M. Pintar, Nicole D. Strickland, Jeffrey L. Kline, Mark I. Cook, N. Dorn
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Asian swamp eels (Monopterus albus/javanensis) were first reported as introduced to Florida waterbodies in 1997 near Tampa and Miami; a third population was recorded by 1999 in Homestead. Initial assessments, published soon after swamp eels in southern Florida were first recorded in wetlands beyond canals and ponds (in 2007), concluded there was little threat to Florida’s aquatic ecosystems. Long-term data now suggest they precipitated population crashes of crayfishes and small fishes in the eastern Everglades. We used records from continuous long-term monitoring programs, sporadic monitoring studies, and online databases to reconstruct swamp eel presence across Florida. Monitoring studies provided wetland hydrologic variables to assess limits for swamp eels. From 1997–2007, populations in southern Florida remained restricted to canals; initial spread from 2007–2017 across southern Everglades National Park proceeded slowly and the two populations covered ~1500 km2 of southern Florida. From 2017–2022, the rate of spread increased as they spread west and north (~5800 km2 range). Through 2014, the Tampa population occurred only along southern/eastern Tampa Bay (~60 km2) but has since spread south along the Gulf Coast, east into central Florida, and south along the Lake Wales Ridge (~11,000 km2). We found evidence of two potentially new introductions, in Palm Beach County and Orlando. There was no clear evidence of limitation of wetland drying on swamp eel occurrence in the Everglades; they were captured in marshes that dried for 1–5 months during the previous dry season, but short-hydroperiod wetlands may have slowed spread. In the Everglades, evidence suggests swamp eels may have been inadvertently spread into marshes from canals used to deliver water for flood control and hydrologic restoration. Swamp eels are currently spreading unchecked across Florida, and there should be great concern about continued spread in this region and their establishment and spread elsewhere.
期刊介绍:
Aquatic Invasions is an open access, peer-reviewed international journal focusing on academic research of biological invasions in both inland and coastal water ecosystems from around the world.
It was established in 2006 as initiative of the International Society of Limnology (SIL) Working Group on Aquatic Invasive Species (WGAIS) with start-up funding from the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development Integrated Project ALARM.
Aquatic Invasions is an official journal of International Association for Open Knowledge on Invasive Alien Species (INVASIVESNET).
Aquatic Invasions provides a forum for professionals involved in research of aquatic non-native species, including a focus on the following:
• Patterns of non-native species dispersal, including range extensions with global change
• Trends in new introductions and establishment of non-native species
• Population dynamics of non-native species
• Ecological and evolutionary impacts of non-native species
• Behaviour of invasive and associated native species in invaded areas
• Prediction of new invasions
• Advances in non-native species identification and taxonomy