Effects of invasive species on the Hanöbukten bay and Baltic Sea ecosystems - threats and opportunities

The ecosystem of the Baltic Sea is in many ways unique, where many of the species have local adaptations to their surroundings. But this sensitive environment is increasingly threatened, by e.g. climate changes, pollution and invasive species. An invasive species is defined as a species that has spread to new ecosystems where it establishes itself and causes extensive disruptions in the ecosystem. One major recent concern is the spread and migration of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), a bottom-living fish originating from the Black and Caspian seas. Invasive species can in the near future lead to extensive ecological changes in the already sensitive area in the southern Baltic Sea, but there is today limited knowledge of how these sensitive systems will react to the new species.

In this project we will make use of molecular methods, for example environmental DNA (eDNA), to identify presence of round goby in the Hanö Bay area. This will add to our understanding of the spread of species and help make prediction of future dispersal.