University of Tasmania, Australia

Variation in biotic resistance of communities to Carcinus invasion

The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is one of the highest profile marine invasive species in Australia and is one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world, terrestrial or marine (IUCN: Global Invasive Species Database). Carcinus is a voracious predator and has successfully invaded several coastal regions worldwide, often with considerable ecological and evolutionary impacts. Carcinus was first record in Victoria in approximately 1900 and by 1993 it reached Tasmania. At many places in Australia, its densities do not reach the massive numbers observed in invasive populations in North America.

While a number of factors determine the spread an abundance of invasive species, one of the most important factors is the extent to which the invaded communities are able to resist invasion. That is, can native predators, competitors or parasites impact the survivorship, reproduction and thus population growth of the invasive species?

A range of targeted questions can be developed to address the role of native Australian predators (whelks, crabs, birds), competitors (native and/or other invasive [e.g. Petrolisthes] crabs) and parasites. These questions can be answered using a combination of laboratory and field experiments and population modeling.