The consequences of reservoir host eradication on disease epidemiology in animal communities.

Non-native species have often been linked with introduction of novel pathogens that spill over into native communities, and the amplification of the prevalence of native parasites. In the case of introduced generalist pathogens, their disease epidemiology in the extant communities remains poorly understood. Here, Sphaerothecum destruens, a generalist fungal-like fish pathogen with bi-modal transmission (direct and environmental) was used to characterise the biological drivers responsible for disease emergence in temperate fish communities. A range of biotic factors relating to both the pathogen and the surrounding host communities were used in a novel susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) model to test how these factors affected disease epidemiology. These included: (i) pathogen prevalence in an introduced reservoir host (Pseudorasbora parva); (ii) the impact of reservoir host eradication and its timing and (iii) the density of potential hosts in surrounding communities and their connectedness. These were modelled across 23 combinations and indicated that the spill-over of pathogen propagules via environmental transmission resulted in rapid establishment in adjacent fish communities (<1 year). Although disease dynamics were initially driven by environmental transmission in these communities, once sufficient numbers of native hosts were infected, the disease dynamics were driven by intra-species transmission. Subsequent eradication of the introduced host, irrespective of its timing (after one, two or three years), had limited impact on the long-term disease dynamics among local fish communities. These outputs reinforced the importance of rapid detection and eradication of non-native species, in particular when such species are identified as healthy reservoirs of a generalist pathogen

Why Should We Preserve Fishless High Mountain Lakes?

High mountain lakes are originally fishless, although many have had introductions of non-native fish species, predominantly trout, and recently also minnows introduced by fishermen that use them as live bait. The extent of these introductions is general and substantial often involving many lakes over mountain ranges. Predation on native fauna by introduced fish involves profound ecological changes since fish occupy a higher trophic level that was previously inexistent. Fish predation produces a drastic reduction or elimination of autochthonous animal groups, such as amphibians and large macroinvertebrates in the littoral, and crustaceans in the plankton. These strong effects raise concerns for the conservation of high mountain lakes. In terms of individual species, those adapted to live in larger lakes have suffered a higher decrease in the size of their metapopulation. This ecological problem is discussed from a European perspective providing examples from two study areas: the Pyrenees and the Western Italian Alps. Species-specific studies are urgently needed to evaluate the conservation status of the more impacted species, together with conservation measures at continental and regional scales, through regulation, and at local scale, through restoration actions, aimed to stop further invasive species expansions and to restore the present situation. At different high mountain areas of the world, there have been restoration projects aiming to return lakes to their native fish-free status. In these areas autochthonous species that disappeared with the introduction of fish are progressively recovering their initial distribution when nearby fish-free lakes and ponds are available

Can management of freshwater fish populations be used to protect and enhance the conservation status of a rare, fish-eating bird, the bittern, Botaurus stellaris, in the UK?

The bittern, Botaurus stellaris (L.), is a Red Data list species in the UK with currently approximately 30 breeding males restricted to a few wet reedbeds, the majority of which are located in the East Anglian region of England. Although having a diverse diet, the bittern is mainly piscivorous, and eels, Anguilla anguilla (L.), and rudd, Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L.), are their main prey species. The EU Species Action Plan for the bittern targeted degradation of wet reedbed habitat and food availability as the two main threats and limiting factors to the conservation status of bitterns. To date, most conservation work has focused on the rehabilitation and creation of wetland reedbed habitat with little or no manipulation of the available or required food base, because of a paucity of knowledge regarding the habitat requirements of fish species in wetlands. Research was undertaken at a key bittern-breeding site in the UK to assess the impact of habitat management on the dynamics of resident fish populations and their availability to bitterns. Fish stock assessments indicated that current management techniques, in particular reedbed lowering, open water creation and the extensive use of sluices in complex hydrological systems, have impacted on the distribution and recruitment dynamics of fish populations within the reedbed complex, consequently affecting the potential food base for bitterns. It was concluded that fish population management must complement reedbed management regimes if current conservation targets for bitterns are to be met

Is water temperature an adequate predictor of recruitment success in cyprinid fish populations in lowland rivers?

1. Higher than average ambient water temperature in the first year of life may be responsible for strong cohorts of adult cyprinid fish. Whilst temperature explains much of the variation in year-class strength (YCS), however, it is not the only influential factor as high temperature does not inevitably yield strong year-classes. Furthermore, years in which a strong year-class is prevalent in one species do not necessarily result in strong year-classes in other coexisting species, suggesting other biotic and abiotic factors are important in regulating recruitment success. 2. The relationships between water temperature, river discharge, the position of the Gulf Stream, 0-group fish growth and recruitment success (YCS) were examined in three cyprinid fish species in an English lowland river, using a 15-year data set. 3. Mean length of 0-group fish at the end of the summer was positively correlated with water temperature (cumulative degree-days > 12 °C) and negatively correlated with river discharge (cumulative discharge-days above basal discharge rate). Water temperature was negatively correlated with river discharge. 4. YCS was positively correlated with mean 0-group fish length at the end of the summer and with the position of the North Wall of the Gulf Stream. 5. 'Critical periods' (i.e. periods in the first summer of life when fish may be more susceptible to increases in river discharge) were difficult to discern because of interannual variations in river discharge relative to the timing of fish hatching. YCS of roach and chub was most strongly correlated with discharge in the period from June to September inclusive, while YCS of dace was most significantly correlated with discharge in August. 6. River discharge (rather than water temperature) may be the key factor in determining YCS, either directly (through discharge-induced mortality) or indirectly (via reduced growth at lower water temperatures, discharge-associated increases in energy expenditure or reduced food availability). It could be that, in effect, water temperature determines potential YCS while discharge determines realised YCS

European Non-native Species in Aquaculture Risk Analysis Scheme - a summary of assessment protocols and decision support tools for use of alien species in aquaculture

The European Non-native Species in Aquaculture Risk Analysis Scheme (ENSARS) was developed in response to European ‘Council Regulation No. 708/2007 of 11 June 2007 concerning use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture’ to provide protocols for identifying and evaluating the potential risks of using non-native species in aquaculture. ENSARS is modular in structure and adapted from non-native species risk assessment schemes developed by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation and for the UK. Seven of the eight ENSARS modules contain protocols for evaluating the risks of escape, introduction to and establishment in open waters, of any non-native aquatic organism being used (or associated with those used) in aquaculture, that is, transport pathways, rearing facilities, infectious agents, and the potential organism, ecosystem and socio-economic impacts. A concluding module is designed to summarise the risks and consider management options. During the assessments, each question requires the assessor to provide a response and confidence ranking for that response based on expert opinion. Each module can also be used individually, and each requires a specific form of expertise. Therefore, a multidisciplinary assessment team is recommended for its completion