Browsing by Author "Douda, Karel"
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- Biotic homogenization as a threat to native affiliate species: fish introductions dilute freshwater mussel’s host resourcesPublication . Douda, Karel; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Hinzmann, Mariana; Machado, Jorge; Varandas, Simone; Teixeira, Amílcar; Ronaldo, SousaAim: The indirect consequences of biotic homogenization, the process of a gradual increase in the similarity of regional biotas driven by the combined effects of species invasions and extinctions, are still poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to assess the ability of a native affiliate species to maintain its host resources under the condition of biotic homogenization of host communities. Location: Central (Vltava River Basin, Czech Republic) and western (Douro River Basin, Portugal) Europe. Methods: We tested the ability of non-native species to serve as an alternative partner in local host–affiliate relationships. We used a European freshwater mussel, Anodonta anatina, which is considered to be a host generalist of native fish species, and compared the compatibility of its glochidia with native versus non-native fishes in two distinct European regions. Subsequently, we projected the obtained host compatibility data into the recent progress of biotic homogenization and estimated the degree of host dilution. Results: We found significant differences in the ability of A. anatina glochidia to parasitize the native and non-native fish species in both the central and peripheral parts of the mussel’s distribution range. As a result, the increasing presence of non-native species within fish communities across Europe likely significantly decreases the availability of the mussel’s host. Biotic homogenization of host communities may interfere with general life history traits (host specificity) of their local affiliate species. Main conclusions: This study demonstrates that the mixing of regional biotas may lead to an excessive loss of host availability even for host generalists, such as the freshwater mussel A. anatina, with potentially broad consequences for their population dynamics. Conservation strategies of endangered affiliate species need to incorporate the biogeographical context of host–affiliate relationships and particularly the consequences of biotic homogenization.
- Conservation status of freshwater mussels in Europe: state of the art and future challengesPublication . Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Sousa, Ronaldo; Geist, Juergen; Aldridge, David C.; Araujo, Rafael; Bergengren, Jakob; Bespalaya, Yulia V.; Bódis, Erika; Burlakova, Lyubov E.; Van Damme, Dirk; Douda, Karel; Froufe, Elsa; Georgiev, Dilian; Gumpinger, Clemens; Karatayev, Alexander Y.; Kebapçi, Ümit; Killeen, Ian; Lajtner, Jasna; Larsen, Bjørn M.; Lauceri, Rosaria; Legakis, Anastasios; Lois, Sabela; Lundberg, Stefan; Moorkens, Evelyn A.; Motte, Gregory; Nagel, Karl Otto; Ondina, Paz; Outeiro, Adolfo; Paunovic, Momir; Prié, Vincent; Proschwitz, Ted von; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Rudzīte, Mudīte; Rudzītis, Māris; Scheder, Christian; Seddon, Mary; Şereflişan, Hülya; Simić, Vladica; Sokolova, Svetlana; Stoeckl, Katharina; Taskinen, Jouni; Teixeira, Amílcar; Thielen, Frankie; Trichkova, Teodora; Varandas, Simone; Vicentini, Heinrich; Zajac, Katarzyna; Zając, Tadeusz; Zogaris, StamatisFreshwater mussels of the Order Unionida provide important ecosystem functions and services, yet many of their populations are in decline. We comprehensively review the status of the 16 currently recognized species in Europe, collating for the first time their life-history traits, distribution, conservation status, habitat preferences, and main threats in order to suggest future management actions. In northern, central, and eastern Europe, a relatively homogeneous species composition is found in most basins. In southern Europe, despite the lower species richness, spatially restricted species make these basins a high conservation priority. Information on freshwater mussels in Europe is unevenly distributed with considerable differences in data quality and quantity among countries and species. To make conservation more effective in the future, we suggest greater international cooperation using standardized protocols and methods to monitor and manage European freshwater mussel diversity. Such an approach will not only help conserve this vulnerable group but also, through the protection of these important organisms, will offer wider benefits to freshwater ecosystems.
