First record of Eurasian Water-milfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum, for the Saint John River, New Brunswick

Eurasian Water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) is regarded by conservation practitioners as one of the most challenging invasive aquatic plants to manage. Owing to its broad tolerance to environmental conditions, vegetative propagation, and rapid establishment and growth, M. spicatum introductions have the potential to drastically alter macrophyte species assemblages via a loss of native species and their respective ecosystem functions. Following the discovery of a single specimen of M. spicatum in the Saint John River, near Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada) we further investigated the localized distribution of this nonindigenous species. Thirteen areas were identified as potential M. spicatum habitat and were surveyed by wading or snorkeling. Specimens of M. spicatum were collected and morphological identifications were verified through genetic analyses (ITS2; rbcLa). The results of our investigation confirm the presence of M. spicatum at six different locations within the Saint John River. Here we discuss the implications of this discovery in the context of the contiguous aquatic habitats along a large river system.

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Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas ◽

10.47886/9781888569728.ch7 ◽

2005 ◽

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Fish Assemblages ◽

Fish Fauna ◽

River System ◽

Endangered Species Act ◽

Large River ◽

Main Stem ◽

Lake Mead ◽

Virgin River ◽

Native Fishes

Abstract.—The Virgin–Moapa River system supports nine native fish species or subspecies, of which five are endemic. Woundfin Plagopterus argentissimus and Virgin River chub Gila seminuda are endemic to the main-stem Virgin River, whereas cooler and clearer tributaries are home to the Virgin spinedace Lepidomeda mollispinis. Moapa dace Moapa coriacea and Moapa White River springfish Crenichthys baileyi moapae are found in thermal springs that form the Moapa River, and Moapa speckled dace Rhinichthys osculus moapae is generally found below the springs in cooler waters. The agricultural heritage of the Virgin–Moapa River system resulted in numerous diversions that increased as municipal demands rose in recent years. In the early 1900s, trout were introduced into some of the cooler tributary streams, adversely affecting Virgin spinedace and other native species. The creation of Lake Mead in 1935 inundated the lower 80 km of the Virgin River and the lower 8 km of the Moapa River. Shortly thereafter, nonnative fishes invaded upstream from Lake Mead, and these species have continued to proliferate. Growing communities continue to compete for Virgin River water. These anthropogenic changes have reduced distribution and abundance of the native Virgin–Moapa River system fish fauna. The woundfin, Virgin River chub, and Moapa dace are listed as endangered, and the Virgin spinedace has been proposed for listing. In this paper we document how the abundance of these species has declined since the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Currently, there is no strong main-stem refugium for the Virgin River native fishes, tributary refugia continue to be shortened, and the Moapa River native fishes continue to be jeopardized. Recovery efforts for the listed and other native fishes, especially in the Virgin River, have monitored the declines, but have not implemented recovery actions effective in reversing them.

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The Ocean Pout, Zoarces americanus, and the Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola: Additions to the Marine Ichthyofauna of the Lower Saint John River System, New Brunswick, with a Summary of Marine Fish Reported from the Estuary

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v127i1.1405 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 127 (1) ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Donald F. McAlpine

Keyword(s):

New Brunswick ◽

River System ◽

Marine Species ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Marine Fishes ◽

Ocean Sunfish ◽

System A ◽

Mola Mola ◽

Saint John ◽

The Status

Recent records for the Ocean Pout, Zoarces americanus (collected 11 February 2011), and the Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola (photograph taken 24 June 2012), in the lower Saint John River system, New Brunswick, add to the list of marine fishes reported from this oceanographically unique estuary system. A total of 62 species of strictly freshwater, anadromous, catadromous, and marine fishes have now been recorded in the Saint John River system, with 49 of these in the Saint John River sensu stricto. The Acadian Redfish, Sebastes faciatus, a species assessed as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, appears to be among these. While strictly marine fishes may contribute relatively little to the overall biomass of fishes in the Saint John River system, marine species account for 30.6% of the biodiversity of fishes in the river to date. This suggests that marine fishes may be a more significant component of the ichthyofauna of the lower Saint John River system than is generally recognized.

