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Exploring co-invasion dynamics: parasitic interactions in the wake of Nile perch invasion in Lake Victoria and its impact on the parasite fauna of haplochromine cichlids
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Biological invasions represent a significant threat to global biodiversity, impacting ecosystems and altering ecological dynamics. The introduction of the Nile perch (Lates niloticus) into Lake Victoria (East Africa), has led to ecological transformations, influencing the native fish communities. While much attention has been devoted to studying the ecological impacts of the Nile perch invasion on the native fish fauna and socio-economic consequences, little is known about the co-introduction dynamics of its potentially co-invasive parasites, as well as the impact on the gill macroparasite fauna of the native fishes impacted by the invasion (e.g. haplochromine cichlids). To investigate the co-introduction dynamics, we assessed the genetic and morphological diversity of Dolicirroplectanum lacustre, the only flatworm (Monogenea) parasite that infects lates perches across Africa. We found that D. lacustre was co-introduced with L. niloticus. In Lake Victoria, we found a reduction in the genetic and morphological diversity of D. lacustre compared with its native range, indicating a founder effect. To examine the broader ecological consequences of Nile perch invasion and human-induced eutrophication, we compared gill macroparasite communities of 13 native haplochromine cichlid species before and after these perturbations. We observed a reconfiguration of the host-parasite network that buffers the impacts of perturbations, indicating resilience. However, we observe a decrease in parasite-host range and infection parameters, highlighting the vulnerability of parasite communities to ongoing environmental changes associated with biological invasions. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the intricate dynamics of host-parasite interactions in the context of biological invasions and environmental change. By integrating insights from the invasive species dynamics and ecological perturbations, we provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for conservation efforts to preserve ecosystem health and resilience in the face of global change.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2024
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Exploring Hidden Biodiversity: A Diptera Survey in Rural Eastern Slovakia
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RBINS Staff Publications 2024
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Exploring natural hard-substrate habitat in Belgian waters: case study on a recently discovered hotspot.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2022 OA
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Exploring the East African Rift Lakes: investigating the ichthyofauna and biogeography in lakes Kivu, Edward and Albert
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RBINS Staff Publications 2023 OA
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Exploring the ecology of arboreal ants in a tropical forest
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RBINS Staff Publications 2019
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Exploring the Morphometric Characteristics of sheep breeds in the Ancient Near East
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The multidisciplinary project Evosheep studies the origin and evolution of ancient sheep breeds by means of archaeozoology, geometric morphometrics, genetics, iconography and epigraphy in the ancient Near East from the six millennium BCE. This approach conducted on ancient breeds is completed by work on modern breeds from Near and Middle East and East Africa to provide new biometric and genetic reference records more adequate than European races for further scientific research. This osteological reference offers a measurement baseline for comparison with the archaeological data to explore the diversity patterns of the different domestic sheep populations across the Ancient Near East. This paper compares the diversity of sizes, allometry, and body parts proportions of sheep from archaeological assemblages using the Log Size Index, the Log Shape Ratio, and multivariate analyses. This study will focus on Chalcolithic and Bronze Age sites from the Levant, Mesopotamia, Iran, and South Caucasus.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2023
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Exploring the potential of Lake Hamana (Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) to hold a long and reliable sedimentary record of paleo-earthquakes and -tsunami along the Nankai-Suruga Trough.
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Coastal Lake Hamana is located near the convergent tectonic boundary of the Nankai-Suruga Trough, along which the Philippine Sea slab subducts underneath the Eurasian Plate, giving rise to repeated tsunamigenic megathrust earthquakes (Mw≥8). A good understanding of the earthquake- and tsunami-triggering mechanisms in terms of rupture mode and recurrence pattern in time and space, is crucial in order to better estimate the complexity of seismic risks for the densely populated Enshu-nada coast. Based on existing historical data of paleoseismicity (last ~1300 years), the easternmost segment (Tōkai segment) of the Nankai-Suruga Trough appears to exhibit a seismic gap and is expected to rupture in the near future, causing the next “Tōkai earthquake”. Studying the sedimentary infill of Lake Hamana may help to fine-tune hazard assessment in the area of interest. Thanks to its extensive accommodation space, the Hamana lake basin is considered to be a good archive of past “big wave” events. Fieldwork (Oct.-Nov. 2014) comprised a reflection-seismic survey for imaging the lake’s stratigraphic features, based on which favourable locations for gravity coring were selected. A systematic sampling of bottom sediments from different sites enables us to evaluate vertical as well as lateral changes in depositional environment, including event deposits generated by tsunamis and tropical storms (i.e. typhoons). An important part of the study is dedicated to qualitatively distinguish sedimentary facies of storm deposits from the ones generated by tsunamis, since this is an essential step in correctly assessing future hazards. For identification of marine tsunami incursions, a set of sedimentological, geophysical, geochemical and micropaleontological analyses are applied on the core sediments in a multi-proxy approach. Radionuclide dating provides the necessary timeframe and information on prevailing sedimentation rates. Sites bearing the potential of recording complete and long event histories will be sampled with long cores.
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No RBINS Staff publications
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Exploring the potential of Lake Hamana (Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) to hold a long and reliable sedimentary record of paleo-earthquakes and -tsunami along the Nankai-Suruga Trough
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Coastal Lake Hamana is positioned near the convergent tectonic boundary of the Nankai-Suruga Trough, along which the Philippine Sea slab subducts underneath the Eurasian Plate, giving rise to repeated tsunamigenic megathrust earthquakes (Mw≥8). A good understanding of the earthquake- and tsunami-triggering mechanisms in terms of rupture mode and recurrence pattern in time and space, is crucial in order to better estimate the complexity of seismic risks for the densely populated Enshu-nada coast. Based on existing historic data of paleoseismicity (last ~1300 years), the easternmost segment (Tokai) of the Nankai-Suruga Trough appears to exhibit a seismic gap and is expected to rupture in the near future, causing the next ‘Tokai earthquake’. Studying the sedimentary infill of Lake Hamana can help to fine-tune hazard assessment in the area of interest. Thanks to its extensive accommodation space, the Hamana lake basin is considered to be a good recorder of past events. Fieldwork (autumn 2014) comprised a reflection-seismic survey for imaging the lake’s stratigraphic features, based on which locations for gravity coring were selected. A systematic sampling of bottom sediments from different sites makes it possible to evaluate vertical as well as lateral changes in depositional environment, including event-deposits generated by earthquakes and tsunami. For identification of marine incursions caused by tsunami waves, a set of sedimentological, geophysical, geochemical and micropaleontological analyses are applied on the cored sequences. Radionuclide dating provides the necessary timeframe and information on prevailing sedimentation rates. Sites with the potential of recording complete and long event histories will be sampled with long cores during the upcoming field season (autumn 2015).
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No RBINS Staff publications
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Exploring the potential of Lake Hamana to hold a long and reliable sedimentary record of paleotsunamis along the Nankai-Suruga Trough
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RBINS Staff Publications 2016
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Exploring the success of Enteromius: insights from the Lake Edward system
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RBINS Staff Publications 2023 OA
