Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
3.0
Journals
Water
Special Issues
Exotic Species in Aquatic Environments
water-logo
Submit to Water Review for Water Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Exotic Species in Aquatic Environments

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity and Functionality of Aquatic Ecosystems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 3902

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yolanda Fernández Torquemada

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Interests: marine biology; coastal impacts; seagrasses; macrophytes; exotic species; bioindicators; mitigation impacts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Marc Terradas Fernández

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Interests: marine phytobenthos; macrophytes; coastal impacts; exotic species; bioindicators; benthic communities; global change

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The introduction of exotic species into aquatic environments is a significant environmental issue with far-reaching consequences. Exotic species, also known as alien or non-indigenous species (NIS), refer to organisms that have been introduced to regions outside their natural range due to human activities. This introduction can occur through various pathways, including the discharge of ballast water from ships, aquaculture practices, the aquarium trade, accidental releases, and intentional species introductions for recreational purposes. Once established, these species have the potential to rapidly spread and become invasive, leading to competition with native species and causing economic and ecological harm. The proliferation of exotic species in aquatic environments poses a threat to biodiversity, ecosystem function, and human activities, such as fisheries and water resource management.

This Special Issue aims to gather current research on the introduction and dispersal of new exotic species in aquatic environments. We are particularly interested in studies focusing on the potential ecological and economic impacts of non-indigenous species (NIS). Research encompassing monitoring and management strategies, including control and eradication measures, as well as the restoration of impacted ecosystems to their original states, are also highly encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Yolanda Fernández Torquemada
Prof. Dr. Marc Terradas Fernández
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • exotic, alien, or non-indigenous species (NIS)
  • invasive species
  • ecological impacts
  • biodiversity
  • introduction pathways
  • invasion mechanisms
  • prevention and control
  • management strategies

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 3079 KiB  
Article
Seasonal and Spatial Distribution Patterns of Non-Native Fishes in Inland Waters of Guangxi
by Hao Liu, Zhiqiang Wu, Liang Qiao, Liangliang Huang, Jiayang He, Yangyan Sun and Yusen Li
Water 2024, 16(21), 3062; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16213062 - 25 Oct 2024
Viewed by 454
Abstract
Fish invasions can damage the ecological environment of invaded areas, causing negative effects such as monotony of ecological types in invaded waters and endangerment of native species. It is important to monitor their presence and spread in invaded areas. This study aims to [...] Read more.
Fish invasions can damage the ecological environment of invaded areas, causing negative effects such as monotony of ecological types in invaded waters and endangerment of native species. It is important to monitor their presence and spread in invaded areas. This study aims to update the available data on non-native fish species in the inland waters of Guangxi and to determine their seasonal and spatial distribution in this region. Taking the inland waters of Guangxi as the study area, 34 sampling sites were set up in the major river systems, and systematic sampling was conducted in four seasons in 2023. The data showed that a total of 7690 non-native fish were collected from 23 species, belonging to 7 orders, 13 families, and 20 genera. Of the non-native fish species, 19 species were introduced for aquaculture purposes, and three species were introduced for ornamental purposes. The most non-native fish species were found in summer with 21 species, which were followed by 20 species in winter, 18 species in spring, and only 15 species in autumn. However, the distribution composition was similar in each season, with Coptodon zillii being dominant in each season, which was followed by Oreochromis niloticus. The Hongshuihe River had the highest number of non-native fish species with 16 species, followed by the Xunjiang River with 14 species, the Qianjiang River with 13 species, and the Npanjiang River had the lowest number of non-native fish species with 7 species. In addition, the Xunjiang River and the Qianjiang River showed significant separation in the PCoA results, and the overall test showed significant differences in non-native fish composition among the river system. The main reasons for the differences in their spatial distribution are geographical location and temperature. O. niloticus and C. zillii were found in all river systems and have become the main invasive non-native fish species in the inland waters of Guangxi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exotic Species in Aquatic Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2721 KiB  
Article
Prospects for the Spread of the Invasive Oriental River Prawn Macrobrachium nipponense: Potentials and Risks for Aquaculture in Europe
by Oksana Nekrasova, Anastasiia Lepekha, Mihails Pupins, Arturs Škute, Andris Čeirāns, Kathrin Theissinger, Jean-Yves Georges and Yuriy Kvach
Water 2024, 16(19), 2760; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16192760 - 27 Sep 2024
Viewed by 700
Abstract
Climate change has amplified the threat posed by aquatic invasive species as potential disruptors of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Species Distribution Models (MaxEnt) based on original data and ecological variables have identified contemporary seven global centers of the oriental rivel prawn Macrobrachium nipponense [...] Read more.
Climate change has amplified the threat posed by aquatic invasive species as potential disruptors of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Species Distribution Models (MaxEnt) based on original data and ecological variables have identified contemporary seven global centers of the oriental rivel prawn Macrobrachium nipponense distribution: the native range in East Asia, Northern, Western and Eastern Europe, the Irano-Turanian region, and North and South America. By 2050, further expansion in Europe is expected, likely due to climate change, particularly temperature changes (Bio1) and rain precipitation during the warmest quarter (Bio18). However, the species may see a range reduction in southern Europe due to lower precipitation and increased droughts related to climate change. Therefore, a northward shift in the range of the species is also predicted. In the context of global change, and especially biological invasions, this study highlights the risks of introducing aquaculture based on M. nipponense and recommends controlling such economic activities, which are associated with a high risk for native species and ecosystems. Further, long-term monitoring is needed to assess impacts and to efficiently manage M. nipponense populations that are already present in their non-native habitats, for mitigating their negative effects on native species and ecosystems worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exotic Species in Aquatic Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 248 KiB  
Article
Heterogeneity of Biochemical Parameters of Non-Native Pink Salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Spawners at the Beginning of Up-River Movements
by Ekaterina V. Ganzha, Dmitry S. Pavlov and Efim D. Pavlov
Water 2024, 16(14), 2000; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16142000 - 15 Jul 2024
Viewed by 717
Abstract
In the last decades, non-native pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha successfully spread and occupied the rivers of the White Sea basin. We studied twenty-two blood parameters characterizing lipid metabolism, osmoregulation, energy exchange, and steroidogenesis at the crucial time point of pink salmon spawning migration: [...] Read more.
In the last decades, non-native pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha successfully spread and occupied the rivers of the White Sea basin. We studied twenty-two blood parameters characterizing lipid metabolism, osmoregulation, energy exchange, and steroidogenesis at the crucial time point of pink salmon spawning migration: the passage of the critical salinity barrier in the estuary, preceding the migration upstream of the Umba River. The heterogeneity of biochemical parameters of non-native pink salmon predominantly was demonstrated in sexual dimorphism. We attributed this result to two main processes: maturation features and different timings of fish running from seawater to freshwater. Maturation features were characterized by differences between females and males in concentrations of estradiol-17β, triglycerides, and alanine aminotransferase. Both sexes had increased levels of cortisol due to changes in fish osmoregulation. Females had higher levels of cortisol, total protein, and calcium in comparison with males, which indicated that pink salmon females run to the river later than males. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exotic Species in Aquatic Environments)
13 pages, 2192 KiB  
Article
Factors Explaining the Distribution of Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) in Freshwaters of Morocco
by Abdelkhaleq F. Taybi, Youness Mabrouki, Peter Glöer and Christophe Piscart
Water 2024, 16(6), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16060803 - 8 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1506
Abstract
Invasive species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor their presence and expansion within invaded areas and carry out studies to improve our knowledge of their biology and ecology. One of the most effective and spectacular invaders [...] Read more.
Invasive species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor their presence and expansion within invaded areas and carry out studies to improve our knowledge of their biology and ecology. One of the most effective and spectacular invaders among freshwater snails is the acute bladder snail (Physella acuta) (Draparnaud, 1805). This study aims to update the available data on P. acuta in Morocco and determine the main environmental factors that favor its distribution and expansion in this country. Field surveys were conducted in northern Morocco between 2014 and 2023, with a focus on protected areas such as Ramsar sites, and especially great geographical barriers such as the Middle Atlas Mountains and the Sebou and Moulouya River basins. The gastropods were collected using Surber samplers (20 × 25 cm surface area, 400 µm mesh), together with measurements of the physicochemical parameters of the water and other abiotic factors. The bladder snail is probably the most widespread freshwater snail in Morocco, where the species appears to be highly adaptable and can thrive in different habitats, including degraded ones, showing great plasticity in terms of the physicochemical parameters of the water. The main factor limiting the geographical distribution and abundance of P. acuta in the study area was water velocity and conductivity. However, further studies are required to address the future range of expansion of P. acuta in relation to climate change. Although one of the consequences of climate change is reduced water flow speed, which may promote its range of expansion in Morocco, salinization of streams may also reduce its ability to colonize new environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exotic Species in Aquatic Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop