PhD defence on what makes invasive species successful in marine ecosystems

The introduction of non-indigenous species in new areas has greatly increased in the last decades, with no signals of slowing down. A small fraction of these, known as invasive species, often cause deep impacts on ecosystems and economy in their new area. A better understanding of how and what influences the establishment of non-indigenous species can help to improve our preventive actions directed to mitigate their spread and associated impacts. 

In his PhD study at DTU Aqua, Antoni Vivó Pons has studied biological invasions using the characteristics of species, also known as traits, to identify whether the traits of non-indigenous species themselves give them any advantage compared to native species. 

In a first case study, Antoni Vivó Pons investigated two non-indigenous species in the Baltic Sea, the polychaete Marenzelleria and the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). His findings show that non-indigenous species share a big part of their characteristics with natives but have one or a few unique traits that help them to be successfully established—for example, a different burrowing ability (Marenzelleria) or being aggressive (round goby). On the other hand, Antoni Vivó Pons observed that different non-indigenous species can show different strategies under similar environmental and biotic conditions in the same region to be successful. 

Furthermore, Antoni Vivó Pons has assessed the risk of invasion of non-indigenous marine fish at a global scale, using the trait similarity between non-indigenous species and natives as a risk component. The results point to the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico as the currently most sensitive areas to invasion of non-indigenous fish.

About the defence

Antoni Vivó Pons will defend his PhD thesis "Trends and projections in invasive ecology: how susceptible to invasion are our marine ecosystems?" on 17 June 2024 at 13:00. 

The defence can be followed online or at DTU Lyngby Campus (please see below).

Examiners 

• Professor Brian MacKenzie, DTU Aqua (chair)
• Professor Jonathan Belmaker, Tel Aviv University, Israel
• Professor Stelios Katsanevakis, University of the Aegean, Greece

Chairperson at defence

• Senior Researcher Jane Behrens, DTU Aqua

Supervisors

• Principal supervisor: Senior Researcher Martin Lindegren, DTU Aqua
• Co-supervisor: Senior Researcher Cornelia Jaspers, DTU Aqua
• Co-supervisor: Professor Patrizio Mariani, DTU Aqua

Learn more

A copy of the thesis is available for reading at DTU Aqua. Please contact PhD Coordinator Susan Zumbach Johannesen, szjo@aqua.dtu.dk