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Assessment of the Impacts of Anthropogenic Activities on a Large River Using Longfin Eel as a Bioindicator

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12208412 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (20) ◽

pp. 8412

Author(s):

Olivier Champeau ◽

James M. Ataria ◽

Grant L. Northcott ◽

Gen Kume ◽

Andrew Barrick ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Economic Value ◽

River System ◽

Large River ◽

Chemical Contamination ◽

Bioindicator Species ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Anthropogenic Stressors ◽

Residential Land Use

The Matāura River is the sixth largest river system in New Zealand and has long been subject to agricultural, industrial, and residential land use activities. The catchment has economic value and is of great cultural importance for local Māori, who have concerns over potential adverse impacts that anthropogenic stressors exert on the health of the river. There is a dearth of information on the impacts of these stressors towards the health of native species such as the longfin eel Anguilla dieffenbachii. This study assessed the environmental status of the Matāura River using biological and chemical methodologies incorporating A. dieffenbachii as a bioindicator species for exposure to multiple anthropogenic stressors. A range of biomarkers were measured in caged and wild-caught eels (when available) to characterize site-specific responses to anthropogenic stressors. While there was no clear indication of cumulative impacts moving from pristine headwaters to the lower reaches of the Matāura River, biomarkers of xenobiotic metabolization were induced in A. dieffenbachia and there was evidence of chemical contamination in sediment and tissue samples.

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Late Wisconsinan and Holocene development of Grand Lake Meadows area and southern reaches of the Saint John River Valley, New Brunswick, Canada

Atlantic Geology ◽

10.4138/atlgeol.2015.007 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 206 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bruce E. Broster ◽

Pamela J. Dickinson

Keyword(s):

Phase I ◽

New Brunswick ◽

Radiocarbon Dating ◽

River System ◽

Phase Iii ◽

Maximum Phase ◽

Marine Transgression ◽

Saint John ◽

Phases Of Development ◽

Late Wisconsinan

A 67 m near-continuous stratigraphic core was recovered from drilling at Grand Lake Meadows, located near the junction of Grand Lake and the Saint John River, approximately 40 km south of Fredericton, New Brunswick. From analyses of recovered samples and finite radiocarbon dating, four phases of development of the study site and surrounding environs were identified to have occurred following the Late Wisconsinan glacial maximum. Phase I, related to the formation of the DeGeer Sea, commenced more than 15 000 calyBP from deglaciation accompanied by marine transgression. Phase II began ~14 000 calyBP and continued until approximately ~8000 calyBP during which time there was major isostatic readjustment in the region and formation of a stratified, mostly brackish, ancestral Grand Lake and transformation into a mostly freshwater, Lake Acadia. Phase III began shortly after 8000 calyBP and continued until after 3000 calyBP accompanied by return of the Saint John River to a fluvialdominated system after down-cutting an outlet at the Reversing Falls gorge, and draining much of Lake Acadia. During phase IV, ~3000 calyBP to present, estuarine conditions were initiated as marine water advanced upstream over the Reversing Falls, leading to the development of the modern river system and Grand Lake Meadows.

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Assessment of the Impacts of Anthropogenic Activities on a Large River Using Longfin Eel as a Bioindicator

10.20944/preprints202009.0211.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Olivier Champeau ◽

James Ataria ◽

Grant Northcott ◽

Gen Kume ◽

Andrew Barrick ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Economic Value ◽

River System ◽

Large River ◽

Chemical Contamination ◽

Bioindicator Species ◽

Anthropogenic Stressors ◽

Environmental Status ◽

Residential Land Use

The Matāura River is the sixth largest river system in New Zealand and has long been subject to agricultural, industrial, and residential land use activities. The catchment has geographic and economic value and is of great cultural importance for local Māori, who have concerns over potential adverse impacts that anthropogenic stressors exert on the health of the river. There is a dearth of information on the impacts of these stressors towards the health of native species such as the longfin eel Anguilla dieffenbachii. This study assessed the environmental status of the Matāura River using biological and chemical methodologies incorporating A. dieffenbachii as a bioindicator species for exposure to combined anthroprogenic stressors. A range of biomarker endpoints were measured in caged and wild-caught eels (when available) to characterize site-specific responses to combined anthropogenic stressors. While there was no clear indication of cumulative impacts moving from pristine headwaters to the lower reaches of the Matāura River biomarkers of xenobiotic metabolization were induced in A. dieffenbachia and there was evidence of chemical contamination in sediments and tissues.

