1. SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WETLANDS Invasive species in the Danube Delta and their impact on species diversity Teodora Maria ONCIU ROMANIA - “Ovidius” University – Constanta 2010

2. The location of the Danube Delta within Romania and Europe (www.deltafishing.ro/en/intara.html [11February 2009 ])www.deltafishing.ro/en/intara.html

3. The Danube is Europe’s second largest river, 2 860 km long, with a drainage basin of 810 000 km 2, covering almost one third of Europe (major parts of 13 countries with more then 86 million inhabitants) (www.ddbra.ro/en/danube.php [10 February 2009])

4. During about the last ten thousand years the Danube river built, on its junction with the Black Sea, an unique wetland in Europe: the Danube Delta. The Delta covers a total area of 4 178 km 2, shared by Romania (4/5) and Ukraine (1/5). There are many large lakes, as well as the shallow marine waters that limit the delta, forming a huge wetland complex covering more than 6 700 km 2. ( Diaconu and Nichiforov, 1963 )

5. The Danube has been connected via several canals with the main Western Europe Rivers (Rhine, Main, and Odder), facilitating communications with the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. After 1984, the opening of the Danube-Black Sea Canal shortened the navigation route towards the Black Sea by 250 km. (www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/84090/... [11 February 2009]www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/84090/... [11

6. great amplitudes of temperatures; annual average air temperature of 11 °C; annual precipitations are generally scarce (average of 450 mm); air humidity, increasing towards the east, due to intense evaporation in the zone. The Danube delta has a continental-temperate climate (Paltineanu et al., 2000)

7. Arguments for alien specie’s accommodation in the Danube Delta: suitable temperatures for eurythermic organisms; great diversity of habitats; different ecosystems in a strong interdependence with free food-niches; high natural productivity assuring abundant food for each trophic level;

8. Opportunities for incomers: the Danube Delta is situated in the middle of the northern hemisphere (crossed by the 45° N parallel of latitude) on the main migration routes; communication with the brackish waters of the Atlantic Ocean eastern regions through a large canal network and the Black Sea; inhabitants are enterprising and begin different new farming activities.

9. Invasive species in the Danube Delta: accidentally introduced species; species that naturally extend their range; deliberately introduced species - object of farming

10. Accidentally introduced species Anodonta woodiana http://www.naturamediterraneo.it/Public/ data4/Stefano78/A%20cygnea%202.jpg_2006121104729_A%20cygnea%202.jpg [February 2009]

11. Accidentally introduced species Elodea canadensis agspsrv95.agric.wa.gov.au/dps/version02/01_pl... [11 February] Pseudorasbora parva commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pseudorasbora... [11 February]

12. Accidentally introduced species 1 2 Corbicula fluminea 1.www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/musselmanual/page174_5.htmlwww.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/musselmanual/page174_5.html 2.www.zooplus.de/.../teich/teichbewohner/92633www.zooplus.de/.../teich/teichbewohner/92633 [11 February]

13. Accidentally introduced species Eriocheiron sinensis www.padil.gov.au/viewPestLargeImage.aspx?id=1... [11 February]

14. Carassius auratus gibelio penetrated at the beginning of the 70s; became the most abundant species in the Danube Delta replacing the crucian carp, the common carp, etc.; it presents a gynogenetical reproduction; tolerates very well oxygen and temperature variations, being able to survive out of water for 3 hours. (www.caders-weiher.de/fischkunde/galerie/fuenf... )www.caders-weiher.de/fischkunde/galerie/fuenf... [11 February] Leptinotarsa decemlineata www.funet.fi/.../life/warp/album-Savela-20.html Accidentally introduced species

15. brackish water species, common in the eastern regions of the Atlantic; it was found in the Razelm Lagoon in 1951 by Bacescu; enriched species diversity in the Danube Delta without harmful action on other species. (Skolka and Gomoiu, 2004 ) Rhithropanopaeus harrisi tridentatus nas.er.usgs.gov/.../FactSheet.asp?speciesID=197 [11 February]

