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Bering Sea Marine Invasives

There are relatively few non-native species in the Bering Sea. However, Arctic regions are expected to become more susceptible to biological invasions. Changes in vessel activity and climate are predicted to increase the probabilities of successful introduction and establishment. Given the importance of the Bering Sea to Alaskans and the current lack of knowledge on this topic, evaluating the potential threat of non-native species is needed.

We conducted a risk assessment for the Bering Sea that included 1) profile reports of important non-native species; 2) a ranking system, which we used to assess the risk each species posed to the Bering Sea; 3) environmental suitability models for these species under current and future climate scenarios; 4) an analysis of shipping traffic to the region to identify ports of entry for non-native species.

Publication
Final Report
Appendices

Ranking system

Our ranking system evaluates the potential threat of non-native taxa to the Bering Sea. Each species is evaluated and scored independently following an in-depth literature review. Overall scores can range from 0 (least threat) to 100 (highest threat). The system contains 33 questions grouped into 5 categories. A score is calculated for each question based on the response selected. The ranking system can account for missing data by calculating the final score based only on known answers. We evaluated a total of 46 taxa that occur in the Bering Sea and nearby marine ecoregions.

Nearest OccurrenceTaxonomic GroupScientific NameCommon NameRank ScoreStatus ReportSpatial Data
1E- Gulf of AlaskaMollusks - BivalvesCrassostrea gigasPacific oyster74.25riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaCrustaceans - CrabsCarcinus maenasEuropean green crab69.5riskmaprisk
1W- Oyashio CurrentMollusks - BivalvesMytilus galloprovincialisMediterranean mussel67.75riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesDidemnum vexillumCarpet sea squirt65.64riskmaprisk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaCrustaceans - BarnaclesAmphibalanus improvisusBay barnacle65.21riskmaprisk
0- Bering SeaCrustaceans - AmphipodCaprella muticaJapanese skeleton shrimp64.95riskmaprisk
1W- Oyashio CurrentMollusks - BivalvesVenerupis philippinarumJapanese littleneck clam63.24riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaBryozoansBugula neritinaBrown bryozoan62.63riskmaprisk
0- Bering SeaMollusks - BivalvesMya arenariaSoft-shell clam59.5riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaBryozoansWatersipora subtorquata complexN/A58.51riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesBotryllus schlosseriGolden star tunicate57.95riskmaprisk
1W- Oyashio CurrentCrustaceans - BarnaclesAmphibalanus amphitriteStriped barnacle57.5riskmaprisk
1W- Oyashio CurrentCrustaceans - AmphipodJassa marmorataN/A57.18riskmaprisk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaTunicatesBotrylloides violaceusChain tunicate56.25riskmaprisk
1W- Oyashio CurrentTunicatesStyela clavaClubbed tunicate55.25riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaCnidarians - HydrozoanEctopleura croceaPink-mouthed hydroid54.47riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaMollusks - BivalvesTeredo navalisNaval shipworm54riskmaprisk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaTunicatesMolgula citrinaN/A53.15riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonTunicatesDiplosoma listerianumCompound sea squirt52.75riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesCiona savignyiN/A52.25riskmaprisk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaBryozoansSchizoporella spp.Orange ripple bryozoan51.78riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - CrabsEriocheir sinensisChinese mitten crab51.75riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaAnnelid - PolychaetePolydora cornutaWhip mudworm51.25riskmaprisk
1W- Oyashio CurrentCrustaceans - TanaidsSinelobus cf. stanfordiN/A50.42riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCnidarians - AnthozoansDiadumene lineataOrange-striped green anemone50.13riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - IsopodsLimnoria tripunctataN/A50riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaCrustaceans - ShrimpPalaemon macrodactylusOriental shrimp49.87riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - GastropodsPhiline auriformisNew Zealand sea slug49.71riskN/A
0- Bering SeaFishesAlosa sapidissimaAmerican shad49.25riskmap risk
0- Bering SeaFishesSalmo salarAtlantic salmon49.25riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonAnnelid - PolychaetePseudopolydora cf. kempiN/A47.4riskN/A
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - AmphipodMelita nitidaN/A47.3riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCnidarians - HydrozoanCordylophora caspiaN/A46.84riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaMollusks - GastropodsCrepidula onyxOnyx slippersnail46.84riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - BivalvesMacoma petalumAtlantic macoma46.75riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - GastropodsTritia (Ilyanassa) obsoletaEastern mudsnail46.41riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaMollusks - GastropodsBatillaria attramentariaAsian horn snail46riskmaprisk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesMolgula manhattensisN/A45riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - BivalvesPetricolaria pholadiformisFalse Angelwing44.11riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCnidarians - AnthozoansNematostella vectensisStarlet sea anemone43.47riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - IsopodsSynidotea laticaudaN/A39.45riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonAnnelid - PolychaeteHediste diadromaN/A38.83riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaCrustaceans - CopepodsMytilicola orientalisRed worm36.12riskN/A
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - CopepodsLimnoithona tetraspinaN/A34.26riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - OstracodsEusarsiella zostericolaN/A33.91riskmaprisk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - AmphipodParacorophium spp.N/A29.15riskN/A

Acknowledgments

This project was made possible through funding from the North Pacific Research Board (project #1523) and the Aleutian and Bering Sea Islands LCC (ABSI LCC). Tracey Gotthardt and Aaron Poe were instrumental in developing this project. Casey Greenstein, Lindsey Flagstad, Catie Bursche, Jaime Weltfelt, and Curtis Whisman contributed to developing the ranking system and the species status reports. Thank you to Jennifer Dijkstra, Nora Foster, Kelly Krueger, Linda Shaw, Christina Simkanin, and Peter Westley for the time and energy they put into the expert review process.

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