Preferential presence in harbours confirms the non-indigenous species status of Ammonia confertitesta (Foraminifera) in the English Channel

• Published in: Aquatic Invasions
• Main Authors: Pavard, Jean-Charles, Bouchet, Vincent, M P, Richirt, Julien, Courleux, Apolyne, Armynot Du Châtelet, Eric, Duong, Gwendoline, Abraham, Romain, Pezy, Jean-Philippe, Dauvin, Jean-Claude, Seuront, Laurent
• Other Authors: Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences (LOG) - UMR 8187 (LOG), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale (ULCO)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD France-Nord ), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière (M2C), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rouen Normandie (UNIROUEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: benthic foraminifera Ammonia species exotic species Northeast Atlantic International commercial harbours; benthic foraminifera; Ammonia species; exotic species; Northeast Atlantic; International commercial harbours; [SDE]Environmental Sciences
• Online Access: https://normandie-univ.hal.science/hal-04248169; https://normandie-univ.hal.science/hal-04248169/document; https://normandie-univ.hal.science/hal-04248169/file/AquaInv-18-351_article-106635_en_1.pdf; https://doi.org/10.3391/ai.2023.18.3.106635

(IF 2.65; Q2) International audience Though the morphological discrimination of the three pseudo-cryptic Ammonia species, A. aberdoveyensis , A. confertitesta and A. veneta , has been recently established, information on their ecology and habitats are still relatively scarce. This study aims to define distribution patterns of these species at eight sites scattered along the French coasts of the English Channel, over a total of 39 stations. These sites were classified into two habitats, either harbours (heavily modified sites) or less impacted (moderately influenced sites). The use of IndVal index (an index based on how a species is statistically specific to a habitat) clearly indicates that A. confertitesta is recorded preferentially in or close to harbours. Considering its non-indigenous species (NIS) status in Europe, we investigated its reported occurrences in Europe in the literature. It almost always showed a proximity to major European harbours. Sometimes, this species occurred relatively far away from these harbours, suggesting a secondary spread. Finally, this work interprets A. confertitesta being a NIS in the eastern English Channel with assumptions of being invasive regarding its dominance over the indigenous species A. aberdoveyensis and A. veneta . Complementary works such as retrospective core studies of fossil faunas are needed to quantitatively assess when and where A. confertitesta was introduced in Europe and potentially started to replace its congenerics A. veneta and A. aberdoveyensis .