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-The main processes through which invasive species affect amphibians. (a) Examples of direct impacts. (b) Examples of complex impacts, often mediated via interactive effects. (c) Examples of the most frequent taxonomic groups involved in each process. Native species are depicted in blue. Invasive species are depicted in red. Drawings by MF, GFF, B. Comix, and N. Sinegina and obtained from http://www.supercoloring.com/ under a Creative Commons 4.0 License. A color version of this figure is available online.

-The main processes through which invasive species affect amphibians. (a) Examples of direct impacts. (b) Examples of complex impacts, often mediated via interactive effects. (c) Examples of the most frequent taxonomic groups involved in each process. Native species are depicted in blue. Invasive species are depicted in red. Drawings by MF, GFF, B. Comix, and N. Sinegina and obtained from http://www.supercoloring.com/ under a Creative Commons 4.0 License. A color version of this figure is available online.

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The recognition that invasive alien species (IAS) are among the greatest threats to biodiversity has stimulated a growing interest in their impacts on native amphibians. Here we describe the multifaceted consequences of biological invasions on native amphibians and identify potential mechanisms and strategies that could better enable the long-term...

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... can affect amphibians through a broad range of pathways ( Fig. 2; Bucciarelli et al. 2014;Nunes et al. 2019) including predation ( Kats and Ferrer 2003), competition ), hybridization ( Dufresnes et al. 2016), habitat alteration ( Matsuzaki et al. 2009), and the spread of disease ( Miaud et al. ...

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Biological invasions pose significant threats to biodiversity, while impacting ecosystem services, human health, and cultural heritage. Despite these far-ranging effects, their impacts are generally underappreciated by both the public and policymakers, resulting in insufficient management and inadequate conservation outcomes. Recognizing the gap in...