- Integrative phylogenetic, phylogeographic and morphological characterisation of the Unio crassus species complex reveals cryptic diversity with important conservation implicationsPublication . Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Geist, Juergen P.; Egg, S.; Beran, Luboš; Bikashvili, Ani; Van Bocxlaer, Bert; Bogan, Arthur E.; Bolotov, Ivan N.; Chelpanovskaya, O.A.; Douda, Karel; Fernandes, Verónica; Gomes-dos-Santos, André; Gonçalves, Duarte Vasconcelos; Gürlek, Mustafa Emre; Johnson, Nathan A.; Karaouzas, Ioannis D.; Kebapçı, Ümit; Kondakov, Duarte Vasconcelos; Kuehn, Ralf; Lajtner, Jasna; Mumladze, Levan; Nagel, Karl Otto; Neubert, Eike; Österling, Martin E.; Pfeiffer, John M.; Prié, Vincent; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Sell, Jerzy; Schneider, Lea D.; Shumka, Spase; Sîrbu, Ioan; Skujienė, Grita; Smith, Chase H.; Sousa, Ronaldo Gomes; Stöckl, K.; Taskinen, Jouni K.; Teixeira, Amílcar; Todorov, Milcho T.; Trichkova, Teodora A.; Urbańska, Maria; Välilä, Santtu; Varandas, Simone Da Graça Pinto; Veríssimo, Joana; Vikhrev, Ilya V.; Woschitz, G.; Zając, Katarzyna; Zając, Tadeusz A.; Zanatta, David Thomas; Zieritz, Alexandra; Zogaris, Stamatis; Froufe, ElsaThe global decline of freshwater mussels and their crucial ecological services highlight the need to understand their phylogeny, phylogeography and patterns of genetic diversity to guide conservation efforts. Such knowledge is urgently needed for Unio crassus, a highly imperilled species originally widespread throughout Europe and southwest Asia. Recent studies have resurrected several species from synonymy based on mitochondrial data, revealing U. crassus to be a complex of cryptic species. To address long-standing taxonomic uncertainties hindering effective conservation, we integrate morphometric, phylogenetic, and phylogeographic analyses to examine species diversity within the U. crassus complex across its entire range. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (815 specimens from 182 populations) and, for selected specimens, whole mitogenome sequences and Anchored Hybrid Enrichment (AHE) data on ∼ 600 nuclear loci. Mito-nuclear discordance was detected, consistent with mitochondrial DNA gene flow between some species during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Fossil-calibrated phylogenies based on AHE data support a Mediterranean origin for the U. crassus complex in the Early Miocene. The results of our integrative approach support 12 species in the group: the previously recognised Unio bruguierianus, Unio carneus, Unio crassus, Unio damascensis, Unio ionicus, Unio sesirmensis, and Unio tumidiformis, and the reinstatement of five nominal taxa: Unio desectus stat. rev., Unio gontierii stat. rev., Unio mardinensis stat. rev., Unio nanus stat. rev., and Unio vicarius stat. rev. Morphometric analyses of shell contours reveal important morphospace overlaps among these species, highlighting cryptic, but geographically structured, diversity. The distribution, taxonomy, phylogeography, and conservation of each species are succinctly described.
- Research priorities for freshwater mussel conservation assessmentPublication . Ferreira-Rodríguez, Noé; Akiyama, Yoshihiro B.; Aksenova, Olga V.; Araujo, Rafael; Barnhart, M. Christopher; Bespalaya, Yulia V.; Bogan, Arthur E.; Bolotov, Ivan N.; Budha, Prem B.; Clavijo, Cristhian; Clearwater, Susan J.; Darrigran, Gustavo; Do, Van Tu; Douda, Karel; Froufe, Elsa; Gumpinger, Clemens; Henrikson, Lennart; Humphrey, Chris L.; Johnson, Nathan A.; Klishko, Olga; Klunzinger, Michael W.; Kovitvadhi, Satit; Kovitvadhi, Uthaiwan; Lajtner, Jasna; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Moorkens, Evelyn A.; Nagayama, Shigeya; Nagel, Karl Otto; Nakano, Mitsunori; Negishi, Junjiro N.; Ondina, Paz; Oulasvirta, Panu; Prié, Vincent; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Rudzīte, Mudīte; Sheldon, Fran; Sousa, Ronaldo; Strayer, David L.; Takeuchi, Motoi; Taskinen, Jouni; Teixeira, Amílcar; Tiemann, Jeremy S.; Urbańska, Maria; Varandas, Simone; Vinarski, Maxim V.; Wicklow, Barry J.; Zając, Tadeusz; Vaughn, Caryn C.Freshwater mussels are declining globally, and effective conservation requires prioritizing research and actions to identify and mitigate threats impacting mussel species. Conservation priorities vary widely, ranging from preventing imminent extinction to maintaining abundant populations. Here, we develop a portfolio of priority research topics for freshwater mussel conservation assessment. To address these topics, we group research priorities into two categories: intrinsic or extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors are indicators of organismal or population status, while extrinsic factors encompass environmental variables and threats. An understanding of intrinsic factors is useful in monitoring, and of extrinsic factors are important to understand ongoing and potential impacts on conservation status. This dual approach can guide conservation status assessments prior to the establishment of priority species and implementation of conservation management actions.
