On the move: New insights on the ecology and management of native and alien macrophytes

Design and testing of a trap removing Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis, H. Milne Edwards, 1853) from invaded river systems

“…m −2 established by Jin, Xie, and Li (2001) for macrophytes in the crabs' home territory in China. A (semi) permanent reduction or even total loss of vegetation can have dramatic consequences for the aquatic ecosystem since macrophytes are ecological engineers (Schoelynck et al, 2012) that support several ecosystem functions in the river (Boerema et al, 2014; Carpenter & Lodge, 1986; Hofstra et al, 2020; O'Hare et al, 2018). A sudden loss of vegetation may induce sediment erosion, which can be intensified by the burrowing activities of the crabs and which may further inhibit vegetation recovery in the long term.…”

Editorial: Challenges and Innovative Solutions in River Sciences

“…Future changes in temperature regimes need new equipment to identify cold-water patches as critical refugia for endangered species, as shown by a combination of novel techniques (Cases-Mulet et al). Invasive plant species are a significant global issue affecting riverine landscapes (Hofstra et al, 2020) and accurate measurements of tissue H 2 O 2 concentrations provide a new approach to analyze stress intensity and identify stressors for plant growth as shown for Egeria densa in Japanese rivers (Asaeda et al).…”

Editorial: Multiple Roles of Alien Plants in Aquatic Ecosystems: From Processes to Modelling

“…This Research Topic goes beyond the classical simplistic paradigm on the only negative impacts of IAAPs and increases the awareness on the multiple roles played by IAAPs in aquatic ecosystems. To date, available knowledge is not sufficient for an effective control and management of aquatic invaders ( Hussner et al., 2017 ; Hofstra et al., 2020 ). Additional global efforts are needed to organize in a comprehensive and cross-cutting framework the processes of introduction, establishment, and spread, as well as the assessment of ecosystem changes and impacts mediated by IAAPs, keeping an eye on genetic and functional aspects ( Lastrucci et al., 2018 ; Molina-Montenegro et al., 2018 ).…”