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... The growth of red devil fish species in Lake Batur is quite fast, and it is not a target species for fishers, so the fish are more advanced. Because they prey on native species, invasive species can have an impact (Falaschi et al., 2020) hybridization (Duenas et al., 2021Noella et al., 2021), disease spread (Chalkowski et al., 2018) and competition for available resources (Green and Grosholz, 2021). The natural biodiversity of many countries has been replaced by invading and potentially invasive species (Bax et al., 2003;Franco et al., 2023;Gois et al., 2015;Haubrock et al., 2021;Peh, 2010;Syahroma et al., 2019;Taradipha et al., 2018). ...
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... Reptiles also have diverse reproductive and development pathways, from external egg laying to direct development and live birth, although most species occupy specific habitats for their entire lifecycle. Coincident with the alteration of amphibian and reptile habitats are many other threats: invasive species (Gibbons et al. 2000, Pilliod et al. 2012, Falaschi et al. 2020, chemical contamination (Mann et al. 2009, Haas et al. 2018, diseases (James et al. 2015, Burbrink et al. 2017 (Table 1): (1) state laws are at the heart of wildlife policy and management as species are held in the public trust by states; (2) federal laws address broad conservation issues such as endangered species across all states and specific concerns for certain land allocations; (3) private lands adhere to both state and federal authorities but have privacy rules and conservation-agreement options that may affect regulatory implementation; and (4) tribal lands are sovereign nations on which U.S. laws do not apply unless conservation agreements are developed. ...
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... Particularly amphibians are often more susceptible to these changes due to their permeable skin, and their communities can show significant shifts in taxonomic and functional diversity (Ernst et al. 2006;Ernst and Rödel 2008). In disturbed environments, amphibian and reptile communities are less diverse than in pristine or protected ones mainly due to microhabitat loss, lack of food (Gardner et al. 2007; Trimble and Aarde 2014; Thompson et al. 2015) competition, predation, spread of diseases from invasive species (Bucciarelli et al. 2014;Kraus 2015;Falaschi et al. 2020), in addition to habitat alteration and hybridization (Falaschi et al. 2020). Also, disturbed habitats can lead to significant species turnover at the landscape scale, favoring generalist or invasive species while also sustaining a few native species (Wanger et al. 2010). ...
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... Likewise, some invasive and highly traded species such as the bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus are vectors of emerging diseases such as ranavirus and chytrid fungus (Schloegel et al., 2009). Managing habitats and the invasion pathways that lead to them helps control existing invasions and minimise the risk of new invasions and are thus essential for safeguarding amphibian populations (Falaschi et al., 2020). Furthermore, it is critical to maintain continuity of invasive alien species control operations, particularly steady and reliable funding, to achieve success . ...
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... Freshwater ecosystems suffer extinction rates considerably higher than those of marine or terrestrial ecosystems (Sala et al., 2000;Reid et al., 2019) and amphibians, which larval stages usually inhabit fresh waters, are particularly vulnerable to extinction (Wake & Vredenburg, 2008;Collins, 2010;Luedtke et al., 2023;Stark & Schwarz, 2024). Among the multiple causes of such extinction are emergent infectious diseases (Scheele et al., 2019;Fisher & Garner, 2020), invasive species (Falaschi et al., 2020), climate change (Blaustein et al., 2010), overexploitation (Bishop et al., 2012), habitat loss and fragmentation (Becker et al., 2007;Gallant et al., 2007) and pollution (Blaustein et al., 2003). However, surprisingly, the effects of the loss of amphibian species on the functioning and structure of freshwater ecosystems are still poorly known (Ranvestel et al., 2004;Whiles et al., 2006Whiles et al., , 2013. ...
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... Alterations in the availability of ponds and hydroperiod shortening can also induce developmental acceleration in amphibians, with concomitant consequences for postmetamorphic survivorship, time to sexual maturity and dispersal rates (Burraco, Díaz-Paniagua, et al., 2017;Burraco, Valdés, et al., 2017;Cayuela, Arsovski, Thirion, et al., 2016;Cayuela, Boualit, Arsovski, et al., 2016;Liedtke et al., 2021). On the other hand, non-native fish and crayfish, which have been introduced in wetlands worldwide, exert strong predation pressure on amphibian eggs and tadpoles, often causing local population extinctions (Cruz et al., 2008;Díaz-Paniagua et al., 2014;Falaschi et al., 2020). Unlike other recognised causes of amphibian declines (e.g. ...
... Furthermore, strongly aquatic and ecologically resilient species such as P. perezi and P. waltl may indirectly benefit from reduced competition with other amphibians, especially at larval stages, which might be more severely affected by both invasive species (Ficetola et al., 2011). Nevertheless, both red swamp crayfish and mosquitofish pose serious threats to amphibians (Cabrera-Guzmán et al., 2017;Falaschi et al., 2020;Hamer et al., 2002;Kats & Ferrer, 2003), and red swamp crayfish in particular have been directly responsible for local extinction of amphibian guilds in other regions (Cruz et al., 2008;Cruz & Rebelo, 2005;Ficetola et al., 2011), so their overall negative impact on amphibian communities should not be overlooked, even when no clear signs of genetic impoverishment are yet evident. ...
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Wetland ecosystems worldwide are threatened by habitat alteration, climate change and the introduction of invasive species, even within protected areas. Unravelling the reliance of sensitive wetland‐dwelling species, such as amphibians, on habitat characteristics is thus essential to identify conservation targets. Here we assess the distribution of genetic diversity of two strongly aquatic amphibians ( Pelophylax perezi and Pleurodeles waltl ) in association with habitat features across the most extensive, protected wetland of the Iberian Peninsula: Doñana National Park. Despite inhabiting a protected area free from anthropogenic barriers, the genetic diversity of P. perezi and P. waltl is not homogeneously distributed across the wetland, but instead concentrates in core areas, mainly in the northern zone. Both genetic diversity and connectivity (as opposed to genetic differentiation) showed significant positive associations with the area of the breeding sites and the flooded area surrounding the breeding sites within the dispersal potential of either species, that is nearby pond availability. Large water bodies connected to abundant temporary ponds are key for the maintenance of amphibian genetic diversity. Nevertheless, the core populations of our target species, which show markedly aquatic habits, are concentrated in areas colonised by invasive species, which could compromise their long‐term viability. Our results highlight that maintaining widely connected arrays of ponds of different hydroperiods, including large breeding sites free from invasive predators and competitors, is paramount for amphibian conservation in Mediterranean wetlands.
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Biological invasions pose a rapidly expanding threat to the persistence, functioning, and service provisioning of ecosystems globally, and to socio-economic interests. The stages of successful invasions progress driven by the same mechanism that underlies adaptive changes across species in general—via natural selection on intraspecific variation in traits that influence survival and reproductive performance (i.e., fitness). Surprisingly, however, the rapid progress in the field of invasion science has resulted in a predominance of species-level approaches (such as deny lists), often irrespective of natural selection theory, local adaptation and other population-level processes that govern successful invasions. To address these issues, we analyse non-native species dynamics at the population level by employing a database of European freshwater macroinvertebrate time series to investigate spreading speed, abundance dynamics, and impact assessments among populations. Our findings reveal substantial variability in spreading speed and abundance trends within and between macroinvertebrate species across biogeographic regions, indicating that levels of invasiveness and impact differ markedly. Discrepancies and inconsistencies among species-level risk screenings and real population-level data were also identified, highlighting the inherent challenges in accurately assessing population-level effects through species-level assessments. In recognition of the importance of population-level assessments, we urge a shift in invasive species management frameworks, which should account for the dynamics of different populations and their environmental context. Adopting an adaptive, region-specific, and population-focused approach is imperative, considering the diverse ecological contexts and varying degrees of susceptibility. Such an approach could improve and refine risk assessments while promoting mechanistic understandings of risks and impacts, thereby enabling the development of more effective conservation and management strategies.