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<p>In the eastern Mediterranean, close to the Suez Canal and major shipping lanes, Cyprus represents a key hotspot for marine bioinvasions. We present a validated inventory of non-indigenous species (NIS) in Cypriot waters published up to December 2025, comprising 268 species: 221 NIS, 29 cryptogenic, and 18 questionable NIS. This is more than double the number reported in the last 2009 inventory, indicating an accelerating invasion trend. Temporal analysis reveals an exponential-like rise in first detections since the 1970s, with the average annual introduction rate quadrupling after 2000. The assemblage is taxonomically diverse, dominated by Mollusca (~ 27%), Chordata (~ 23%, mostly fishes), Annelida (~ 21%), and Arthropoda (~ 13%). Establishment success varies by group: ~ 63% of chordates and 62% of molluscs have established self-sustaining populations, while many crustaceans and macroalgae remain casual. Pathway analysis shows that ~ 64% of the introductions reach Cyprus through natural (unaided) dispersal following establishment elsewhere in the region, while shipping-mediated stowaways and Suez Canal corridor introductions also contribute significantly. Spatial analysis highlights invasion “hotspots” along the southern and eastern coasts of Cyprus (near major ports, industrial zones, and protected areas), though even remote western and northern sites show baseline NIS presence. Several species were first established in Cyprus and the Levantine Sea before being introduced elsewhere in the EU, underscoring the island’s role as an early-warning sentinel for thermophilic non-indigenous taxa during the early phases of their Mediterranean spread. This synthesis provides a robust baseline to support EU and global biodiversity policies and highlights the need for systematic and long-term monitoring to inform the management of marine bioinvasions in the Mediterranean.</p>

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Marine non-indigenous species of Cyprus: pathways, introduction dynamics, spatial patterns, and policy implications

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月9日

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  • Christina Michail,
  • Fabio Crocetta,
  • Argyro Zenetos,
  • Joachim Langeneck,
  • Konstantinos Tsiamis,
  • Francesco Tiralongo,
  • Demetris Kletou,
  • George Constantinou,
  • Leda L. Cai,
  • Lavrentiοs Vasiliades,
  • Maria Rousou,
  • Stelios Katsanevakis,
  • Valentina Tanduo,
  • Soteria Irene Hadjieftychiou,
  • Irini Valanto Papageorgiou,
  • Periklis Kleitou

摘要

In the eastern Mediterranean, close to the Suez Canal and major shipping lanes, Cyprus represents a key hotspot for marine bioinvasions. We present a validated inventory of non-indigenous species (NIS) in Cypriot waters published up to December 2025, comprising 268 species: 221 NIS, 29 cryptogenic, and 18 questionable NIS. This is more than double the number reported in the last 2009 inventory, indicating an accelerating invasion trend. Temporal analysis reveals an exponential-like rise in first detections since the 1970s, with the average annual introduction rate quadrupling after 2000. The assemblage is taxonomically diverse, dominated by Mollusca (~ 27%), Chordata (~ 23%, mostly fishes), Annelida (~ 21%), and Arthropoda (~ 13%). Establishment success varies by group: ~ 63% of chordates and 62% of molluscs have established self-sustaining populations, while many crustaceans and macroalgae remain casual. Pathway analysis shows that ~ 64% of the introductions reach Cyprus through natural (unaided) dispersal following establishment elsewhere in the region, while shipping-mediated stowaways and Suez Canal corridor introductions also contribute significantly. Spatial analysis highlights invasion “hotspots” along the southern and eastern coasts of Cyprus (near major ports, industrial zones, and protected areas), though even remote western and northern sites show baseline NIS presence. Several species were first established in Cyprus and the Levantine Sea before being introduced elsewhere in the EU, underscoring the island’s role as an early-warning sentinel for thermophilic non-indigenous taxa during the early phases of their Mediterranean spread. This synthesis provides a robust baseline to support EU and global biodiversity policies and highlights the need for systematic and long-term monitoring to inform the management of marine bioinvasions in the Mediterranean.