Alien species in the Mediterranean Sea by 2012. A contribution to the application of European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Part 2. Introduction trends and pathways

By Α. Zenetos, S. Gofas, C. Morri, A. Rosso, D. Violanti, J. Raso, M. Çınar, A. Almogi‐Labin, A. Ateş, E. Azzurro and 19 more. 2012

598 citations recorded by the source corpus.

More than 60 marine non-indigenous species (NIS) have been removed from previous lists and 84 species have been added, bringing the total to 986 alien species in the Mediterranean [775 in the eastern Mediterranean (EMED), 249 in the central Mediterranean (CMED), 190 in the Adriatic Sea (ADRIA) and 308 in the western Mediterranean (WMED)]. There were 48 new entries since 2011 which can be interpreted as approximately one new entry every two weeks. The number of alien species continues to increase, by 2-3 species per year for macrophytes, molluscs and polychaetes, 3-4 species per year for crustaceans, and 6 species per year for fish. The dominant group among alien species is molluscs (with 215 species), followed by crustaceans (159) and polychaetes (132). Macrophytes are the leading group of NIS in the ADRIA and the WMED, reaching 26-30% of all aliens, whereas in the EMED they barely constitute 10% of the introductions. In the EMED, molluscs are the most species-rich group, followed by crustaceans, fish and polychaetes. More than half (54%) of the marine alien species in the Mediterranean were probably introduced by corridors (mainly Suez). Shipping is blamed directly for the introduction of only 12 species, whereas it is assumed to be the most likely pathway of introduction (via ballasts or fouling) of another 300 species. For approximately 100 species shipping is a probable pathway along with the Suez Canal and/or aquaculture. Approximately 20 species have been introduced with certainty via aquaculture, while >50 species (mostly macroalgae), occurring in the vicinity of oyster farms, are assumed to be introduced accidentally as contaminants of imported species. A total of 18 species are assumed to have been introduced by the aquarium trade. Lessepsian species decline westwards, while the reverse pattern is evident for ship-mediated species and for those introduced with aquaculture. There is an increasing trend in new introductions via the Suez Canal and via shipping.

Subfields: Global and Planetary Change, Ocean Engineering, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/8a7b85bda28ee335023b1f9bf86c331cb9ce71cc

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Global and Planetary Change

In Ocean Engineering

In Sociology and Political Science

Citations in the corpus

Uncertainties and validation of alien species catalogues: The Mediterranean as an example (2017, background): “…on the basis of an old record of a single specimen (Zenetos et al., 2004); ✓ Stomatella impertusa (Burrow, 1815): known from a single record from Turkey (see Zenetos et al., 2004), and a possible, but still doubtful, record from Malta (see Arias et al., 2013b), where the species was not found…”
Gateways to alien invasions in the European seas (2014, background): “This is consistent with both these lagoons being sites of extensive mariculture activities and wellknown hotspots for marine, alien, aquaculturemediated, invasions in the Mediterranean Sea (Verlaque 2001; Occhipinti-Ambrogi and Savini 2003; Zenetos et al. 2012).”
Invading the Mediterranean Sea: biodiversity patterns shaped by human activities (2014, methodology): “Introduction of marine alien species in the Mediterranean Sea has been fostered by the opening of the Suez Canal, fouling and ballast transportation along shipping routes, aquaculture, and aquarium trade (Zenetos et al., 2012; Katsanevakis et al., 2013).”
A lionfish (Pterois miles) invasion has begun in the Mediterranean Sea (2016, background): “Lessepsian fish invasion rates are now increasing rapidly; ca 40 % of the 130 alien fish species now living in the Mediterranean have been reported since 2001 and these have expanded their geographical range during this time (Zenetos et al. 2012).”
Marine invasion genetics: from spatio-temporal patterns to evolutionary outcomes (2014, background): “…of the non-indigenous status of the species have been excluded) and number of introduced species reported (black bars and right Y axis, using Zenetos et al. (2012), as a reference), D outcome of studies that compare patterns of genetic diversity between native and introduced populations,…”
New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (July, 2017) (2017, unknown): “…et al ., 2015), but given that the species’ juveniles are usually pelagic and are found associated with floating objects (Knudsen & Clements, 2016), its introduction should possibly be attributed to natural range expansion rather than dispersal due to human activities (Zenetos et al ., 2012).”
Update of alien fauna and new records from Tunisian marine waters (2015, background): “Following the last inventory of Mediterranean alien spe- cies (Zenetos et al., 2010) and new added records (Zenetos et al., 2012; Siokou et al., 2013; Bilecenoglu et al., 2013) more than 1000 alien species are listed.”
New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (October 2015) (2015, background): “Zenetos et al. (2010; 2012), based on Golani & Ben-Tuvia (1986), also considered this species as an alien in the Mediterranean, and included it among “casual aliens”.”
The Presence of the invasive Lionfish Pterois miles in the Mediterranean Sea (2013, background): “It has been suggested that this specimen entered through the Suez Canal, like other hundreds of marine organisms (Zenetos et al. , 2012), or released from captivity (Golani et al. , 2002).”
Ecosystem-based marine spatial management: Review of concepts, policies, tools, and critical issues (2011, background): “…and loss of goods and services are among the effects of climate change in the marine environment (Bianchi, 2007; Drinkwater et al., 2010; Harley et al., 2006; IPCC, 2007; Occhipinti-Ambrogi, 2007; Parmesan and Yohe, 2003; Perry et al., 2005; Rosenzweig et al., 2008; Zenetos et al., 2010).”