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FRESHCO project – preliminary results assessing the multiple implications of invasive species on freshwater mussel decline and coexistence processes
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The Iberian freshwater ecosystems are highly invaded by a myriad of organisms that
threaten their native biodiversity, including fish and mussels. FRESHCO project is
evaluating the direct and indirect impacts of selected invasive alien species (IAS)
belonging to distinct fuinctional groups (from plants to vertebrates) on the native
Iberian freshwater mussels (FM) and its fí.sh host fauna. Preliminary results for the
designed tasks (T) were obtained: Tl - based on field and lab experiments, FM
exhibited lower growth, lower physiological condition, and higher locomotor activity
at higher Corbicula fluminea density, suggesting that FM are negatively affected by
C. fluminea and may be displaced to less favourable habitats; T2 - only native
Iberian fishes are effective hosts for Unio delphinus and Potomida littoralis, while
Anodonta anatína hás a more wide range of host fishes that may include non-native
species; T3- molecular and classical detection tools hás been used to analyze the
diets of selected IAS (Lepomis gibbosus, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Procambarus
clarkii, Neovison vison) and preliminary results showed that ali these IAS predate
FM; T4 - 150 sampling sites in Douro basin (Portugal and Spain) were surveyed and
mussel and fish assemblages and their habitats characterized. In opposition to
salmonid streams, which maintain a good ecológica! status, large number of
median-sized and lowland rivers display marked changes in abiotic conditions and
biotic composition, including a higher proportion of non-native species presence.
From an ecological point ofview, overall results would help to clarify the real impacts
of the most prominent IAS on the threatened native FM and íish species in Iberia.
From a management point ofview, this project will contribute with information that
can be used in a more effective conservation of native species and management of
IAS
Description
Keywords
Freshwater ecosystems Native mussels Invasive species Freshwater fishes
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Teixeira, Amílcar; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Varandas, Simone; Froufe, Elsa; Sousa, Ronaldo (2018). FRESHCO project – preliminary results assessing the multiple implications of invasive species on freshwater mussel decline and coexistence processes. In 1st Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Meeting in Europe. Verbania, Italy