Taking stock: inventory of alien species in the Mediterranean sea

• Published in: Biological invasions Vol. 11; no. 2; pp. 359 - 372
• Main Author: Galil, B. S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.02.2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: aquatic organisms; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Developmental Biology; Ecology; Economic development; Environmental management; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; geographical distribution; Global warming; Indigenous species; Introduced species; Life Sciences; Marine ecology; native range; Nonnative species; Oceans; Original Paper; Plant Sciences; species checklist; species introduction; species inventory; surveys; Mediterranean Sea; Alien species; Global warming; Trends; Management; Mediterranean Sea; Inventory
• ISSN: 1387-3547; 1573-1464
• DOI: 10.1007/s10530-008-9253-y

573 alien marine metazoan species have been recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. The present checklist is the first to present the species' native range, presumed mode of introduction, spatial extent, and the date of the first record in each country. The majority of aliens are thermophilic species originating from the Indo-Pacific or Indian Oceans, which have entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. However, the means of introduction differ greatly among the phyla, and the basins of the Mediterranean. The temporal records of the alien species reflect political crises, economic development and scientific interest in studying the phenomenon--in the past two decades on average about 10 alien species new to the Mediterranean are recorded annually. Many have established durable populations and extended their range: 125 alien species have been recorded from four or more countries. The possible impacts of regulatory instruments and environmental management options are examined.