A Handbook of Global Freshwater Invasive Species

Invasive non-native species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Often introduced accidentally through international travel or trade, they invade and colonize new habitats, often with devastating consequences for the local flora and fauna. Their environmental impacts can range from damage to resource production (e.g. agriculture and forestry) and infrastructure (e.g. buildings, road and water supply), to human health. They consequently can have major economic impacts. It is a priority to prevent their introduction and spread, as well as to control them. Freshwater ecosystems are particularly at risk from invasions and are landscape corridors that facilitate spread of invasives.

This book reviews the current state of knowledge of the most notable global invasive freshwater species or groups, based on their severity of economic impact, geographic distribution outside of their native range, extent of research, and recognition of the ecological severity of the impact of the species by the IUCN. As well as some of the very well-known species, the book also covers some invasives that are emerging as serious threats. Examples covered include a range of aquatic and riparian plants, insects, molluscs, crustacea, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, as well as some major pathogens of aquatic organisms. The book also includes overview chapters synthesizing the ecological impact of invasive species in fresh water and summarizing practical implications for the management of rivers and other freshwater habitats.

Contributors Preface
Introduction

1. Invasive alien species in freshwater ecosystems: a brief overview

Section 1: Aquatic and Riparian plants

2. Alternanthera philoxeroides (Martius) Grisebach (Alligator Wee)
3. Crassula helmsii (T. Kirk) Cockayne (New Zealand Pygmyweed)
4. Eichhornia crassipes Mart. [Solms-Laubach] (Water Hyacinth)
5. Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier and Levier (Giant Hogweed)
6. Impatiens glandulifera Royle (Himalayan Balsam)
7. Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss ex Wager (Curly Water Weed)
8. Lythrum salicaria L. (Purple Loosestrife)
9. Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdcourt (Parrot Feather)
10. Spartina anglica C.E. Hubbard (English Cord-Grass)
11. Tamarix spp. (Tamarisk, Saltcedar)

Section 2: Aquatic Invertebrates

12. Aedes albopictus Skuse (Asian Tiger Mosquito)
13. An overview of invasive freshwater cladocerans: Bythotrephes longimanus as a case study
14. Invasive freshwater copepods of North America
15. Corbicula fluminea M�ller (Asian clam)
16. Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne-Edwards (Chinese Mitten Crab)
17. Pacifastacus leniusculus Dana (North American Signal Crayfish)
18. Apple snails
19. Potamopyrgus antipodarum J. E. Grey (New Zealand Mudsnail)

Section 3: Fish

20. Bigheaded carps of the genus Hypophthalmichthys
21. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
22. Gambusia affinis Baird and Girard and Gambusia holbrooki Girard (Mosquitofish)
23. Pseudorasbora parva Temminck & Schlegel (Topmouth Gudgeon)
24. Salmo trutta L. (Brown Trout)

Section 4: Amphibians and Reptiles

25. Bufo marinus L. (Cane Toad)
26. Eleutherodactylus coqui Thomas (Caribbean tree frog)
27. Rana (Lithobates) catesbeiana Shaw (American Bullfrog)
28. Trachemys scripta (Slider Terrapin)

Section 5: Aquatic and Riparian Mammals

29. Castor canadensis Kuhl (North American Beaver): Building effective alliances between research and management to mitigate the impacts of an invasive ecosystem engineer: lessons from the study and control of Castor canadensis in the Fuegian archipelago
30. Myocastor coypus Molina (Coypu)
31. Neovison vison Schreber (American Mink)

Section 6: Aquatic Pathogens

32. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti (Asian Tapeworm)
33. Centrocestus formosanus Nishigori (The Asian Gill-Trematode)
34. Myxobolus cerebralis H�fer (Whirling Disease)

Conclusion

35. Management of freshwater invasive alien species

Index

Robert A. Francis is a Senior Lecturer in Ecology at King's College London, UK. He has broad research interests in aquatic, riparian and urban ecology and has been secretary of the British Ecological Society special interest group on invasive species since 2008.

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