engleski

DISTRIBUTION OF THE INVASIVE ALIEN BIVALVE Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) IN CROATIA

The Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) is a native species of fresh and brackish water in Southeast Asia. The species was introduced in North America in the early 20th century and from there it was brought to Europe, first in Portugal and France, by ballast water in the 1980s. The successful invasion of this species can be explained by specific life history strategy: good dispersion abilities, high fecundity and growth rates, high ecological tolerance, short lifespan, and some particular reproductive features, as well as by human assistance. The species competes with native bivalves, reducing their abundance and population density, and may be responsible for the extinction of some species. The first record of C. fluminea in Croatia dated from 2001 when the species was recorded in the Danube River. In the meantime, C. fluminea was found in the downstream part of the Sava and Drava Rivers. Our research confirmed upstream spreading of the species in both rivers and their tributaries (e.g. rivers Kupa and Una). Density was the highest in coarse sand and sand with gravel (e.g. 4400 ind./m2 in the Sava River at site Krapje, which accounted for 96 % of the total number of bivalves). We assume that C. fluminea in the inland waters of Croatia spreads by natural mechanisms (passive upstream and downstream movement), which are probably facilitated by some human activities, such as boating, fishing, fish stocking and aquaculture, recreational activities, and sand and gravel extraction.

Asian clam, Corbiculidae, Bivalvia, invasion success

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