AI Article Synopsis
- The Atlantic blue crab has invaded the western Mediterranean, specifically in the Ebro Delta, with its presence noted since 2012 and an explosive growth from 2016 to 2018.
- This invasion has led to significant declines in various aquatic species, including those that are threatened or commercially valuable.
- The blue crab is becoming a keystone species, indicating a need for research to understand and mitigate its impacts on the ecosystem.
Article Abstract
The Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) has rapidly invaded coastal environments in the western Mediterranean, but there is no consistent assessment of its impacts yet. We use interviews and long-term data series in the Ebro Delta (NE Spain) to: i) characterise the evolution of the blue crab invasion; and ii) identify its impacts. The blue crab was first recorded in 2012, but its expansion started around 2016, with an exponential increase in abundance between 2017 and 2018. Aquatic communities have tended to be dominated by the blue crab, coinciding with the steep and consistent declines of several species, including threatened and commercially exploited ones. Blue crab impacts seem to be exerted even at low abundances, arguably hindering the recovery of declining species. The blue crab is becoming a keystone species in invaded systems and efforts should be made to understand its many-folds impacts in order to prevent or mitigate them.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113479 | DOI Listing |
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