Project Summary for 2005–20B: Assessment of the status and risk posed by the invasive lionfish in North Carolina hardbottom communities
The Indo–Pacific Lionfish, a venomous predatory fish with few natural enemies is established (reproducing and dispersing) along the southeast shelf of the United States. Within the last three years lionfish have spread from Florida to Cape Hatteras NC and Bermuda. This is the first Pacific marine fish to become established in Atlantic waters.
Since there has been little research to examine the consequences of marine fish invasions, it is impossible to accurately predict their impact on native communities. In the case of lionfish very little is known about the ecology and biology in the native range so this research will extend the current state of knowledge regarding the ecological role of lionfish in their new community. The overall objective of this research is to determine the current status and the risk posed by the lionfish invasion. There are three main goals:
This research utilizes a multi–disciplinary approach that combines in–situ lionfish surveys and native fish community surveys with information on genetics and basic life history characteristics collected from lionfish specimens in Atlantic waters. During summer 2004 quantitative field surveys will be conducted at two regions off the coast of North Carolina. Field survey data of both lionfish and the native fish community will be compared with the data collected the previous year in the summer of 2004. From these surveys, estimates of lionfish density will be obtained, thereby providing a baseline from which the status of the invasion can be assessed. A comparison between years allows the rate of population increase to also be estimated. These surveys will also provide critical baseline data on native fish community diversity.
From lionfish specimen collections genetics and basic life history characteristics will be defined. From the genetics analyses estimates of the effective population size, the potential number and source of the invasion event(s), and the extent of the bottleneck accompanying the invasion can be examined. From life history characteristics, the population demographics (size/age structure) of lionfish, their trophic role, and the reproductive potential for lionfish in their introduced range will be determined. Combined with known lionfish temperature tolerances and bottom water temp data a prediction of the potential geographic distribution of lionfish can also be made.
All of this information is essential to determine if the lionfish population is growing and to gain an understanding of the potential impact of lionfish on native communities. There has been very little research that directly examines the impact of a marine fish in an open marine system. Therefore this research is a first step toward understanding the consequences of the lionfish invasion and possibly of marine fish invasions in general, it is likely that this approach may serve as a model for the assessment of future marine fish invaders.
Since there has been little research to examine the consequences of marine fish invasions, it is impossible to accurately predict their impact on native communities. In the case of lionfish very little is known about the ecology and biology in the native range so this research will extend the current state of knowledge regarding the ecological role of lionfish in their new community. The overall objective of this research is to determine the current status and the risk posed by the lionfish invasion. There are three main goals:
This research utilizes a multi–disciplinary approach that combines in–situ lionfish surveys and native fish community surveys with information on genetics and basic life history characteristics collected from lionfish specimens in Atlantic waters. During summer 2004 quantitative field surveys will be conducted at two regions off the coast of North Carolina. Field survey data of both lionfish and the native fish community will be compared with subsequent data collected the following year in the summer of 2005. From these surveys, estimates of lionfish density will be obtained, thereby providing a baseline from which the status of the invasion can be assessed. A comparison between years allows the rate of population increase to also be estimated. These surveys will also provide critical baseline data on native fish community diversity.
From lionfish specimen collections genetics and basic life history characteristics will be defined. From the genetics analyses estimates of the effective population size, the potential number and source of the invasion event(s), and the extent of the bottleneck accompanying the invasion can be examined. From life history characteristics, the population demographics (size/age structure) of lionfish, their trophic role, and the reproductive potential for lionfish in their introduced range will be determined. Combined with known lionfish temperature tolerances and bottom water temp data a prediction of the potential geographic distribution of lionfish can also be made.
All of this information is essential to determine if the lionfish population is growing and to gain an understanding of the potential impact of lionfish on native communities. There has been very little research that directly examines the impact of a marine fish in an open marine system. This research is a first step toward understanding the consequences of the lionfish invasion and possibly of marine fish invasions in general, it is likely that our approach may serve as a model for future marine fish invaders.
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