Elisabeth Rosecchi

Bio: Elisabeth Rosecchi is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Crangon. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 8 publications receiving 304 citations.

Can life‐history traits predict the fate of introduced species? A case study on two cyprinid fish in southern France

Abstract: 1. The ecological and economic costs of introduced species can be high. Ecologists try to predict the probability of success and potential risk of the establishment of recently introduced species, given their biological characteristics. 2. In 1990 gudgeon, Gobio gobio, were released in a drainage canal of the Rhone delta of southern France. The Asian topmouth gudgeon, Pseudorasbora parva, was found for the first time in the same canal in 1993. Those introductions offered a unique opportunity to compare in situ the fate of two closely related fish in the same habitat. 3. Our major aims were to assess whether G. gobio was able to establish in what seemed an unlikely environment, to compare populations trends and life-history traits of both species and to assess whether we could explain or could have predicted our results, by considering their life-history strategies. 4. Data show that both species have established in the canal and have spread. Catches of P. parva have increased strongly and are now higher than those of G. gobio. 5. The two cyprinids have the same breeding season and comparable traits (such as short generation time, small body, high reproductive effort), so both could be classified as opportunists. The observed difference in their success (in terms of population growth and colonization rate) could be explained by the wider ecological and physiological tolerance of P. parva. 6. In conclusion, our field study seems to suggest that invasive vigour also results from the ability to tolerate environmental changes through phenotypic plasticity, rather than from particular life-history features pre-adapted to invasion. It thus remains difficult to define a good invader simply on the basis of its life-history features.

The establishment and impact of Pseudorasbora parva, an exotic fish species introduced into Lake Mikri Prespa (north-western Greece)

Abstract: 1. The topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva Schlegel, 1842, a south-east asian cyprinid, was introduced accidentally in the Danube Delta in Romania in the 1960s and has now achieved a pan-Danubian distribution. P. parva has been introduced into other countries, such as Greece, usually inadvertently included with other species imported for fish farming. In 1984–85, during a study of the fish populations of Lake Mikri Prespa (north-west Greece), several topmouth gudgeon were caught. Our aim was to study the changes in the population size of P. parva over nearly 10 years, to study its life history traits and to assess its potential impacts on native fish species. 2. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) in spring increased significantly between 1984 and 1992. We found evidence that P. parva has established a breeding population in the lake. P. parva combines many characteristics likely to favour a successful colonization (resistance to harsh climatic conditions, early sexual maturity, extended breeding season, broad dietary spectrum). Growth in Lake Prespa, where the oldest individuals captured were 3 years old, is very similar to that observed within its native range. 3. There is evidence for dietary overlap between P. parva and three endemic species: Paraphoxinus epiroticus prespensis, Cobitis meridionalis and Alburnoides bipunctatus ohridanus. No decline in the populations of these three species has yet been demonstrated. Other possible impacts are discussed. The successful colonization by P. parva was certainly favoured by the absence of a true piscivorous fish in the lake and by the isolation and high level of endemism of fish communities. 4. The conservation of the many endemic species in the lake should be a priority and the introduction of exotic species should be banned.

Can Salinity Changes Affect Reproductive Success in the Brown Shrimp Crangon Crangon

Abstract: In coastal environments, salinity variations may affect phases in crustacean reproductive cycle. Brown shrimp Crangon crangon Linnaeus, 1758 (Decapoda) are known to undertake breeding migrations between the sea and coastal waters (lagoons, estuaries). After a major flooding, the salinity of the Vaccares coastal lagoon (Rhone River delta, France) dropped from 15‰ to 5‰ in a few days and remained low during following years. The aim of this study was to assess the impact on this environmental change on the reproduction of brown shrimp. We first tested whether females C. crangon had the ability to become ovigerous at a salinity as low as 5‰. Furthermore, the question whether salinity had an impact on fecundity was addressed. Experiments in aquaria were carried out for 180 days in the laboratory, with three replicates at three salinities (5, 15, and 25‰ respectively), keeping local photoperiod and temperature. Mortality was significantly higher in tanks at 5‰ than in those at higher salinities. Female...

Host Death: A Necessary Condition for the Transmission of Aphalloides coelomicola Dollfus, Chabaud, and Golvan, 1957 (Digenea, Cryptogonimidae)?

Abstract: Eggs of the trematode Aphalloides coelomicola were observed free in the abdominal cavity of Pomatoschistus microps from March 1993 to October 1995 (Pisces, Gobiidae) in the Vaccares lagoon (delta du Rhone, France). The eggs were contained in a fine membrane of parasitic origin as no immunological reaction of the fish was noted. The alternatively high prevalence of adults and low prevalence of free eggs, and vice versa, suggest that P. microps is both the second intermediate and final hosts of the trematode Aphalloides coelomicola and that the mechanism of transfer to the first intermediate host is through death of the definitive host.

Attempt at biochemical characterization of sand smelt Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 (Pisces, Atherinidae) populations from the Camargue (Rhône delta, France)

Abstract: A high degree of polymorphism has been evidenced in Atherina boyeri . Several local populations have been distinguished in various studies, on the basis of morphological, morphometric, and biochemical parameters. The Rhone delta (the Camargue) exhibits a wide range of coastal brackish lagoons and freshwater marshes differing in their isolation, salinity, and distance from the sea. Some A. boyeri populations of these water bodies can migrate, particularly to spawn and may differ in their degree of differentiation and with regard to marine ones. We used electrophoresis to analyze small polymorphic muscle proteins, the parvalbumins (PA), whose isoform distribution is typical of a species and even of a population. We found a quite homogeneous ‘lagoon’ type distribution (presence of PA IV and III, lack of PA V typical of marine specimens) in populations from the Camargue. Three subgroups were distinguished in each population according to the percentage of PA IV/PA III. Two neighboring populations more connected to the sea were characterized by a greater preponderance of the PA IV isoform.

