Fish functional groups in the San Francisco Estuary: Understanding new fish assemblages in a highly altered estuarine ecosystem

Tutman

Fisheries Management Eco

et al. 2020

Biological invasions are a major driver of global environmental change as invasive non‐native species can exert severe environmental impacts on invaded ecosystems. Estuaries are especially vulnerable to biological invasions, which in highly urbanised areas are further facilitated by introduction pathways linked to commercial activities. This study provides a risk screening of non‐native invasive species for the highly urbanised River Neretva Estuary (Eastern Adriatic Sea: Croatia and Bosnia–Herzegovina). In total, 12 species of non‐native aquatic organisms were identified and screened for their invasiveness with the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. Of these species, eight were classified as carrying a high risk of invasiveness under current climate conditions and nine under future climate conditions. Amongst the high‐risk species, blue crab Callinectes sapidus has already caused impacts in the risk assessment area, where it also represents an important economic resource. The “horizon” species Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum also carried a high risk of invasiveness, which for the latter species applied under predicted global warming. The present findings will contribute towards preventative management and control measures for the conservation of the natural ecosystem of the River Neretva Estuary whilst accounting for aquatic farming demands.

“…The findings of this study are also expected to pave the way to similar screening applications to other highly urbanised estuarine ecosystems worldwide (e.g. Aguilar-Medrano et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Quantifying current and future risks of invasiveness of non‐native aquatic species in highly urbanised estuarine ecosystems—A case study of the River Neretva Estuary (Eastern Adriatic Sea: Croatia and Bosnia–Herzegovina)

Tutman

Fisheries Management Eco

et al. 2020

“…However, a number of other aspects of the organism's function were also linked to its morphology, such as diet and reproduction, and therefore could also interact with the evolution of locomotor capacities (Collar et al, 2008). Because the phenotypic and trophic variation of the species has been used to lay the basis to determine their functional relationships (Aguilar-Medrano et al, 2019;Braga et al, 2012;Fabre et al, 2016;Lobato et al, 2014;Losos, 2009;Price et al, 2010), in the present study, the morphological variation of the disc and feeding structures, as well as trophic data of 9 species of Bathomorphi were analyzed and phylogenetic comparative methods were used to determine whether the morphological variation is related to the trophic ecology of the group. Finally, because the locomotor system in fish is conditioned by factors linked to the ecological mechanisms and responsible for their evolution, we expected that disc shape would be phylogenetically related to feeding structures (Meckel's cartilage -MC from now on-, and teeth) of the species here analyzed (Langerhans & Reznick, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary ecomorphology of select species of rays distributed in the Gulf of Mexico

Aguilar-Medrano

Vega‐Cendejas²

2022

Rev.Mex.Biodiv.

Bathomorphi is a diverse lineage, accounting for more than half of the chondrichthyan diversity. Yet, more than 12.3% of the species are in the “deficient data” category of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, indicating a gap in the knowledge of this group. In the present study, the diet and morphological variation associated with locomotion (disc) and feeding (Meckel’s cartilage and teeth) of 9 species of batomorphs were analyzed to assess trophic and morphological diversity, size, and sexual dimorphism. Comparative phylogenetic methods were used to determine the evolutionary relationship between variables. According to our results, the species selected showed a wide and intricate morphological variation. Sexual dimorphism was mainly observed in tooth morphology, where males tended to have more pointed teeth than females. Disc allometry was recorded for most species; small specimens presented a longer snout than larger specimens. Only the Meckel’s cartilage was related to the diet of the species. However, the morphological variation of the disc, Meckel’s cartilage, and teeth of the batomorphs were correlated through the evolution of the group and responded to functional patterns such as swimming and feeding, which finally, determined the ecology of the species.

“…South Asia, Europe, and North America) are used for controlling floods, limiting saltwater intrusion, abating coastal erosion, providing irrigation water, growing desirable vegetation and fishes, and enhancing waterfowl and wading‐bird habitat (Kaminski & Prince 1981; Bamber et al 1991; Rogers et al 1994; de Graaf & Marttin 2003; Frisch et al 2006). Many managed wetlands are novel environments that exhibit diverse geomorphic and water‐quality conditions, which then support a distinctive suite of native and non‐native species (Hobbs et al 2006; Aguilar‐Medrano et al 2019). For example, managed wetlands can have lower densities of large migratory fish species, but higher densities of small resident fishes, than tidal wetlands (Rozas & Minello 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most managed landscapes are wetlands focused on waterfowl habitat that are seasonally flooded and exhibit muted tidal exchange. These managed wetlands are novel ecosystems supporting a mixture of native and non‐native aquatic species (Moyle et al 2014; Aguilar‐Medrano et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tidal restoration of a managed wetland in California favors non‐native fishes

Williamshen

O’Rear

Riley

et al. 2021

Restoration Ecology

Self Cite

Tidal wetland restoration is commonly used to recover ecosystem functions and services that were lost when wetlands were diked for reclamation or management. Less research has been conducted on the response of invertebrate and fish assemblages to tidal restoration than on plants and physical attributes. Blacklock Marsh, a wetland in Suisun Marsh, USA, was once managed for waterfowl hunting and cattle grazing until its dike was breached, restoring full tidal action. We sampled water quality, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, and fishes in Blacklock Marsh, and compared these metrics to adjacent naturalistic waterways and to a managed wetland focused on waterfowl. Our goal was to compare food production and community assemblage on a restoring marsh to other types of nearby waterways. Blacklock Marsh had less chlorophyll-a and dissolved organic carbon than nearby dead-end sloughs and the managed wetland, less zooplankton biomass than the managed wetland, and lower fish diversity-with a fish assemblage dominated by non-native species-compared to all other waterways. The most abundant fish species in the restoring site, Mississippi silverside (Menidia audens), is a non-native fish and known predator of Delta smelt larvae (Hypomesus transpacificus), for which the restoration was targeted. Our research suggests that restoring tidal action to managed wetlands alone may worsen rather than improve conditions for at-risk and native fishes.