is has a unique ability to reproduce fully through parthenogenesis, which is a form of asexual reproduction. Being a parthenogenic species means that the marbled crayfish can develop embryos without the need of fertilization. Embryo development without fertilization occurs naturally and is more common in lower classes of animals. However, no other crayfish or decapod crustacean species are known to be able to reproduce without mating in this manner. Due to this unique ability, all marbled crayfish are: female, clones of their single parent, and almost 100% completely genetically identical to each other. Molecular scientists from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg have tracked the evolution of this unique species through DNA sequencing and genome analysis, determining that the species is closely related to the slough crayfish (Promabarus fallax). What is more, scientists suggest that most likely the marbled crayfish was created as a result of a genetic reproductive accident when two distantly related slough crayfish individuals mated in an aquarium in Germany, leading to the birth of a single parthenogenic crayfish from which all marbled crayfish descend from.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology and Evolution in Novel Communities: the Marbled Crayfish and Its Interaction Partners
    ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION IN NOVEL COMMUNITIES: THE MARBLED CRAYFISH AND ITS INTERACTION PARTNERS Inaugural-Dissertation to obtain the academic degree Doctor rerum naturalium (Dr. rer. nat.) submitted to the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy of Freie Universität Berlin by Stefan Markus Linzmaier 2019 The scientific work presented in this thesis was conducted from 24.11.2014 until 13.06.2019 at the Institute of Biology (FU) and the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB). The work was supervised by Prof. Dr. Jonathan M. Jeschke and Dr. Sabine Wollrab. 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Jonathan Jeschke 2. Gutachter: PD Dr. Franz Hölker Disputation am 02.10.2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my first supervisor, Jonathan Jeschke, for his extensive and enduring support throughout each phase of this thesis. He gave me the freedom to pursue my own research interests and guided me towards a coherent thesis. Also, I want to thank my second supervisor, Sabine Wollrab, for her support and ideas, especially during the early stages of my thesis. Next, I want to thank Larissa Goebel, who was an indispensable help for me during her time as my master student and student assistant. She really dedicated herself to researching crayfish and exceeded my expectations by far. Furthermore, I want to thank all the people that shared their knowledge with me and helped me to advance as a scientist. Thank you to all the collaborators, especially Marcin Penk for his enriching stay in our research group and the opportunity to contribute to Chapter 1; Kate Laskowski for our exchanges on behavioral ecology as well as study design and for having an ear for my scientific and logistical problems; David Bierbach for his remarks on the behavior of clonal organisms and his help during the setup of my laboratory; and Gregor Kalinkat for his ideas and help on a multitude of questions and constant forwarding of new and important publications in my research field.
    [Show full text]
  • Hardy Exotics Species in Temperate Zone: Can “Warm Water” Crayfish
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Hardy exotics species in temperate zone: can “warm water” crayfish invaders establish regardless of Received: 20 April 2015 Accepted: 14 October 2015 low temperatures? Published: 17 November 2015 Lukáš Veselý, Miloš Buřič & Antonín Kouba The spreading of new crayfish species poses a serious risk for freshwater ecosystems; because they are omnivores they influence more than one level in the trophic chain and they represent a significant part of the benthic biomass. Both the environmental change through global warming and the expansion of the pet trade increase the possibilities of their spreading. We investigated the potential of four “warm water” highly invasive crayfish species to overwinter in the temperate zone, so as to predict whether these species pose a risk for European freshwaters. We used 15 specimens of each of the following species: the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), the marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax f. virginalis), the yabby (Cherax destructor), and the redclaw (Cherax quadricarinatus). Specimens were acclimatized and kept for 6.5 months at temperatures simulating the winter temperature regime of European temperate zone lentic ecosystems. We conclude that the red swamp crayfish, marbled crayfish and yabby have the ability to withstand low winter temperatures relevant for lentic habitats in the European temperate zone, making them a serious invasive threat to freshwater ecosystems. Invasive species are one of the most serious threats to global biodiversity1,2. The introduction of exotic species outside of their native range may have far-reaching ecological consequences on local communi- ties as well as causing unpredictable impacts, even for humans3–5.
    [Show full text]
  • Slovak Section of the Danube Has Its Well-Established Breeding Ground of Marbled Crayfish Procambarus Fallax F
    Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst. 2017, 418, 40 Knowledge & © B. Lipták et al., Published by EDP Sciences 2017 Management of Aquatic DOI: 10.1051/kmae/2017029 Ecosystems www.kmae-journal.org Journal fully supported by Onema SHORT COMMUNICATION Slovak section of the Danube has its well-established breeding ground of marbled crayfish Procambarus fallax f. virginalis Boris Lipták1, Michaela Mojžisová2, Daniel Gruľa3, Jana Christophoryová3, Daniel Jablonski3, Martin Bláha1, Adam Petrusek2 and Antonín Kouba1,* 1 South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátisí 728/II, 38925 Vodňany, Czech Republic 2 Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czech Republic 3 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 84215 Bratislava, Slovak Republic Abstract – Established populations of the non-indigenous parthenogenetically reproducing marbled crayfish Procambarus fallax f. virginalis have been recently reported from various European countries. The colonised sites are usually lentic and relatively isolated from major watercourses and in such cases the immediate threat of the spread of this taxon is limited. Here we report on a marbled crayfish population that is likely to become a seed for colonisation of the Danube in Slovakia. It is located in a channel within the Slovak capital Bratislava in the immediate vicinity of a pumping station that occasionally releases significant amounts of water into the side arm of the Danube. The population is well established with a high growth potential: numerous adult marbled crayfish individuals were observed at the site in September and October 2016 and the progeny (eggs or first two developmental stages) of 27 berried females exceeded 11 000 individuals.
    [Show full text]