Are there any consistent predictors of invasion success

Abstract: This article summarises the results of 49 studies that together test the significance of 115 characteristics in 7 biological groups: birds, finfish, insects, mammals, plants, reptiles/amphibians and shellfish. Climate/habitat match, history of inva- sive success and number of arriving/released individuals are associated with establishment suc- cess in at least four independent data sets, both within and across biological groups, and none are contraindicated by other studies. In the introduced- invasive control group, two species level charac- teristics—taxon and geographic range size—were significantly associated with establishment success across two biological groups. These characteristics, however, were not supported by independent data sets, or were contraindicated by these data sets, within the biological groups examined here. In the introduced-native control group, three species level characteristics—geographic range size, leaf surface area and fertilisation system (monoecious, her- maphroditic or dioecious)—were consistently supported within plants but were either not supported by independent data sets or contraindi- cated by datasets within or across other biological groups. Climate/habitat match is the only charac- teristic that is consistently significantly associated with invasive behaviour (in this case exotic range size) across biological groups. This finding, how- ever, is not supported by two or more independent data sets within any of the biological groups examined here. Within plants there are a suite of characteristics, predominately associated with reproduction, that are significantly associated with a range of invasion metrics, predominately abun- dance in the invaded range. Nonef of these characteristics, however, are supported across any other biological groups. We note the confounding effects of phylogeny, residence time and propagule pressure and suggest that site- and taxa-specific analysis will provide further useful insights.

Habitat destruction, fragmentation, and disturbance promote invasion by habitat generalists in a multispecies metapopulation.

Abstract: Species invasions are extremely common and are vastly outpacing the ability of resource agencies to address each invasion, one species at a time. Management actions that target the whole landscape or ecosystem may provide more cost-effective protection against the establishment of invasive species than a species-by-species approach. To explore what ecosystem-level actions might effectively reduce invasions, we developed a multispecies, multihabitat metapopulation model. We assume that species that successfully establish themselves outside their native range tend to be habitat generalists and that a tradeoff exists between competitive ability and habitat breadth, such that habitat specialists are competitively superior to habitat generalists. In this model, habitat destruction, fragmentation, and short-term disturbances all favor invasion by habitat generalists, despite the inferior competitive abilities of generalist species. Our model results illustrate that providing relatively undisturbed habitat and preventing further habitat degradation and fragmentation can provide a highly cost-effective defense against invasive species.

Phenotypic plasticity mediates climate change responses among invasive and indigenous arthropods

Abstract: Synergies between global change and biological invasion have been identified as a major potential threat to global biodiversity and human welfare. The global change-type drought characteristic of many temperate terrestrial ecosystems is especially significant because it will apparently favour invasive over indigenous species, adding to the burden of conservation and compromising ecosystem service delivery. However, the nature of and mechanisms underlying this synergy remain poorly explored. Here we show that in a temperate terrestrial ecosystem, invasive and indigenous springtail species differ in the form of their phenotypic plasticity such that warmer conditions promote survival of desiccation in the invasive species and reduce it in the indigenous ones. These differences are consistent with significant declines in the densities of indigenous species and little change in those of invasive species in a manipulative field experiment that mimicked climate change trends. We suggest that it is not so much the extent of phenotypic plasticity that distinguishes climate change responses among these invasive and indigenous species, as the form that this plasticity takes. Nonetheless, this differential physiological response provides support for the idea that in temperate terrestrial systems experiencing global change-type drought, invasive species may well be at an advantage relative to their indigenous counterparts.

NOBANIS -Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet

Abstract: Scientific names: Acer negundo L., Aceraceae. Synonyms: Negundo aceroides Moench (1794), Negundo fraxinifolium (Nutt.) DC. (1824). Common names: Box-elder, ash-leaved maple, manitoba maple (GB and US), Eschen-Ahorn (DE), askbladet lon (DK), saarvaher (EE), Saarnivaahtera (FI), askhlynur (IS), uosialapis klevas (LT), Oslapu kļava (LV), Vederesdoorn (NL), asklonn (NO), klon jesionolistny, jesioklon (PL), asklonn (SE).

Pan-continental invasion of Pseudorasbora parva: towards a better understanding of freshwater fish invasions

Abstract: In recent years, policy-makers have sought the development of appropriate tools to prevent and manage introductions of invasive species. However, these tools are not well suited for introductions of non-target species that are unknowingly released alongside intentionally-introduced species. The most compelling example of such invasion is arguably the topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva, a small cyprinid species originating from East Asia. A combination of sociological, economical and biological factors has fuelled their rapid invasion since the 1960s; 32 countries (from Central Asia to North Africa) have been invaded in less than 50 years. Based on a combination of monitoring surveys (2535 populations sampled) and literature reviews, this paper aims to quantify and characterise important invasion parameters, such as pathways of introduction, time between introduction and detection, lag phase and plasticity of life history traits. Every decade, five new countries have reported P. parva introduction, mainly resulting from the movement of Chinese carps for fish farming. The mean detection period after first introduction was 4 years, a duration insufficient to prevent their pan-continental invasion. High phenotypic plasticity in fitness related traits such as growth, early maturity, fecundity, reproductive behaviour and the ability to cope with novel pathogens has predisposed P. parva to being a strong invader. The Pseudorasbora parva invasion has provided quantitative data for the development of 1) early warning systems across different spatial scales; 2) rapid eradication programmes prior to natural spread in open systems and 3) sound risk assessments with emphasis on plasticity of life history traits.