Frontiers in Marine Science (Oct 2015)
Non-native freshwater fishes in the Iberian Southeast: black list and potential impacts
Abstract
The importance of non-native fish in the Southeast Iberian’s freshwaters as target in environmental management is continuously growing, although their introduction and dispersion rates have accelerated greatly in the last time. The risk management of non-native fishes requires acknowledgement that species differ in their invasiveness which can vary geographically for a given species according to the vulnerability of the communities in the receiving ecosystems. Several types of ecological impacts have been associated with non-native fishes, however, their impacts are poorly understood for the managers at regional scales, and we think that their explicitly definition should promote progress toward a better understanding of their negative implications and help the implementation and enforcement of EU policy and legislation on invasive species. The objectives were to establish the black list of freshwater fishes of the Southeast Iberian and to review their ecological effects operating across multiple levels of biological organization. We review our regional state of knowledge by updating the information and by providing case studies using references (the most recent literature) of the cited species according to the Carta Piscícola Española (SIBIC 2015). At least, sixteen species had been introduced the Southeast Iberian by the beginning of the 20th century, but the rate of introduction is highly elevated in the last two decades, with the majority of introductions since 2000. Most studies reviewed reported only potential impacts. Failed introductions are poorly documented and existing information is scattered in regional publications, reports and other grey literature. Due to the interbasin water transfers (Tajo-Segura channel), the number of translocated species is high, however, information about these fishes is not regarded by researchers and their potential impacts are neglected. We established a black list with sixteen cited species and nineteen potential invasive species. Additionally, research needs and management priority measures are evaluated.
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