An invaded wet ecosystem in Central Italy An arra

Authors: Giovanni Amori Corrado Battisti

Publish Date: 2008/07/26

Volume: 19, Issue: 2, Pages: 161-171

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Abstract

The aim of this work is to provide an account of alien species richness and composition in a remnant Mediterranean coastal wetland of Central Italy Data were obtained from different taxaspecific methods in 2001–2005 terrestrial vertebrates and in 2005 fish arthropoda molluscaAmong the 353 species sampled 17 48 are aliens 71 if we consider only vertebratesData on abundance introduction type and status of alien species are reported A crustacean Procambarus clarkii a fish Gambusia sp and three rodents Myocastor coypus Rattus norvegicus and Mus domesticus are the naturalized invasive species that locally could constitute a threat on economic and ecological levels Data on Agapornis nigrigenis and Quelea cardinalis represent the first records for Italy We also report evidence of a food chain on three levels among the most invasive species predation of Gambusia sp by Procambarus clarkii and of Rattus norvegicus on Procambarus clarkii

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