eDNA for detection of five highly invasive molluscs. A case study in urban rivers from the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Biological invasions are an important threat to biodiversity especially in aquatic ecosystems, and their frequency is generally higher near urban areas. Potentially invasive non-indigenous molluscs were deliberately introduced into European waters for food (Corbicula fluminea) and biocontrol (Melanoides tuberculata), and unintentionally introduced by ballast water (Mytilopsis leucophaeata, Corbicula fluminea), stock contamination (Sinanodonta woodiana), accidental escapes from aquaculture (Sinanodonta woodiana), aquarium trade releases (Melanoides tuberculata) and even attached to aquatic birds (Corbicula fluminea). Three rivers from the Iberian Peninsula were monitored near the three most populated inland cities to evaluate the presence of these invasive molluscs through PCR amplification using taxon-specific primers from eDNA. New primers were designed within 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I genes, tested in silico from BLAST methodology and experimentally in vitro before application in the field. C. fluminea was found in Ebro River (near Zaragoza); M. leucophaeata in Guadalquivir River (near Sevilla). M. tuberculata and S. woodiana were found from enclosed areas (lake and reservoir respectively) upstream, respectively, Zaragoza and Madrid. The new tools are ready to be used in other regions where these species are also invasive.

Early detection and spatial monitoring of an emerging biological invasion by population genetics and environmental DNA metabarcoding

“…Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis may be a gamechanger (Mahon & Jerde, 2016;Taberlet, Bonin, Zinger, & Coissac, 2018). Recently, eDNA methods have been developed to target some of the most harmful aquatic invaders such as in crayfish (Tréguier et al, 2014), molluscs (Clusa, Miralles, Basanta, Escot, & Garcia-Vazquez, 2017), mosquitoes (Schneider et al, 2016), fishes (Nevers et al, 2018), pathogenic fungi (Schmidt, Kéry, Ursenbacher, Hyman, & Collins, 2013), amphibians (Dejean et al, 2012), and plants (Gantz, Renshaw, Erickson, Lodge, & Egan, 2018). In parallel, the multispecies approach offered by eDNA metabarcoding may transform the monitoring of aquatic biodiversity (Deiner et al, 2017;Pont et al, 2018;Valentini et al, 2016), but its utility for the detection of emerging cryptic aliens faces several challenges.…”

Diagnosis of Centrocestus formosanus Infection in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) in Italy: A Window to a New Globalization-Derived Invasive Microorganism

“…The causes of C. formosanus global spread are still subject to debate. Some authors pointed at the dissemination (deliberate or accidental) of its first intermediate host, Melanoides tuberculata, whereas others hold responsible the movements of birds and freshwater fish [16,17,19,21,25,27,28,30,[49][50][51]. In particular, given the huge numbers of the ornamental fish industry in Europe (approximately 300 million fish, more than 2500 species, of which 60% are of freshwater origin), the importation of ornamental freshwater fish, from countries where C. formosanus is endemic, plays a crucial role in spreading this parasite [35,36,51].…”

Interactions and management for the future of marine aquaculture and capture fisheries

“…As we look to the future, climate change will make mariculture possible in regions where it currently does not exist, potentially increasing the risk of exotic species introductions (Holmer, ). Fortunately, promising new approaches, such as the use of environmental DNA, are improving our detection and understanding of invasive impacts (Clusa, Miralles, Basanta, Escot, & García‐Vázquez, ).…”