Spanish seas are increasingly populated with species alien to their ecosystems. Number exotic spices Spanish Cantabria is already heading towards 600 in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. This was done by a multidisciplinary scientific team led by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO, CSIC) and the Center for Advanced Studies in Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) and the Autonomous Universities of Alicante, Malaga and Madrid. The researchers analyzed the exotic species recorded in Spanish marine waters from 1800 to the end of 2021, as well as the main routes of introduction of these species.
The proliferation of exotic and invasive species, danger to biodiversityBecause they often compete with native species, fighting for land and food.
This study, recently published in the journal Variation, collects data from a variety of sources, such as scientific publications, monitoring programs and citizen science initiatives, among others. “Close collaboration with national and international experts was crucial to verify the species list and thereby create the updated baseline list of alien (exotic) and invasive species in Spain’s marine waters,” explains researcher Lydia Png. from the Balearic Islands Oceanographic Center and the study’s first author.
In the study, a total of 574 species were identified, 35 percent of which were in the Western Mediterranean, 34 percent in the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast, and 31 percent in the Macaronesia region..
Non-native species in general They have increased their presence on our coasts in the last 20 yearsThese include abundance on invertebrates, primary producers (such as macroalgae and microalgae), vertebrates, and pathogens.
More than 50% of all recorded non-native species are established along our coasts, and around 10% are invasive, especially in the Western Mediterranean.
Shipping distributes exotic species
especially Maritime transport is considered the main route of introduction of alien species – either in ballast water, as contaminant organisms in hulls, or associated with other types of environments – account for 77% of the species inventoried in the three regions.
The second main entry route is related to aquaculture activities. Such as contamination of nursery material or parasites in animals that account for more than 10% of the total species recorded mostly in the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast.
The data confirm that the introduction of exotic species is a multifaceted process that involves a variety of factors, such as region and existing route of introduction, and even environmental changes over time. “The emergence and spread of alien species It is largely due to the ever-increasing human activities in the marine environment. and pose a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystems,” explains Png.
More than 1,000 species in the Mediterranean
This is not the first study to analyze the impact of exotic species on our environment. The Mediterranean, together with its entire basin, is the most occupied sea on the planet. There are over 1,000 exotic species from other ecosystemsAs the report warned last year, they have found their new homes in this basin in recent years. The impact of climate change on the Mediterranean It is carried out by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
This is the result of a compendium of complementary factors that come together in Mare Nostrum. from the effects of climate change to the intense maritime trade of this geostrategic region.Because it is the union of three continents. The natural physiognomy of this closed sea also affects. While all of this contributes to the proliferation of exotic animal and plant species, it also increases the threat to endemic species unique to the Mediterranean.
The Mediterranean is warming, and it’s happening faster. Especially, temperature rise is 20% faster than the global average and already exceeds the average for pre-industrial times by one and a half degrees (1880), according to report Risks due to climate change and environmental changes in the Mediterranean region, Prepared by the MedECC network.
Reference work: https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050630
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