- A roadmap for the conservation of freshwater mussels in EuropePublication . Sousa, Ronaldo; Zając, Tadeusz; Halabowski, Dariusz; Aksenova, Olga V.; Bespalaya, Yulia V.; Carvalho, Francisco; Castro, Paulo S.; Douda, Karel; Silva, Janine P.; Ferreira-Rodríguez, Noé; Geist, Juergen; Gumpinger, Clemens; Labecka, Anna M.; Lajtner, Jasna; Lewin, Iga; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Meira, Alexandra; Nakamura, Keiko; Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Ondina, Paz; Ożgo, Małgorzata; Reis, Joaquim; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Shumka, Spase; Son, Mikhail O.; Teixeira, Amílcar; Thielen, Frankie; Urbańska, Maria; Varandas, Simone; Wengström, Niklas; Zajac, Katarzyna; Zieritz, Alexandra; Aldridge, David C.Europe has a long history of human pressure on freshwater ecosystems. As pressure continues to grow and new threats emerge, there is an urgent need for conservation of freshwater biodiversity and its ecosystem services. However, whilst some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received a disproportionate amount of attention and funds, other groups remain largely off the public and scientific radar. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) are an alarming example of this conservation bias and here we point out six conceptual areas that need immediate and long-term attention: knowledge, threats, socioeconomics, conservation, governance and education. The proposed roadmap aims to advance research, policy and education by identifying the most pressing priorities for the short- and long-term conservation of freshwater mussels across Europe.
- The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservationPublication . Sousa, Ronaldo; Halabowski, Dariusz; Labecka, Anna M.; Douda, Karel; Aksenova, Olga V.; Bespalaya, Yulia V.; Bolotov, Ivan N.; Geist, Juergen; Jones, Hugh A.; Konopleva, Ekaterina; Klunzinger, Michael W.; Lasso, Carlos A.; Lewin, Iga; Liu, Xiongjun; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Mageroy, Jon; Mlambo, Musa; Nakamura, Keiko; Nakano, Mitsunori; Österling, Martin E.; Pfeiffer, John; Prié, Vincent; Paschoal, Lucas R.P.; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Santos, Rogério; Shumka, Spase; Smith, Allan K.; Son, Mikhail O.; Teixeira, Amílcar; Thielen, Frankie; Torres, Santiago; Varandas, Simone; Vikhrev, Ilya V.; Wu, Xiaoping; Zieritz, Alexandra; Nogueira, Joana GarridoAnthropogenic freshwater habitats may provide undervalued prospects for long-term conservation as part of species conservation planning. This fundamental, but overlooked, issue requires attention considering the pace that humans have been altering natural freshwater ecosystems and the accelerated levels of biodiversity decline in recent decades. We compiled 709 records of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) inhabiting a broad variety of anthropogenic habitat types (from small ponds to large reservoirs and canals) and reviewed their importance as refuges for this faunal group. Most records came from Europe and North America, with a clear dominance of canals and reservoirs. The dataset covered 228 species, including 34 threatened species on the IUCN Red List. We discuss the conservation importance and provide guidance on how these anthropogenic habitats could be managed to provide optimal conservation value to freshwater mussels. This review also shows that some of these habitats may function as ecological traps owing to conflicting management practices or because they act as a sink for some populations. Therefore, anthropogenic habitats should not be seen as a panacea to resolve conservation problems. More information is necessary to better understand the trade-offs between human use and the conservation of freshwater mussels (and other biota) within anthropogenic habitats, given the low number of quantitative studies and the strong biogeographic knowledge bias that persists.