THE FINDING OF THE INVASIVE AMPHIPOD GMELINOIDES FASCIATUS (STEBBING, 1899) IN WATERCOURSES OF THE ONEGA LAKE BASIN

The invasive amphipod Gmelinoides fasciatus (Stebbing, 1899) was not previously recorded in the rivers of the Onega Lake basin, although it has spread widely in its littoral in recent years. In 2019 and 2020, this species was found to inhabit the estuarine zones of watercourses (the Rybreka River and the Drugaya River) at a considerable distance from the lacustrine littoral zone (0.5 and 1.7 km, respectively). It was revealed that G. fasciatus is included in the communities of both pools and riffles, and in some areas reaches dominant positions in the macrozoobenthos, which indicates the possibility of further expansion of its range due to the river ecosystems of the region.

Spreading and Establishment of the Non Indigenous Species Caprella Scaura (Amphipoda: Caprellidae) in the Central Region of the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Caprella scaura is an invasive amphipod, native to the Indian Ocean, which has already spread to several regions of the world, including the Mediterranean Sea. The present study reports the first occurrence of the species on fish farms cages in Greece, in the Pagasitikos Gulf. Specimens were collected from colonies of the bryozoan Bugula neritina. Basic aspects of the population dynamics of the species, such as the population structure, sex ratio, and size frequency were studied for 13 months and tested for differences between two depth levels (30 cm and 5 m). Population density was significantly different between the two sampled depths. All the demographic categories were present during the whole study period, indicating that the species follows a continuous reproduction pattern in the region. Males were typically larger than females, but females were more abundant in most samples. It seems that the species is well established in the region and is probably moving towards the northern parts of the Aegean Sea.

SPECIFIC FEATURES OF FEEDING EUROPEAN VENDACE COREGONUS ALBULA (L.) IN RYBINSK RESERVOIR

The article describes Coregonus albula (L.) inhabiting the open pelagial of the Main reach and the river reaches of the Rybinsk Reservoir together with other fish species that form the feeding colonies of planktophagous fish. The feeding spectra of vendace for the summer-autumn period are determined. Mass species of cladocerans are present in the diet of fish feeding in the productive biotopes of the main reach of the reservoir, in the zones of stable high concentrations of feed invertebrates in the summer, during the maximum development of zooplankton. In this period of the year there dominate Bosmina zooplankton (the relative significance ratio in nutrition (IR) varies from 67.2 to 98.5%), Daphnia species (IR 98.1%) and Bythotrephes species (22.1%). The diet of vendace is more diverse in the estuaries of large tributaries of the river reaches. There they feed on the larvae and adults of amphibiotic insects Chironomidae, Simuliidae and Syrphidae, whose larvae live on the bottom, while adult insects keep a ground-air lifestyle. An invasive amphipod species Gmelinoides fasciatus presents in the diet of vendace in the near-dam zone of the reservoir in autumn. The appearance of benthic organisms in the nutrition of vendace in the autumn period coupled with a significant decrease of plankton invertebrates in the diet may be explained, on one hand, by a seasonal decrease in the biomass of zooplankton in the reservoir’s pelagial and search for new forage places, and, on the other hand, a food competition from the another plankotophage, the Ponto-Сaspian kilka. Despite the fact that vendace is morphologically adapted to feeding on small invertebrates in the water column, it demonstrates a certain degree of plasticity in the selection of food organisms in the Rybinsk reservoir, and its feeding spectrum changes depending on the season and productivity of the reservoir

Population dynamics and expansion of Crangonyx pseudogracilis, a potentially invasive amphipod

One of the main drivers of biodiversity loss is the introduction of exotic invasive species. In 2011, an abundant population of Crangonyx pseudogracilis, a freshwater amphipod native to North America, was detected in Portugal. This study allowed us to better understand its biology, analysing the population dynamics in a temporary river and a small lake for one year, and to follow its expansion. Our results showed that this species reproduces in the temporary river during most of the year, but in the lake only from March to July. Amphipod density decreases from May to October and increases from November to April. As usual, females were larger than males, but the proportion of females was higher than males at both sampling locations. Finally, we noticed a great increase in C. pseudogracilis distribution area in relation to what was observed in 2014, with a diffusion coefficient of 2495.27 km2/year and a spread rate of 26 km/year. However, no overlap was yet detected between native and exotic amphipod species.

Pilferer, murderer of innocents or prey? The potential impact of killer shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus) on crayfish

Freshwater ecosystems worldwide are facing the establishment of non-native species, which, in certain cases, exhibit invasive characteristics. The impacts of invaders on native communities are often detrimental, yet, the number and spread of non-native invasive species is increasing. This is resulting in novel and often unexpected combinations of non-native and native species in natural communities. While the impact of invaders on native species is increasingly well-documented, the interactions of non-native invaders with other non-native invaders are less studied. We assessed the potential of an invasive amphipod, the killer shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894), to cope with other established invaders in European waters: North American crayfish of the Astacidae family—represented by signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852), and the Cambaridae family—represented by marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis Lyko, 2017. The main goal of this study was to investigate if killer shrimp, besides their role as prey of crayfish, can significantly influence their stocks by predating upon their eggs, hatchlings and free-moving early juveniles. Our results confirmed that killer shrimp can predate on crayfish eggs and hatchlings even directly from females abdomens where they are incubated and protected. As marbled crayfish have smaller and thinner egg shells as well as smaller juveniles than signal crayfish, they were more predated upon by killer shrimp than were signal crayfish. These results confirmed that the invasive killer shrimp can feed on different developmental stages of larger freshwater crustaceans and possibly other aquatic organisms.

The invasive amphipod Gammarus tigrinus Sexton, 1939 conquering the north of Europe using a new pathway: the first recordings from Norway

The invasive amphipod Gammarus tigrinus has during the last decades spread to large parts of Northern Europe, mainly using pathways eastwards from The British Isles to Continental Europe and further northeast into the Baltic Sea. From the coastline it has to some extent spread further inland, especially in topographically low-relief landscapes with highly polluted rivers. This account reports another geographical direction of dispersal, towards north into Southern Norway. In coastal brackish-water regions G. tigrinus may displace other gammarids. Large parts of Norway consist of high-relief landscapes close to many estuaries, so the further spread into this country is doubtful. However, if the taxon can avoid the initial barriers using vectors and spread into new watercourses above such barriers and thrive in this new ambient water chemistry, it may have large negative influence on the other benthic fauna. But Norwegian lakes and rivers are most probably too electrolyte-poor to support this species. However, in estuaries and other brackish waters along the coast, at least in the southern part of Norway, the species will thrive. Gammarus tigrinus is the only known intermediate host for the native American acanthocephalan parasite Paratenuisentis ambiguus, which has the American eel as its main host. This parasite also infects the European eel, and this poses an additional threat to the already endangered eel in Norwegian rivers where G. tigrinus has been recorded.