Distribution of the invasive bryozoan Schizoporella japonica in Great Britain and Ireland and a review of its European distribution

Loxton, J, Wood, CA, Bishop, JDD, Porter, JS, Spencer Jones, ME and Nall, CR 2017 Distribution of the invasive bryozoan Schizoporella japonica in Great Britain and Ireland and a review of its European distribution. Biological Invasions, 19 (8). 2225-2235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1440-2

[img]
Preview
Text
Loxton et al Schizoporella 2017.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (2MB) | Preview
Official URL: s://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-017-1...

Abstract/Summary

The bryozoan Schizoporella japonica Ortmann (1890) was first recorded in European waters in 2010 and has since been reported from further locations in Great Britain (GB) and Norway. This paper provides a new earliest European record for the species from 2009, a first record from Ireland and presence and absence records from a total of 231 marinas and harbours across GB, Ireland, the Isle of Man, France and Portugal. This species is typically associated with human activity, including commercial and recreational vessels, aquaculture equipment, and both wave and tidal energy devices. It has also been observed in the natural environment, fouling rocks and boulders. The species has an extensive but widely discontinuous distribution in GB and Ireland. Although found frequently in marinas and harbours in Scotland, it inhabits only a few sites in England, Wales and Ireland, interspersed with wide gaps that are well documented as genuine absences. This appears to be a rare example of a southward-spreading invasion in GB and Ireland. The species has been reported from the Isle of Man and Norway but has not been found in France or Portugal. In the future we expect S. japonica to spread into suitable sections of the English, Welsh and Irish coasts, and further within Europe. The species’ capability for long-distance saltatory spread and potential for negative impact on native ecosystems and economic activity suggests that S. japonica should now be considered invasive in GB and Ireland. As such, it is recommended that biosecurity procedures alongside effective surveillance and monitoring should be prioritised for regions outside the species’ current distribution.

Item Type: Publication - Article
Subjects: Conservation
Ecology and Environment
Marine Sciences
Zoology
Divisions: Marine Biological Association of the UK > Coastal Ecology
Depositing User: John Bishop
Date made live: 20 Sep 2017 09:49
Last Modified: 09 Feb 2024 17:36
URI: https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/7515

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item