An individual-based dataset of carbon and nitrogen isotopic data of Callinectes sapidus in invaded Mediterranean waters
The characterisation of functional traits of non-indigenous and invasive species is crucial to assess their impact within invaded habitats. Successful biological invasions are often facilitated by the generalist diet of the invaders which can modify their trophic position and adapt to new ecosystems determining changes in their structure and functioning. Invasive crustaceans are an illustrative example of such mechanisms since their trophic habits can determine important ecological impacts on aquatic food webs. The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus is currently established and considered invasive in the Mediterranean Sea where it has been recorded for the first time between 1947 and 19…
Isotopic Niche and Trophic Position of the Invasive Portunid Portunus segnis Forskål, (1775) in Elounda Bay (Crete Island, Eastern Mediterranean)
There is a growing recognition that an advanced understanding of the trophic characteristics of an invasive consumer can provide important information on its ecological impact. In recent years, the blue swimming crab Portunus segnis, one of the earliest Lessepsian invaders, has considerably expanded its distribution range in the Mediterranean Sea, yet, its trophic habits in invaded areas remain scarcely investigated. In this study, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis (SIA) to determine the trophic position and isotopic niche of the crab compared with other representatives of the flora and fauna occurring in Elounda Bay (Crete). P. segnis showed a trophic position of 3.9, hi…
Beyond the mean: A comparison of trace- and macroelement correlation profiles of two lacustrine populations of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii
In invertebrate biomonitors of chemical pollution, emphasis has been generally given to mean accumulation patterns and how they reflect varying environmental levels of contamination. Intra-population variability, and how it relates with individual phenotypic traits, has received less attention. Here, a set of analytes including trace elements (B, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, and Zn), macroelements (C, Ca, K, Mg, N, Na), and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) was measured in two populations of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii from Lake Trasimeno and Lake Bolsena (Central Italy). The influence of location, sex, body size, and condition factor was assessed; in ad…
Variation in the stable isotope trophic position of the bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus, 1766) from two Mediterranean sites: insights from a global meta-analysis
A direct consequence of sea warming is the shift in the distribution range of thermo-tolerant species that have the potential to determine novel inter-specific interactions, ultimately altering food web structures and ecosystem processes. In this study, we investigated the trophic position of the bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus, 1766), a pelagic predator that has recently expanded its distribution in the Mediterranean basin and for which scant information is available on its functional role in recently-colonised areas. Nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes were determined in muscle tissues of bluefish specimens collected in south-east Italy in the Gulf of Taranto (NW Ionian Sea) and in…
A global occurrence database of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus
The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus is a portunid native to the western Atlantic, from New England to Uruguay. The species was introduced in Europe in 1901 where it has become invasive; additionally, a significant northward expansion has been emphasized in its native range. Here we present a harmonized global compilation of C. sapidus occurrences from native and non-native distribution ranges derived from online databases (GBIF, BISON, OBIS, and iNaturalist) as well as from unpublished and published sources. The dataset consists of 40,388 geo-referenced occurrences, 39,824 from native and 564 from non-native ranges, recorded in 53 countries. The implementation of quality controls imp…
The spread of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun 1896 in the Mediterranean Sea: analysis of environmental and trophic niche and metal levels at different spatial scales
Biological invasions are globally acknowledged as one of the major causes of biodiversity loss. Considering the urgency of understanding what are the effects of biological invasions on recipient ecosystems, this research focuses on the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus, one of the most successful invaders of Mediterranean coastal ecosystems. First, a general assessment of the overlap of the Grinnellian niche of the species in native and invaded ranges was carried out to verify whether the blue crab maintained the characteristics of its climatic niche when establishing in invaded areas (niche conservatism hypothesis) or, alternatively, it adapted to the specific abiotic characteristics …
Baseline assessment of heavy metals content and trophic position of the invasive blue swimming crab Portunus segnis (Forskål, 1775) in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia)
This study provides a baseline assessment of cadmium, copper, iron, manganese, lead, and zinc concentrations in muscles, gills, and exoskeleton of the Lessepsian blue swimming crab Portunus segnis captured in the Gulf of Gabès (Southern Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia) in November 2015. Furthermore, the species’ trophic position is estimated using CN stable isotope analysis. The exoskeleton showed the lowest metal contents; in soft tissues, the essential Cu, Fe, and Zn and the non-essential Cd, Mn, and Pb showed the highest and lowest concentrations, respectively. The crab was characterized by a trophic position of 3.32, confirming its carnivorous trophic habits. Compared with literature data on…
Individual and population-scale carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of Procambarus clarkii in invaded freshwater ecosystems
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