Chemical cues released by an alien invasive aquatic gastropod drive its invasion success.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chemical cues provide aquatic organisms with sensory information that guides behavioural responses and thus interactions among themselves, each other and the environment. Chemical cues are considered important for predator avoidance, foraging, larval settlement and broadcast spawning in aquatic environments. However, the significance of their role as drivers of direct interactions between heterospecifics has been largely overlooked.

Methodology/principal findings

A video camera and a demarcated arena were used in situ to record behavioural responses of three native gastropod species, Assiminea cf. capensis, Melanoides tuberculata and Coriandria durbanensis, exposed to treatments representing chemical cues released by a non-native invasive gastropod, Tarebia granif

SUBMITTER: Raw JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3654916 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature