David G. Delaney Department of Biology and School of the Environment McGill University

Monitoring and Managing the Monitoring and Managing the Spread of Marine Invasive Species:Spread of Marine Invasive Species:

Development of Approaches and Application to the European green crab Development of Approaches and Application to the European green crab (Carcinus maenas) (Carcinus maenas) and the Asian shore craband the Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) (Hemigrapsus sanguineus)

David G. DelaneyDepartment of Biology and School of the Environment

McGill University

CSI: MISMO

www.InvasiveTracers.com

OutlineOutline Background on Invasive SpeciesBackground on Invasive Species

• Created by invasion biologist:Created by invasion biologist:

Dr. Anthony Ricciardi of the Department of Biology of Dr. Anthony Ricciardi of the Department of Biology of McGill University and the Redpath MuseumMcGill University and the Redpath Museum

Biology of the CrabsBiology of the Crabs Importance of Marine systems for invasion and Importance of Marine systems for invasion and

modeling.modeling. ObjectivesObjectives Research questionsResearch questions Spread & Monitoring NetworkSpread & Monitoring Network Take Home MessagesTake Home Messages

What is an ‘exotic species’?

non-indigenous species alien species non-native species introduced species

= a species introduced to a region beyond the range in which it evolved (i.e. beyond its ‘native range’).

=

Dr. A. Ricciardi, lecture slides from Ecology of Species Invasions (BIOL540, McGill University)

When does an introduced speciesbecome an invader?

An introduced species has invaded whenit establishes a self-sustaining population.

Biological Invasion

= the establishment of a species into a region beyond its natural range.


Biological invasion: the establishment ofa species outside of its natural range.

Geographic(or physiological) barrier


What is an ‘invasive’ species?An introduced species that spreads rapidly.

Note:

• ‘Invasive’ is a relative term.

• Most introduced species are not invasive.

• A species may be invasive in some regions but not others.


Donor region

Barriers to the establishment of an exotic species

Recipient region

Physiological barrier

Geographic barrier

Demographic resistance

Biotic resistance


What is Invasion Ecology?The study of the causes & consequences of biological invasions.

• examines factors that influence establishment, spread, and impact of introduced species.

• a multidiscplinary science that combines elements from multiple fields of study (e.g. community ecology, population biology, biogeography, evolution, conservation biology)


Biological Invasions are a form ofanthropogenic global change.

1. Invasions are occurring at unprecedented rates & spatial scales.

2. Virtually all of these are the result of human activities.


“Natural” Invasions

= invasions without human influence.

• rare on human time scales.• occur over small spatial scales• require the removal of either: (1) a geographic barrier - i.e. the creation of dispersal corridors through glacial retreat, continental drift, or chance events. OR

(2) a physiological barrier - e.g. a thermal barrier removed by climate change.

Spatial scale

Fre

qu

ency

Human-mediatedinvasions

Naturalinvasions


Cum

ulat

ive

num

ber

of in

vade

rs

Year

Rate of invasion in the Baltic Sea

Cohen & Carlton (1998)

1825

1850

1875

1900

1925

1950

1975

2000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


Cum

ulat

ive

num

ber

of in

vade

rs

Year

Rate of invasion in San Francisco Bay

Cohen & Carlton (1998)

1850

18

70

1890

19

10

1930

19

50

1970

1990

0

50

100

150

200

250


Rates of species invasion in Hawaii

Prior to human settlement: 1 per 30,000 yrs (i.e. 0.00003/yr)

After human settlement: 1 per 50 yrs (i.e. 0.02/yr)

Recently (duringthe past century): 1 every 3 weeks (i.e. 20/yr)

Data from Loope et al. (1988)


Why study invasions?

1. To understand how humans affect the distribution & abundance of other species.

2. Invasions are altering ecosystems worldwide.

3. Invasions are a major cause of extinctions.

4. Invasions impact multiple aspects of society (e.g. natural resources, technological systems, regional economies, human health).


Elton (1958) -

• first book to examine the phenomenon.

• identified invasions as a threat to the world’s distinct faunal realms.

• examined factors that promote or inhibit invasions.

• proposed hypotheses that are still being tested today.


