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Life-history traits of invasive fish in small Mediterranean streams

We compared the life-history traits of native and invasive fish species from Catalan streams in order to identify the characters of successful invasive fish species. Most of the exotic fish species were characterized by large size, long longevity, late maturity, high fecundity, few spawnings per year, and short reproductive span, whereas Iberian native species exhibited predominantly the opposite suite of traits. Species native to the southeastern Pyrenees watershed were also significantly different from species native to the rest of the Iberian Peninsula but not native to this watershed. Iberian exotic species come predominantly from large river basins, whereas Catalan streams (and other small, coastal river basins) correspond to basins and streams of a smaller size and different hydrology, with differences in species composition and life-history traits of fish. The occurrence and spread of invasive species was not significantly related to life-history traits but to introduction date. The successful prediction of future invasive species is limited due to small differences in life-history and ecological traits between native and exotic species. Fecundity, age at maturity, water quality flexibility, tolerance to pollution and habitat seem the most discriminating life-history variables

This work was financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (grant no. REN2003-00477/GLO)

Springer Verlag

Manager: Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Espanya)
Author: Vila i Gispert, Anna
Alcaraz Cazorla, Carles
García-Berthou, Emili
Date: 2005
Abstract: We compared the life-history traits of native and invasive fish species from Catalan streams in order to identify the characters of successful invasive fish species. Most of the exotic fish species were characterized by large size, long longevity, late maturity, high fecundity, few spawnings per year, and short reproductive span, whereas Iberian native species exhibited predominantly the opposite suite of traits. Species native to the southeastern Pyrenees watershed were also significantly different from species native to the rest of the Iberian Peninsula but not native to this watershed. Iberian exotic species come predominantly from large river basins, whereas Catalan streams (and other small, coastal river basins) correspond to basins and streams of a smaller size and different hydrology, with differences in species composition and life-history traits of fish. The occurrence and spread of invasive species was not significantly related to life-history traits but to introduction date. The successful prediction of future invasive species is limited due to small differences in life-history and ecological traits between native and exotic species. Fecundity, age at maturity, water quality flexibility, tolerance to pollution and habitat seem the most discriminating life-history variables
This work was financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (grant no. REN2003-00477/GLO)
Format: application/pdf
Document access: http://hdl.handle.net/10256/12414
Language: eng
Publisher: Springer Verlag
Collection: info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1007/1-4020-3870-4_10
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/issn/1387-3547
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/eissn/1573-1464
MICYT/PN 2003-2006/REN2003-00477
Rights: Tots els drets reservats
Subject: Invasions biològiques -- Ibèrica, Península
Biological invasions -- Iberian Peninsula
Animals invasors -- Ibèrica, Península
Introduced organisms -- Iberian Peninsula
Peixos d’aigua dolça -- Ibèrica, Península
Freshwater fishes -- Iberian Peninsula
Title: Life-history traits of invasive fish in small Mediterranean streams
Type: info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Repository: DUGiDocs

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