Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimes

Alien species constitute one of the main threats to freshwater ecosystems, negatively impacting biodiversity, economy, biosecurity and ecosystem services. Predicting the arrival and spread of alien species is of paramount importance to prevent new introductions and control the expansion and establis...

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Main Authors: Marta Rodríguez-Rey, Sofia Consuegra, Carlos Garcia de Leaniz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Regional Euro-Asian Biological Invasions Centre (REABIC) 2023-11-01
Series:Aquatic Invasions
Online Access:https://aquaticinvasions.arphahub.com/article/111481/download/pdf/
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author Marta Rodríguez-Rey
Sofia Consuegra
Carlos Garcia de Leaniz
author_facet Marta Rodríguez-Rey
Sofia Consuegra
Carlos Garcia de Leaniz
author_sort Marta Rodríguez-Rey
collection DOAJ
description Alien species constitute one of the main threats to freshwater ecosystems, negatively impacting biodiversity, economy, biosecurity and ecosystem services. Predicting the arrival and spread of alien species is of paramount importance to prevent new introductions and control the expansion and establishment of already introduced species. We modelled the distribution of four freshwater invaders in Great Britain, using environmental and anthropogenic predictors, to help focus management actions. The species grouped different taxa including signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), the marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus), the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) and the pike-perch (Sander lucioperca). The modelling approach accounted for methodological limitations and implemented two evaluations, a temporal evaluation using data corresponding to 70% of the oldest records to calibrate models and the remaining 30% for evaluation using various performance metrics (the common AUC, TSS and also null models) and an independent evaluation using the most recent range expansion of the species in the last six years. The distribution of the species was facilitated by multiple environmental and anthropogenic predictors. Road density was the second most important predictor of the occurrence of signal crayfish and red-eared slider preceded by the distance to ports and isothermality for each species respectively. Human population density was the most important predictor of marsh frog presence whereas pike-perch was mostly related to the proximity of boat ramps and precipitation regimes. Our distribution models were accurate and predicted the most recent range expansion of all of the species, highlighting their usefulness for preventing alien species spread and the value of using historical projections, usually available for non-native species, to calibrate and evaluate Species Distribution Models.
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spelling doaj-art-ee33d442cb8a48eba17738b5fa57b1e32025-08-20T02:40:56ZengRegional Euro-Asian Biological Invasions Centre (REABIC)Aquatic Invasions1818-54872023-11-0118445547210.3391/ai.2023.18.4.111481111481Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimesMarta Rodríguez-Rey0Sofia Consuegra1Carlos Garcia de Leaniz2Universidad de AlcaláSwansea UniversitySwansea UniversityAlien species constitute one of the main threats to freshwater ecosystems, negatively impacting biodiversity, economy, biosecurity and ecosystem services. Predicting the arrival and spread of alien species is of paramount importance to prevent new introductions and control the expansion and establishment of already introduced species. We modelled the distribution of four freshwater invaders in Great Britain, using environmental and anthropogenic predictors, to help focus management actions. The species grouped different taxa including signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), the marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus), the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) and the pike-perch (Sander lucioperca). The modelling approach accounted for methodological limitations and implemented two evaluations, a temporal evaluation using data corresponding to 70% of the oldest records to calibrate models and the remaining 30% for evaluation using various performance metrics (the common AUC, TSS and also null models) and an independent evaluation using the most recent range expansion of the species in the last six years. The distribution of the species was facilitated by multiple environmental and anthropogenic predictors. Road density was the second most important predictor of the occurrence of signal crayfish and red-eared slider preceded by the distance to ports and isothermality for each species respectively. Human population density was the most important predictor of marsh frog presence whereas pike-perch was mostly related to the proximity of boat ramps and precipitation regimes. Our distribution models were accurate and predicted the most recent range expansion of all of the species, highlighting their usefulness for preventing alien species spread and the value of using historical projections, usually available for non-native species, to calibrate and evaluate Species Distribution Models.https://aquaticinvasions.arphahub.com/article/111481/download/pdf/
spellingShingle Marta Rodríguez-Rey
Sofia Consuegra
Carlos Garcia de Leaniz
Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimes
Aquatic Invasions
title Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimes
title_full Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimes
title_fullStr Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimes
title_full_unstemmed Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimes
title_short Models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens, and reveal a strong influence of river access, anthropogenic activities and climate regimes
title_sort models based on chronological data correctly predict the spread of freshwater aliens and reveal a strong influence of river access anthropogenic activities and climate regimes
url https://aquaticinvasions.arphahub.com/article/111481/download/pdf/
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AT sofiaconsuegra modelsbasedonchronologicaldatacorrectlypredictthespreadoffreshwateraliensandrevealastronginfluenceofriveraccessanthropogenicactivitiesandclimateregimes
AT carlosgarciadeleaniz modelsbasedonchronologicaldatacorrectlypredictthespreadoffreshwateraliensandrevealastronginfluenceofriveraccessanthropogenicactivitiesandclimateregimes