16. Accidentally introduced species Mnemiopsis leidyi flickr.com/.../undervannsfotografen/1265802993/ [11 February] Beroe ovata

17. Accidentally introduced species Mya arenaria www.carnegiemnh.org/mollusks/classes/food.htm [11 February] Scapharca inaequivalvis http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcidae [11 February]

18. Species that naturally extend their range Canis auraeus animal.discovery.com/.../dads/dads-08.html [11 February]

19. Species that naturally extend their range Nyctereutes procyonoides scienceblogs.com/.../2008/03/raccoon_dog.php [11 February]

20. Species that naturally extend their range Ondatra zibethicus perpetuallyperegrine.files.wordpress.com/2008; www.pbase.com/image/44263790 [11 February]www.pbase.com/image/44263790

21. Species that naturally extend their range Syntarucus pirithous www.geocities.com/.../Deutsch/pirithous.htm [11 February] Lampides boeticus flickr.com/photos/33443775@N00/254731888/ [11 February]

22. Cameraria ohridella dendro.mojzisek.cz/magaz0.php [11 February] Phylloxera vastatrix www.otranto.biz/.../storia-barbatella.html 11 February] Species that naturally extend their range

23. Amorpha fruticosa www.mountainmeadowseeds.com/Trees-Bushes.html [11 February] Deliberately introduced species Eleagnus angustifolia commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elaeagnus_ang... [11 February]

24. Populus sp. courses.washington.edu/z490/gmo/toby.html [11 February] Robinia pseudoacacia www.naturephoto-cz.eu/robinia-pseudoacacia-pi... [11 February] Deliberately introduced species

25. Aristichthys nobilis www.ittiofauna.org/.../index.htm [11 February] Deliberately introduced species

26. Hypophthalmichthys molitrix en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_carp [11 February] Ctenopharingodon idella www.israquarium.co.il/.../IsraelFishABC.html [11February]

27. Deliberately introduced species Phasianus colchicus www.naturephoto-cz.eu/bazant-obycajny-pic-448... [11February]

28. REFERENCES www.naturephoto-cz.eu/bazant-obycajny-pic-448... flickr.com/.../undervannsfotografen/1265802993/ http://www.naturamediterraneo.it/Public/ commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pseudorasbora... www.deltafishing.ro/en/intara.html www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/84090/... http://www.seine-escaut.org/images/map3_xl.jpg www.agric.wa.gov.au/ikmp/images/elodea.gif www.caders-weiher.de/fischkunde/galerie/fuenf... www.funet.fi/.../life/warp/album-Savela-20.html nas.er.usgs.gov/.../FactSheet.asp?speciesID=197 perpetuallyperegrine.files.wordpress.com/2008 www.pbase.com/image/44263790 scienceblogs.com/.../2008/03/raccoon_dog.php animal.discovery.com/.../dads/dads-08.html www.geocities.com/.../Deutsch/pirithous.htm flickr.com/photos/33443775@N00/254731888/ dendro.mojzisek.cz/magaz0.php www.otranto.biz/.../storia-barbatella.html www.naturephoto-cz.eu/robinia-pseudoacacia-pi... www.mountainmeadowseeds.com/Trees-Bushes.html commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elaeagnus_ang... courses.washington.edu/z490/gmo/toby.html www.israquarium.co.il/.../IsraelFishABC.html www.ittiofauna.org/.../index.htm en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_carp www.carnegiemnh.org/mollusks/classes/food.htm www.padil.gov.au/viewPestLargeImage.aspx?id=1...

29. REFERENCES http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcidae www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/musselmanual/page174_5.html www.zooplus.de/.../teich/teichbewohner/92633 Paltineanu, Cr., Mihailescu, I.Fl., Seceleanu, I. 2000 Dobrogea-condiţiile pedoclimatice, consumul şi necesarul apei de irigaţie pentru principalele culturi agricole, Ed. Ex Ponto, Constanţa Photographs: BANARU Daniela MUREŞAN Mihaela ONCIU Teodora Maria

30. THANK YOU !