Background

The introduction, establishment and dispersal of non-native species is known to have far-reaching and undesirable ecological consequences for native species and ecosystems. Introduced species can have direct effects on native specie, such as through predation or interference, or indirectly through disruption of ecosystem equilibrium or the introduction and/or spread of novel diseases. Introductions to aquatic ecosystems are of particular concern because the introduced species are either impossible or too costly to eradicate. In order to protect the unique diversity of animal and plant life in our rivers, ponds, lakes and coastal waters, it is vital to understand the risks and impacts posed by non-native species, and how these risks may change under conditions of climate change.

Aims

Research carried out by the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Team on non-native species aims to:

Establish and maintain a knowledge base on the biology and environmental impacts of non-native species, especially freshwater fishes;
Conceive and carry out field and laboratory research to inform the process of identifying and assessing the risks and impacts of non-native species;
Develop risk analysis protocols and procedures for identifying, assessing and managing the potential risks and impacts as decision-support tools for decision makers and environmental managers;
Provide informed, evidence-based advice to policy makers, decision makers and environmental managers on the potential risks and impacts of non-native fishes to native species and ecosystems.

Scientific objectives

Assess and model the potential responses of native and non-native fish species under conditions of climate change;
Continue to refine recently-developed hazard identification and assessment protocols as decision-support tools for policy makers;
Develop and test protocols for assessing management options and their potential impacts (beneficial and adverse) to aid managers in assessing the risks of management options and prioritising actions;
Evaluate the impacts of non-native species on native species and stream ecosystem function so as to inform the risk assessment process.

Collaborating institutions

Bedwell Fisheries Services (Welham Green, UK)
Bournemouth University, Centre for Conservation Ecology & Environmental Change (Bournemouth, UK)
Central Sciences Laboratory (Sand Hutton, UK)
Comenius University, Department of Ecology (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Imperial College, Centre for Environmental Policy (London, UK)
Institute of Ecology of Vilnius University (Vilnius, Lithuania)
Institute of Vertebrate Zoology (Brno, Czech Republic)
Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Departamento de Engenharia Florestal (Lisbon, Portugal)
La Trobe University, Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre (Mildura, Australia)
Muğla University, Faculty of Fisheries (Muğla, Turkey)
Radboud University, Department of Animal Ecology (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
Research Institute for Nature and Forest (Groenendaal–Hoeilaart, Belgium)
Trent University, Environmental & Resource Studies Program and Department of Biology (Peterborough, Ontario)
Université de Metz, Laboratoire Biodiverstié et Fonctionnement des Écosystèmes (Metz, France)
Université Paul Sabatier, EcoLab Laboratoire d'Écologie Fonctionnelle (Toulouse, France)
University of Girona, Institute of Aquatic Ecology (Girona, Spain)
University of Hull, Hull International Fisheries Institute (Hull, UK)
University of Łódź, Department of Ecology & Vertebrate Zoology (Łódź, Poland)