Number of invasion books published since 1954

Simberloff (2004)

Num

ber

of B

ooks

1958

1954

1962

1966

1978

1970

1974

1982

1986

1990

1994

1998

2002

30

25

20

10

50

15


Importance of Marine Systems Importance of Marine Systems

Composed of many heavily invaded Composed of many heavily invaded ecosystemsecosystems

• EstuariesEstuaries• Rocky coastsRocky coasts

Important for economics yieldsImportant for economics yields• FishingFishing• LobstersLobsters• ShellfishShellfish

UnderstudiedUnderstudied

Biology and importance of Biology and importance of European Green Crab (European Green Crab (C. maenas)C. maenas)

Economic damage by consuming:Economic damage by consuming: Ecological damage by outcompeting, Ecological damage by outcompeting,

displacing: Native Crabsdisplacing: Native Crabs Environmental tolerances to abiotic factorsEnvironmental tolerances to abiotic factors

• Temperature: 22 to –1˚C Temperature: 22 to –1˚C • Salinity 54 to 4 ppt (great osmo-regulator)Salinity 54 to 4 ppt (great osmo-regulator)

Therefore due to its wide tolerances: Therefore due to its wide tolerances: Green crabGreen crab is a generalist and an is a generalist and an omnivore (eats almost anything!).omnivore (eats almost anything!).

Green crabGreen crab (Carcinus maenas) (Carcinus maenas) Native: Atlantic coasts of Native: Atlantic coasts of

EuropeEurope• Europe and northern Europe and northern

Africa Africa Invaded Areas: Australia, Invaded Areas: Australia,

South Africa & both coasts of South Africa & both coasts of North AmericaNorth America

Importance:Importance: Fecundity 185,000 to 250,000 Fecundity 185,000 to 250,000

eggs each brood and more eggs each brood and more than 1 a year!than 1 a year!• Long temporal record (187 Long temporal record (187

years)years)• Discovered in 1817 in New Discovered in 1817 in New

JerseyJersey• Lack of quantitative record Lack of quantitative record

and completenessand completeness

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/

Asian shore crabAsian shore crab((Hemigrapsus sanguineusHemigrapsus sanguineus))

Range:Range:• Covers Portland, Maine to Covers Portland, Maine to

North Carolina and North Carolina and spreading!spreading!

• Habitat:Habitat: Rocky & Rocky & cobblestone beachescobblestone beaches

Invaded New Jersey in Invaded New Jersey in 19871987

Short temporal but Short temporal but quantitative recordquantitative record

Fecundity: 50,000 eggs per Fecundity: 50,000 eggs per broodbrood• 4 to 5 broods in a single 4 to 5 broods in a single

breeding seasonbreeding season

http://cars.er.usgs.gov/

How did it get to all these places?How did it get to all these places?

Unintentional Vectors:Unintentional Vectors:• Ballast water transport of larvae formBallast water transport of larvae form• With live food trade of oysters and With live food trade of oysters and

lobsterslobsters• Research useResearch use• Released petsReleased pets• Secondary dispersal by currentsSecondary dispersal by currents

Data for the Two SpeciesData for the Two Species

Green crab has a Green crab has a longer temporal and longer temporal and spatial record but spatial record but gaps in eachgaps in each

Asian shore crabs has Asian shore crabs has shorter temporal shorter temporal record but less gapsrecord but less gaps

Together, they offer a Together, they offer a chance to create the chance to create the first marine specific first marine specific model.model.

www.calacademy.org/

http://www.iisgcp.org/EXOTICSP/images/Japanese_shore_crab/hiraiso

Importance of the ProjectImportance of the Project

Species spread is a central themes in Species spread is a central themes in invasion biology invasion biology

Managing invasive species with Managing invasive species with scarce resources by prioritization. scarce resources by prioritization.

Identify which areas are most at risk Identify which areas are most at risk of becoming invaded of becoming invaded

Early detection has been shown to Early detection has been shown to increase chances of eradication of increase chances of eradication of invasive species invasive species

ObjectivesObjectives

To forecast the spread of marine To forecast the spread of marine aquatic invadersaquatic invaders

To determine the best approach to To determine the best approach to monitoring invasive speciesmonitoring invasive species

To develop a long term volunteer To develop a long term volunteer monitoring network.monitoring network.

QuestionsQuestions Is an invader absent in a location, or have we simply not Is an invader absent in a location, or have we simply not

observed it (in terms of probability)?observed it (in terms of probability)?

What is the effect of control (e.g., the removal of What is the effect of control (e.g., the removal of individuals) on the rate of spread?individuals) on the rate of spread?

How effective/reliable is a volunteer monitoring network?How effective/reliable is a volunteer monitoring network?

Where will Hemigraspus spread?Where will Hemigraspus spread?

What is the optimal monitoring strategy?What is the optimal monitoring strategy?

How sensitive is the spread model to life history How sensitive is the spread model to life history parameters? To what extent can we extrapolate directly to parameters? To what extent can we extrapolate directly to other species (i.e., putting bounds on parameters)?other species (i.e., putting bounds on parameters)?

