Geo&Bio (Jul 2021)
Lodgments of expansion of alien animal species: the biota of a key site of anthropochory in Transcarpathia (Ukraine)
Abstract
The new cases that indicate the repeated entry of alien species, including invertebrates (molluscs, insects and other arthropods), to the Transcarpathian region (i.e. Zakarpattia Oblast) of Ukraine are considered. One of the main reasons of appearance of species in new territories is anthropochory — the transfer of specimen by human factors: road, air, water, or rail transport. This plays a significant role in the spread of living organisms to new territories. Usually the term is used for the transfer plants, but in this work and in a previous work of one of the authors, we focus on animal organisms, mainly invertebrates – insects and other arthropods, as well as molluscs. Most often, it happens unforeseen, but cases of intentional transportation of animals with their subsequent planned release into the environment are known too. Alien species of plants and animals entered Ukraine repeatedly through Transcarpathia. Unintentional spread of new species of animals through the territory due to the transportation of various foods and other kinds of goods, raw materials, including wood, and agricultural products. The paper presents not only the primary records of gastropods, arachnids, insects and other invertebrates, as well as some vertebrates found in trailers, etc., but also the findings of animals that have already been able to form self-reproducing populations in the region. In general, the authors had the opportunity to regularly inspect trailers during 2003–2007 and 2010–2017, working with imported raw materials (route from Italy via Slovenia and Hungary). Specimens were found on worn or old pallets with traces of moisture and soil, as well as traces of invertebrates that feed or live in wood and wood-destroying fungi. Dead insects were found in the cracks and between the boards (bedbugs, butterflies, beetles, orthopterans, and arachnids). There were also finds of live animals, which sometimes we managed to catch and photograph. The most important of them are presented by the authors in this publication.
Keywords
