Journal ArticleDOI
Worst case scenario: potential long-term effects of invasive predatory lionfish (Pterois volitans) on Atlantic and Caribbean coral-reef communities
Mark A. Albins,Mark A. Hixon +1 more
TLDR
A possible “worst case scenario” in which the direct and indirect effects of lionfish could combine with the impacts of preexisting stressors—especially overfishing—and cause substantial deleterious changes in coral-reef communities is described.Abstract:
The Pacific red lionfish has recently invaded Western Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs, and may become one of the most ecologically harmful marine fish introductions to date. Lionfish possess a broad suite of traits that makes them particularly successful invaders and strong negative interactors with native fauna, including defensive venomous spines, cryptic form, color and behavior, habitat generality, high competitive ability, low parasite load, efficient predation, rapid growth, and high reproductive rates. With an eye on the future, we describe a possible "worst case scenario" in which the direct and indirect effects of lionfish could combine with the impacts of preexisting stressors—especially overfishing—and cause sub- stantial deleterious changes in coral-reef communi- ties. We also discuss management actions that could be taken to minimize these potential effects by, first, developing targeted lionfish fisheries and local removals, and second, enhancing native biotic resistance, particularly via marine reserves that could conserve and foster potential natural enemies of this invader. Ultimately, the lionfish invasion will be limited either by the lionfish starving—the worst end to the worst case scenario—or by some combination of native pathogens, parasites, predators, and competitors controlling the abundance of lionfish.read more
Citations
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Citizen scientists monitoring the establishment and expansion of Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) in the Aegean Sea, Greece
Ioannis Giovos,Periklis Kleitou,Paravas,Dimitra Marmara,Georgios Romanidis-Kyriakidis,Dimitris Poursanidis +5 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the importance of citizen scientists in the collection of information regarding invasive species and the potential of suggested conservation measures, and discuss how to monitor alien species in the Mediterranean Sea.
Journal ArticleDOI
Design and Implementation of an Assistive Real-Time Red Lionfish Detection System for AUV/ROVs
TL;DR: An assistive underwater robotic scheme is designed to aid spear-hunting divers to locate and more efficiently hunt the lionfish, and has shown success in detecting the red lionfish with high confidence in real time.
Journal ArticleDOI
Native densities, distribution, and diurnal activity of Red Sea lionfishes (Scorpaenidae)
Sarah A. McTee,Justin R. Grubich +1 more
Journal ArticleDOI
Genotyping confirms significant cannibalism in northern Gulf of Mexico invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans
Kristen A. Dahl,David S. Portnoy,J. Derek Hogan,John E. Johnson,John R. Gold,William F. Patterson +5 more
TL;DR: The highest incidence of cannibalism corresponded to larger sized consumers from areas with high lionfish densities, suggesting cannibalism in northern Gulf of Mexico lionfish is size- and density-dependent and has the potential to influence population dynamics of lionfish which lack native western Atlantic predators.
Journal ArticleDOI
A Unique Coral Community in the Mangroves of Hurricane Hole, St. John, US Virgin Islands
TL;DR: Over 30 scleractinian coral species, about the same number as documented to date from nearby coral reefs, grow here, and no other mangrove ecosystems in the Caribbean are known to have so many coral species.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Human Domination of Earth's Ecosystems
TL;DR: Human alteration of Earth is substantial and growing as discussed by the authors, between one-third and one-half of the land surface has been transformed by human action; the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased by nearly 30 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution; more atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by humanity than by all natural terrestrial sources combined; more than half of all accessible surface fresh water is put to use by humanity; and about one-quarter of the bird species on Earth have been driven to extinction.
Journal ArticleDOI
Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences, and control
Richard N. Mack,Daniel Simberloff,W. Mark Lonsdale,Harry C. Evans,M. N. Clout,Fakhri A. Bazzaz +5 more
TL;DR: Given their current scale, biotic invasions have taken their place alongside human-driven atmospheric and oceanic alterations as major agents of global change and left unchecked, they will influence these other forces in profound but still unpredictable ways.
Journal ArticleDOI
Update on the environmental and economic costs associated with alien-invasive species in the United States
TL;DR: About 42% of the species on the Threatened or Endangered species lists are at risk primarily because of alien-invasive species.
Journal ArticleDOI
The Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants.
P. W. Richards,Charles Elton +1 more
Book
The Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants
TL;DR: The first book on invasion biology, and still the most cited, Elton's masterpiece provides an accessible, engaging introduction to one of the most important environmental crises of the authors' time.
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