ARPHA Preprints, doi: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e160546
Assessing Non-Native and Translocated Species in Three Vital Wetlands in NW Anatolia using the Dispersal-Origin-Status-Impact Scheme
expand article infoGülşah Saç, Sadi Aksu§, Necmi Aksoy|, Deniz Anıl Odabaşı, Irmak Kurtul#¤, Sevan Ağdamar«, Özgür Emiroğlu», Şerife Gülsün Kırankaya˄, Özcan Gaygusuz˅, Müfit Özuluğ¦, Ismael Sotoˀ, Phillip Joschka Haubrockˁ, Ali Serhan Tarkan
‡ Istanbul University, İstanbul, Turkiye§ Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkiye| Duzce Univesity, Duzce, Turkiye¶ Assoc. Prof., Çanakkale, Turkiye# Post Researcher, Visiting Fellow, Bournemouth, United Kingdom¤ Research Asisstant, Izmir, Turkiye« Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkiye» Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkiye˄ Düzce University, Düzce, Turkiye˅ Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkiye¦ İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkiyeˀ University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republicˁ Gulf University for Science and Technology, Mubarak Al-Abdullah, Kuwait₵ Faculty of Fisheries, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Mugla, Turkiye
Open Access
Abstract

Wetlands provide a wealth of ecosystem services essential for human well-being. Despite their importance, wetlands continue to disappear globally and with them, their biodiversity. An additional threat to wetland biodiversity are biological invasions. This study therefore aims to assess the spread and ecological impacts of non-native species in Lake Manyas, Lake Uluabat, and the Kocaçay Delta, all located in the Marmara Region of Türkiye. For this, we used the recently developed Dispersal-Origin-Status-Impact (DOSI) framework, which allows for a holistic analysis of how non-native species are introduced (Dispersal), their origin (Origin), their current population status (Status) and their impacts (Impact) on a given assessment area. A total of sixteen non-native and two translocated species were identified as a result of field studies and literature reviews: ten plants, six fish and two mollusc species. The majority of species were intentionally introduced to the region through human actions such as fisheries, bio-control, and recreational activities. Carassius gibelio, Gambusia holbrooki, Physella acuta, and all plants stand out as the species presenting the highest threat according to the DOSI scoring. These species’ effects, such as altering habitat structure, competing with native species and disrupting trophic networks, threaten the ecological integrity of these wetlands. Early intervention and long-term control strategies should be developed, especially for species with high impact levels.

Keywords
Invasive species, Biological invasions, Life on land, DOSI, Kocaçay Delta, Ramsar sites
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