| Abstrakt: |
North American brackish water bivalve Rangia cuneata (G.B. Sowerby I, 1831) was recorded for the first time in the Vistula Lagoon of the Baltic Sea in September 2010. On the basis of features of its biology, we assume that the invasion of this species into the Vistula Lagoon took place at least 2-3 years earlier, in 2007-2008. In 2010-2011, R. cuneata colonized and inhabited a large area of the bay. The maximum abundance (up to 4040 ind./m) was observed in the areas adjacent to the Kaliningrad sea channel. Most likely, the invasion of R. cuneata into the Vistula Lagoon is related to the ballast waters of ships, including dredging ships, which came from areas where the clams are already naturalized. The naturalization of R. cuneata poses a threat of new serious transformations in the ecosystem of the Vistula Lagoon. The invasion requires increased monitoring of the state of its benthic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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