Freshwater ecosystem vulnerability: Is native climatic niche good enough to predict invasion events?

Abstract

The introduction of invasive species is a significant threat to freshwater ecosystems and is changing the biogeographic patterns of fish species, leading to homogenization of fish fauna. The ability to predict potential invasions is critical in conservation biology to avoid further biodiversity loss. Ecological niche modelling has become an important tool in biological invasion studies. However, some introduced species can spread to habitats that are different from those in their native range. A framework based on niche shifts and ecological niche models was used to show that Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii, an armoured catfish, commonly known as ‘pleco', and native to the middle‐lower Paraná river, has expanded its niche by 27% and is now occupying a new range of environmental conditions. This species has experienced a niche shift from its original habitat and has started to occupy new areas of the Upper Paraná river basin and the São Francisco basin in Brazil. Models built using both native and non‐native areas were not able to predict the invaded habitats, and in either the native or non‐native areas the cross‐validation procedures corroborate the niche expansion hypothesis.

Chronology of invasion and establishment of Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii (Holmberg 1893), in the upper Paraná River basin

“…Successful invasions history of this fish and its congeners (Orfinger & Goodding, 2018), denote wide environmental plasticity and reveals the seriousness of the problem of his settlement in the invaded area. A recent study by Frederico et al (2019), revealed how P. ambrosettii was able to successfully persist in environments with characteristics different from their native habitat.…”

“…A recent study by Frederico et al (2019), revealed how P. ambrosettii was able to successfully persist in environments with characteristics different from their native habitat. Thus, recognize P. ambrosettii is more than established and widely dispersed throughout the basin, the magnitude of its impacts on the environment and aquatic biodiversity, although not yet measurable, is expected to be high.…”

Modelling the potential distribution of two tropical freshwater fish species under climate change scenarios

“…In the study area, the distribution pattern of 41 species was et al, 2006), and the invasion potential of Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii in Brazil (Frederico et al, 2019). Many studies have aimed to estimate the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of freshwater fishes (Chu, Mandrak & Minns, 2005;Bond et al, 2011;Yu et al, 2012).…”

“…In the study area, the distribution pattern of 41 species was modelled within the political boundaries of the State of Tabasco, southern Mexico, but the areas found to have the highest potential species richness are not included in the Network of Natural Protected Areas (Castillo‐Torres et al, 2017). Other similar research works have addressed the potential distribution of the family Goodeidae in Mexico under the present conditions (Domínguez‐Domínguez et al, 2006), and the invasion potential of Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii in Brazil (Frederico et al, 2019). Many studies have aimed to estimate the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of freshwater fishes (Chu, Mandrak & Minns, 2005; Bond et al, 2011; Yu et al, 2012).…”

SI on economic costs of invasions - Feeling the pinch: global economic costs of crayfish invasions and comparison with other aquatic crustaceans

“…Freshwater ecosystems are especially vulnerable to the introduction of alien species (Frederico et al 2019). Despite the recognition of these ongoing losses and risks, the capacity of various countries to effectively combat and prevent biological invasions remains limited (Early et al 2016;Faulkner et al 2020).…”