Lionfish: The Voracious Invasive Species

This topic submitted by Eleanor Comiskey ( eleanor.comiskey@gmail.com) at 5:31 PM on 5/11/09.

The extreme tidal flow (~1 meter/sec) at Pigeon Creek, San Salvador, was measured with a current meter in "Blow-Outs" in the main channel.

Tropical Field Courses -Western Program-Miami University

Lionfish: the voracious invasive species
In this paper I will discuss the introduction of Lionfish (Pterois volitans), which are indigenous to Indo-Pacific waters into the Atlantic waters of the South East United States. The project will look into the ways that the fish were introduced, the effect that the species has on the new habitat, and if there are any benefits to invasive species or how we can avoid situations like these. This topic encompasses the broader marine ecology because the lionfish can severely impact food chains within the ocean. The predator can kill off species and therefore affect the other species that feed off of the ones killed off, as well as help others flourish because their predators might be targeted by the new species. This is an extremely important topic because an entire habitat can be affected because of the introduction of only one species, and this is happening right now in the case of the lionfish. Some questions that I will discuss will include: whether there are any benefits of invasive species? How can we stop invasive species? How the lionfish are affecting the Atlantic habitats both positively and negatively? How are these species getting introduced? Etc. Below is a brief outline.

1. Intro to Lionfish
a. Where they came from
b. Distinguished features that effect new environment
c. Background of the fish
2. How the fish became introduced and where have they been introduced
3. How and where the lionfish are spreading and how they affect their new habitat that is not used to this kind of predator
a. What biotic and abiotic factors are influence by the invasive lionfish
b. How the food chains will be affected
4. What can we do to stop the introduction of invasive predators? Are there any benefits to invasive species?

Sources:

Whitfield, PE; Hare, JA; David, AW; et al.
Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans/miles complex in the Western North Atlantic
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS, 9 (1): 53-64 JAN 2007

Ruiz-Carus, R; Matheson, RE; Roberts, DE; et al.
The western Pacific red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Scorpaenidae), in Florida: Evidence for reproduction and parasitism in the first exotic marine fish established in state waters
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION, 128 (3): 384-390 MAR 2006

Meister, HS; Wyanski, DM; Loefer, JK; et al.
Further evidence for the invasion and establishment of Pterois volitans (Teleostei : Scorpaenidae) along the Atlantic coast of the United States
SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST, 4 (2): 193-206 2005

Kimball, ME; Miller, JM; Whitfield, PE; et al.
Thermal tolerance and potential distribution of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) on the east coast of the United States
MARINE ECOLOGY-PROGRESS SERIES, 283: 269-278 2004

Whitfield, PE; Gardner, T; Vives, SP; et al.
Biological invasion of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans along the Atlantic coast of North America
MARINE ECOLOGY-PROGRESS SERIES, 235: 289-297 2002

Raloff, Janet. ñBAD-NEWS BEAUTIES.î Science News, v. 170 issue 11, 2006, p. 168-170.

Avasthi, Amitabh. ñReleasing Nemo proves a disaster for native fish.î New Scientist, v. 183 issue 2454, 2004, p. 13-13

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