From soil to stream and sea: species richness and distribution of alien invertebrates in Romania

Biological invasions represent a major threat to global biodiversity, yet alien invertebrates remain among the most understudied taxonomic groups despite their severe ecological and socio-economic impacts. At European level, the EU Regulation 1143/2014 emphasizes the need for coordinated monitoring and management of invasive alien species, but implementation is hindered by the scarcity and fragmentation of information, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. To tackle these shortcomings, we compiled a comprehensive, FAIR-compliant dataset detailing alien invertebrate occurrences in Romania, using data from scientific literature (1865–2023), field surveys (2020–2022), and citizen science observations (up to 2023). This dataset encompasses 23415 records of 297 alien species, of which 212 are terrestrial (71.38%), 27 are freshwater (9.09%), and 58 are marine species (19.53%). Our results show that 170 species (57%) were recorded by only one source, whether scientific literature, fieldwork, or citizen science, while the remaining 127 species (43%) were documented by two or more sources combined. Scientific literature yielded the highest number of species (241), but 119 of these were not confirmed by our recent fieldwork or citizen-science observations. Citizen scientists reported 60 alien species, eight of which were recorded solely through this approach. The dataset also emphasizes spatial clustering around major urban areas in Romania and waterways, reflecting introduction pathways and sampling bias. In terms of management priorities, three species of EU concern, i.e., Faxonius limosus (Rafinesque, 1817), Procambarus virginalis Lyko, 2017, and Eriocheir sinensis (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853), exhibit sparse occurrence records despite their invasive potential. By mobilizing existing data into standardized and openly accessible formats, we promote evidence-based implementation of policies at national and international levels. Moving forward, comprehensive management of biological invasions requires enhanced coordination among researchers, citizen scientists, and policymakers, supported by interoperable information systems that facilitate rapid data flows.

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Journal
NeoBiota
Published
2026-07-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.108.175337
Primary Topic
Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

From soil to stream and sea: species richness and distribution of alien invertebrates in Romania

Rozalia Magda Motoc, Athanasios Alexandru Gavrilidis, Cecilia Șerban, Ioana Cristina Constantinescu et al.
NeoBiota
Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
article

From soil to stream and sea: species richness and distribution of alien invertebrates in Romania

Rozalia Magda Motoc, Athanasios Alexandru Gavrilidis, Cecilia Șerban, Ioana Cristina Constantinescu, Voichiţa Gheoca, Sanda Maican, Ana Maria Krapal, Nicolae Manta, Maria‐Magdalena Dascălu, Cosmin-Ovidiu Manci, Cristina Preda, Ana‐Maria Petrescu, Ioan Alexandru Rădac, Alexandra Florina Popa, Laurenţiu Rozyłowicz, Andreea Maria BREZEANU, Andreea‐Cătălina Drăghici, Alexandru–Mihai Pintilioaie, Elena Iulia Iorgu, Ionuț Ștefan Iorgu, Iulian M. Niculae, Minodora Manu, Victor Surugiu, Luis Ovidiu Popa, Marius Skolka, Costică Adam, Levente Székely, Andrei Ștefan, Oana Paula Popa, Maxim-Jean Bâlcu, Ioan Tăuşan, Tiberiu C. Sahlean, Carla Flavia Gavrilescu, Adrian Ruicănescu
article en

Abstract

Biological invasions represent a major threat to global biodiversity, yet alien invertebrates remain among the most understudied taxonomic groups despite their severe ecological and socio-economic impacts. At European level, the EU Regulation 1143/2014 emphasizes the need for coordinated monitoring and management of invasive alien species, but implementation is hindered by the scarcity and fragmentation of information, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. To tackle these shortcomings, we compiled a comprehensive, FAIR-compliant dataset detailing alien invertebrate occurrences in Romania, using data from scientific literature (1865–2023), field surveys (2020–2022), and citizen science observations (up to 2023). This dataset encompasses 23415 records of 297 alien species, of which 212 are terrestrial (71.38%), 27 are freshwater (9.09%), and 58 are marine species (19.53%). Our results show that 170 species (57%) were recorded by only one source, whether scientific literature, fieldwork, or citizen science, while the remaining 127 species (43%) were documented by two or more sources combined. Scientific literature yielded the highest number of species (241), but 119 of these were not confirmed by our recent fieldwork or citizen-science observations. Citizen scientists reported 60 alien species, eight of which were recorded solely through this approach. The dataset also emphasizes spatial clustering around major urban areas in Romania and waterways, reflecting introduction pathways and sampling bias. In terms of management priorities, three species of EU concern, i.e., Faxonius limosus (Rafinesque, 1817), Procambarus virginalis Lyko, 2017, and Eriocheir sinensis (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853), exhibit sparse occurrence records despite their invasive potential. By mobilizing existing data into standardized and openly accessible formats, we promote evidence-based implementation of policies at national and international levels. Moving forward, comprehensive management of biological invasions requires enhanced coordination among researchers, citizen scientists, and policymakers, supported by interoperable information systems that facilitate rapid data flows.

NeoBiotaVol. 108
Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava (RO), Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (RO), Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (IN), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (RO), University of Bucharest (RO), Ovidius University (RO), Ocean Institute (US), West University of Timişoara (RO), "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati (RO), Transylvania University of Brașov (RO), Academia Oamenilor de Știință din România (RO), Department of the Environment (GB), National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences (RO), Institutul Naţional de Cercetare Dezvoltare Marină Grigore Antipa (RO), Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (QA), Romanian Academy (RO)
Academia Româna, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme
Openalex Percentile: Top 9%
Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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