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Pan‐continental invasion of Pseudorasbora parva : towards a better understanding of freshwater fish invasions
Author(s) -
Gozlan Rodolphe E,
Andreou Demetra,
Asaeda Takashi,
Beyer Kathleen,
Bouhadad Rachid,
Burnard Dean,
Caiola Nuno,
Cakic Predrag,
Djikanovic Vesna,
Esmaeili Hamid R,
Falka Istvan,
Golicher Duncan,
Harka Akos,
Jeney Galina,
Kováč Vladimír,
Musil Jiří,
Nocita Annamaria,
Povz Meta,
Poulet Nicolas,
Virbickas Tomas,
Wolter Christian,
Serhan Tarkan A,
Tricarico Elena,
Trichkova Teodora,
Verreycken Hugo,
Witkowski Andrzej,
Guang Zhang Chun,
Zweimueller Irene,
Robert Britton J
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
fish and fisheries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.747
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1467-2979
pISSN - 1467-2960
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-2979.2010.00361.x
Subject(s) - biology , invasive species , fecundity , ecology , introduced species , phenotypic plasticity , life history theory , life history , population , demography , sociology
In recent years, policy‐makers have sought the development of appropriate tools to prevent and manage introductions of invasive species. However, these tools are not well suited for introductions of non‐target species that are unknowingly released alongside intentionally‐introduced species. The most compelling example of such invasion is arguably the topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva, a small cyprinid species originating from East Asia. A combination of sociological, economical and biological factors has fuelled their rapid invasion since the 1960s; 32 countries (from Central Asia to North Africa) have been invaded in less than 50 years. Based on a combination of monitoring surveys (2535 populations sampled) and literature reviews, this paper aims to quantify and characterise important invasion parameters, such as pathways of introduction, time between introduction and detection, lag phase and plasticity of life history traits. Every decade, five new countries have reported P. parva introduction, mainly resulting from the movement of Chinese carps for fish farming. The mean detection period after first introduction was 4 years, a duration insufficient to prevent their pan‐continental invasion. High phenotypic plasticity in fitness related traits such as growth, early maturity, fecundity, reproductive behaviour and the ability to cope with novel pathogens has predisposed P. parva to being a strong invader. The Pseudorasbora parva invasion has provided quantitative data for the development of 1) early warning systems across different spatial scales; 2) rapid eradication programmes prior to natural spread in open systems and 3) sound risk assessments with emphasis on plasticity of life history traits.