Does rainbow trout justify its high rank among alien invasive species? Insights from a nationwide survey in Greece

Rainbow trout is ranked as one of the world's worst alien invasive species; in Europe, however, the extent of established populations remains localized and poorly reported. This study aims to assess rainbow trout establishment in Greece and explores the factors affecting the success or failure...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aquatic conservation 2019-03, Vol.29 (3), p.409-423
Main Authors: Koutsikos, Nicholas, Vardakas, Leonidas, Zogaris, Stamatis, Perdikaris, Costas, Kalantzi, Olga‐Ioanna, Economou, Alcibiades N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Admixtures
Captivity
Demographics
Distribution patterns
Domestication
Environmental conditions
established
Europe
Fish
Freshwater fishes
Genetic factors
Genomes
Greece
Indigenous species
introduced
Introduced species
Invasive species
Nonnative species
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Outbreeding
Population structure
Populations
Risk assessment
salmonids
Surveying
Trout
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Summary:Rainbow trout is ranked as one of the world's worst alien invasive species; in Europe, however, the extent of established populations remains localized and poorly reported. This study aims to assess rainbow trout establishment in Greece and explores the factors affecting the success or failure of establishment. Fish samples and site‐specific environmental attributes collected during the past 17 years (2001–2017) were analysed. All available literature on the distribution patterns of rainbow trout were reviewed in parallel to those of the Greek native Salmo trout species and demographic criteria were applied to infer potential establishment. Data indicating poor persistence of populations and population structure support the argument that recruitment of rainbow trout is extremely limited in Greece. Lack of suitable environmental conditions is not the main factor leading to the failure of rainbow trout to become established. Genetic factors affecting reproduction, possibly through a combination of outbreeding depression resulting from the admixture of unrelated intraspecific lineages, and maladaptive behaviour resulting from domestication in captivity, remain probable causes of poor establishment for the Greek populations of rainbow trout. Overall, the threat of rainbow trout as a highly invasive species in Greece is lower than suggested by recent risk assessments.
ISSN:1052-7613
1099-0755
DOI:10.1002/aqc.3025