engleski

Invasion of large Croatian rivers by alien molluscs and crustaceans

This work presents initial results of the distribution of alien mollusc and crustacean species in Croatian large rivers and examines how different modifications of these rivers facilitated spread of alien species. The research was carried out in the whole Croatian course of the Drava, Mura, Sava and Danube Rivers during the period from 2004 to 2008. Occurrence of 15 invasive species were recorded, five molluscan and ten crustacean species. Most of the species are of Ponto-Caspian origin, three bivalve species originate in Asia, snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum in New Zealand and crayfishes Orconectes limosus and Pacifastacus leniusculus in North America. Amphipod Corophium curvispinum was the most widespread species and Dreissena polymorpha the most widespread molluscan. Severe pollution of the Sava, damming and hydrological/morphological alternation of the Drava have differently impacted spread of alien species from the Danube. These modifications, unintentional introductions as well as interactions between alien species caused complex distribution pattern of alien crustacean and molluscan species in examined rivers.

distribution; alien molluscs and crustaceans; large rivers

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