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
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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
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Posted ContentDOI
Testing the efficacy of lionfish traps in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Holden E. Harris,Holden E. Harris,Alexander Q. Fogg,Stephen R. Gittings,Robert N. M. Ahrens,Micheal S. Allen,William F. Patterson +6 more
TL;DR: While removal efficiency for lionfish was far below that of spearfishing, study results demonstrate Gittings traps are suitable for future testing on deepwater natural reefs, which constitute >90% of the region’s reef habitat.
Journal ArticleDOI
Monitoring of environmental DNA from introduced species of algae, dinoflagellates and animals in the North Eastern Atlantic.
Steen Knudsen,Martin Hesselsøe,Jens Thaulow,Sune Agersnap,Brian Klitgaard Hansen,Magnus W. Jacobsen,Dorte Bekkevold,Soren K. S. Jensen,Peter Møller,Jesper H. Andersen +9 more
TL;DR: In this article , the authors developed and validated the specificity of 12 primer-probe assays for detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) from marine species, all non-indigenous to Europe.
Journal ArticleDOI
Intraspecific variation in body size does not alter the effects of mesopredators on prey.
TL;DR: The results indicate that the effects of small predators on coral reefs can be size-independent, suggesting that variation in predator size-structure alone may not always affect the functional role of these predators.
Journal ArticleDOI
Why the Stall? Using metabolomics to define the lack of upstream movement of invasive bigheaded carp in the Illinois River.
Jocelyn Curtis-Quick,Alexander V. Ulanov,Zhong Li,John F. Bieber,Emily K. Tucker-Retter,Cory D. Suski +5 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors tested the hypothesis that anthropogenic contaminants in the Illinois River may be playing a role in preventing further upstream movement of Bigheaded Carp and found that liver samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in a targeted metabolite profiling approach.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
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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.
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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.
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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
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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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