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Wintercresses (Barbarea W.T. Aiton, Brassicaceae) of the Canadian Maritimes

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v133i2.2235 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 133 (2) ◽

pp. 118

Author(s):

Colin J. Chapman ◽

C. Sean Blaney ◽

David M. Mazerolle

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

New Brunswick ◽

Exotic Species ◽

Native Species ◽

First Record ◽

Atlantic Canada ◽

Maritime Provinces ◽

Area Of Occupancy ◽

Herbarium Collections

We conducted a review of herbarium collections of the Wintercress genus (Barbarea W.T. Aiton) from the Maritime provinces. Most specimens previously determined to be the regionally rare native species Erect-fruit Wintercress (Barbarea orthoceras Ledebour) are in fact the uncommon exotic Small-flowered Wintercress (Barbarea stricta Andrzejowski). The latter species is here reported as new to Atlantic Canada, where it is scattered but widespread in the three Maritime provinces. Only three collections (two from New Brunswick and one from Nova Scotia) were confirmed as B. orthoceras. Its known range extent and area of occupancy in the Maritimes has been significantly revised, and B. orthoceras is now considered potentially extirpated in New Brunswick and extremely rare in Nova Scotia. One collection from Nova Scotia was referred to another rare exotic species, Early Wintercress (Barbarea verna (Miller) Ascherson), which represents the first record for the Maritimes.

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Introduction of Southern White River Crayfish (Procambarus zonangulus) to New Brunswick

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v134i4.2575 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 134 (4) ◽

pp. 375-378

Author(s):

Donald F. McAlpine ◽

Christopher B. Connell ◽

Pamela D. Seymour

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

New Brunswick ◽

River System ◽

Native Fish ◽

White River ◽

The Third ◽

Saint John ◽

Native Crayfish ◽

First Time ◽

Privately Owned

Southern White River Crayfish (Procambarus zonangulus), an aquatic, potentially invasive species, is documented from New Brunswick for the first time. It was found in a small, privately owned, lake in the Saint John River system that was apparently stocked for recreational purposes with non-native fish and the crayfish. Procambarus zonangulus has successfully overwintered at the site for at least a year and, more likely, for several years. This is the third species of non-native crayfish recorded in New Brunswick, joining Spiny-cheeked Crayfish (Faxonius limosus) and Virile Crayfish (Faxonius virilis). This is also the first persisting introduction for the genus Procambarus in Canada of which we are aware.

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The Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas, in New Brunswick

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v119i3.144 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 119 (3) ◽

pp. 351 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dale J. Hood ◽

Rudolph F. Stocek

Keyword(s):

New Brunswick ◽

Fathead Minnow ◽

Pimephales Promelas ◽

River System ◽

Saint John

A second record for the occurrence of the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) in New Brunswick, the first for the southwest portion of the province, is reported. This is the first documented occurrence of the species in the province in 44 years, and the first indication that the Fathead Minnow occurs outside the upper Saint John River system in New Brunswick.

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On the occurrence of three non-native cichlid species including the first record of a feral population of Pelmatolapia ( Tilapia ) mariae (Boulenger, 1899) in Europe

Royal Society Open Science ◽

10.1098/rsos.170160 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 170160 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Juliane A. Y. Lukas ◽

Jonas Jourdan ◽

Gregor Kalinkat ◽

Sebastian Emde ◽

Friedrich Wilhelm Miesen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Water Discharge ◽

Fish Fauna ◽

River System ◽

First Record ◽

Fish Parasites ◽

Native Fish ◽

Small Stream ◽

Cichlid Species ◽

Convict Cichlids

Thermally influenced freshwater systems provide suitable conditions for non-native species of tropical and subtropical origin to survive and form proliferating populations beyond their native ranges. In Germany, non-native convict cichlids ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata ) and tilapia ( Oreochromis sp.) have established populations in the Gillbach, a small stream that receives warm water discharge from a local power plant. Here, we report on the discovery of spotted tilapia ( Pelmatolapia mariae ) in the Gillbach, the first record of a reproducing population of this species in Europe. It has been hypothesized that Oreochromis sp. in the Gillbach are descendants of aquaculture escapees and our mtDNA analysis found both O. mossambicus and O. niloticus maternal lineages, which are commonly used for hybrids in aquaculture. Convict cichlids and spotted tilapia were most probably introduced into the Gillbach by aquarium hobbyists. Despite their high invasiveness worldwide, we argue that all three cichlid species are unlikely to spread and persist permanently beyond the thermally influenced range of the Gillbach river system. However, convict cichlids from the Gillbach are known to host both native and non-native fish parasites and thus, non-native cichlids may constitute threats to the native fish fauna. We therefore strongly recommend continuous monitoring of the Gillbach and similar systems.

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