Preliminary results from sampling analysis confirm the presence of the recently recorded copepods Oithona davisae and Acartia tonsa, and additionally of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi.
Preliminary results from sampling analysis confirm the presence of the recently recorded copepods Oithona davisae and Acartia tonsa, and additionally of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. The collected data will be certainly relevant to further assess trends and shifts of the Black Sea pelagic ecosystem, which would act as key indicators in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Descriptor 2: non-indigenous species) and the Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species in Europe.
The Danube Delta Region is a recognized hot spot for alien species. However, data availability and accessibility is scarce. All collected data on alien species will supplement the Black Sea regional data and become available through the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN; http://easin.jrc.ec.europa.eu).