Invasion
Invasion Description
1st record: Portugal/Mira Estuary (1984, Moore 1987; Chainho et al. 2015)
Geographic Extent
France/Gironde estuary, Bay of Biscay (2012, Nowaczyk et al. 2016, 6.8 - 22.9.PSU ); Portugal/Mira Estuary (1984, Moore 1987; Chainho et al. 2015; Marqies et al. 2015; Marques et al. 2017); Posto Cinturão/Spain/Guadiana estuary (2008, Chicharo et al. 2009, 37º15'30"N, 7º25'58"W).
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
| Alternate | Ballast Water |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Predation | |
| Sharp reductions in zooplankton abundance were observed during a Blackfordia bloom in the Guadiana estuary, Spain-Portugal (Chícharo et al. 2009). However, measurements of feeding rate were not made, and the role of predation was not established. In the Mira Estuary, Portugal, predation rates on copepods were estimated to reduce the copepod concentration by up to 50% in 0.30 days, at the highest level of abundance (Marques et al. 2015). Modeling indicates that the predatory impact of B. virginica is strongly affected by hydrological conditions, such as river discharge (Muha et al. 2017). | ||