Range expansion of Ponto-Caspian peracaridan Crustaceans in the Baltic Sea basin and its aftermath: Lessons from Lithuania

AbstractPonto-Caspian peracaridan Crustaceans first invaded the Baltic Sea basin from the basin of the Black Sea via artificial canals in the 18th Century. In the 1960s, the number of these species substantially increased due to deliberate introduction of Mysids and Amphipods into Lithuanian waters to enhance fish production. Range expansion of Ponto-Caspian peracaridan Crustaceans is continuing due to secondary dispersal and invasion by new species. Historically the main invasion vectors were inland shipping, deliberate introductions and natural dispersal across inland waterways; more recently the significance of marine invasions related to shipping seems to be increasing. These invaders have had detrimental impacts on local macroinvertebrates and may even have caused local extinctions of native species. Such impacts likely result from predatory and competitive interactions between alien and native species. The magnitude of predatory impacts of omnivorous Ponto-Caspian peracridan Crustaceans can rise wit...