Current ModelingCurrent Modeling

Ecological forecasting has been done Ecological forecasting has been done for terrestrial systems using:for terrestrial systems using:

Aquatic System: Yes for the fresh Aquatic System: Yes for the fresh water aquatic invasive Zebra Mussels water aquatic invasive Zebra Mussels

Marine: Only applied terrestrial Marine: Only applied terrestrial models that overestimate spread of models that overestimate spread of MISMIS

General Methodology for SpreadGeneral Methodology for Spread

To forecast invasions we will merge:To forecast invasions we will merge:• Continuous spread models Continuous spread models • Discrete ecological spread models (human)Discrete ecological spread models (human)• Population dynamicsPopulation dynamics• GISGIS• Oceanographic models (currents, temp, S)Oceanographic models (currents, temp, S)

Target organism expanded to any Target organism expanded to any planktonically dispersed organismsplanktonically dispersed organisms

mollusks, fish, echinoderms, and other crustaceans mollusks, fish, echinoderms, and other crustaceans

Become a Super Sleuth, We need your help!

Please join the network at: www.invasivetracers.com

http://www.sgnis.org/kids/index.html

Who is in the monitoring network?Who is in the monitoring network?

The monitoring network will be constructed from The monitoring network will be constructed from volunteers across diverse groups, ranging from volunteers across diverse groups, ranging from college and high school students to coastal college and high school students to coastal communities :communities :

MIT, Bowdoin College, College of the AtlanticMIT, Bowdoin College, College of the Atlantic Elementary and High schools of many coastal states!Elementary and High schools of many coastal states! New England Aquarium’s Harbor Discoveries program, New England Aquarium’s Harbor Discoveries program,

College of the Atlantic Summer campCollege of the Atlantic Summer camp Acadia Institute of Oceanography Acadia Institute of Oceanography Schooner Sound LearningSchooner Sound Learning The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy Six communities volunteers around Salem Sound, MASix communities volunteers around Salem Sound, MA

Participants of Pilot ProgramParticipants of Pilot Program

Time: Commences spring of 2005Time: Commences spring of 2005 Duration: 2 to 5 yearsDuration: 2 to 5 years Future: Hopefully sustained by Future: Hopefully sustained by

citizen science group such as:citizen science group such as: New England Centers of Ocean Sciences New England Centers of Ocean Sciences

Education Excellence (COSEE)Education Excellence (COSEE) New England AquariumNew England Aquarium Salem Sound Coast WatchSalem Sound Coast Watch Or someone yet to step forward!Or someone yet to step forward!

Benefits of monitoring networkBenefits of monitoring network

To maximize the To maximize the amount of human amount of human resources resources

To maximize the To maximize the effectiveness of effectiveness of monitoring MIS monitoring MIS

Volunteer based Volunteer based science a potential science a potential solution to the solution to the ever-decreasing ever-decreasing funding availabilityfunding availability

Monitoring is so important!Monitoring is so important!

Monitoring is composed of 2 componentsMonitoring is composed of 2 components• Detection (a single crab)Detection (a single crab)• AbundanceAbundance

Best techniques for monitoring depend on Best techniques for monitoring depend on objective, density of crabs in the area, and objective, density of crabs in the area, and the scale of the area (a beach vs. a whole the scale of the area (a beach vs. a whole coast of New England).coast of New England).

That citizen scientists in a regional (even That citizen scientists in a regional (even international) network can provide key international) network can provide key information for invasive monitoring even information for invasive monitoring even in the face of limited funding. in the face of limited funding.

Can you make a difference?Can you make a difference?

YES!YES! How?How? Do not release your pets into the wild Do not release your pets into the wild

“Free Wiley Syndrome”“Free Wiley Syndrome”• Gold fish in every pond in North AmericaGold fish in every pond in North America• Lion fish in the Atlantic Coast of North AmericaLion fish in the Atlantic Coast of North America• Piranhas in the Great LakesPiranhas in the Great Lakes• Bunnies on Lovell’s Island, Boston HarborBunnies on Lovell’s Island, Boston Harbor

Help scientists detect introduced species Help scientists detect introduced species along your coastlines!along your coastlines!• Early detection increases chance of eradicationEarly detection increases chance of eradication

Techniques for monitoringTechniques for monitoring

Quadrat searchesQuadrat searches• How many crabs in a How many crabs in a

square area of PVC pipesquare area of PVC pipe Transect SearchesTransect Searches

• Walk a vertical line and Walk a vertical line and collect any crabs that collect any crabs that you fine on that line.you fine on that line.

• Better for sites with low Better for sites with low densitiesdensities

• Needle (Crab) in a Hay Needle (Crab) in a Hay Stack (Beach)Stack (Beach)

Crab TrapsCrab Traps

http://www.dal.ca/~cstaicer/Images/marine2/pages/INTERTI&.htm

http://www.oberlin.edu/Geopage/Images/Transect.JPG

David G. Delaney Department of Biology and School of the Environment McGill University

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