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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 Report
1E- Gulf of AlaskaMollusks - BivalvesCrassostrea gigasPacific oyster74.25risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaCrustaceans - CrabsCarcinus maenasEuropean green crab69.5risk
1W- Oyashio CurrentMollusks - BivalvesMytilus galloprovincialisMediterranean mussel67.75risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesDidemnum vexillumCarpet sea squirt65.64risk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaCrustaceans - BarnaclesAmphibalanus improvisusBay barnacle65.21risk
0- Bering SeaCrustaceans - AmphipodCaprella muticaJapanese skeleton shrimp64.95risk
1W- Oyashio CurrentMollusks - BivalvesVenerupis philippinarumJapanese littleneck clam63.24risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaBryozoansBugula neritinaBrown bryozoan62.63risk
0- Bering SeaMollusks - BivalvesMya arenariaSoft-shell clam59.5risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaBryozoansWatersipora subtorquata complexN/A58.51risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesBotryllus schlosseriGolden star tunicate57.95risk
1W- Oyashio CurrentCrustaceans - BarnaclesAmphibalanus amphitriteStriped barnacle57.5risk
1W- Oyashio CurrentCrustaceans - AmphipodJassa marmorataN/A57.18risk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaTunicatesBotrylloides violaceusChain tunicate56.25risk
1W- Oyashio CurrentTunicatesStyela clavaClubbed tunicate55.25risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaCnidarians - HydrozoanEctopleura croceaPink-mouthed hydroid54.47risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaMollusks - BivalvesTeredo navalisNaval shipworm54risk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaTunicatesMolgula citrinaN/A53.15risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonTunicatesDiplosoma listerianumCompound sea squirt52.75risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesCiona savignyiN/A52.25risk
1E- Gulf of AlaskaBryozoansSchizoporella spp.Orange ripple bryozoan51.78risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - CrabsEriocheir sinensisChinese mitten crab51.75risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaAnnelid - PolychaetePolydora cornutaWhip mudworm51.25risk
1W- Oyashio CurrentCrustaceans - TanaidsSinelobus cf. stanfordiN/A50.42risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCnidarians - AnthozoansDiadumene lineataOrange-striped green anemone50.13risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - IsopodsLimnoria tripunctataN/A50risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaCrustaceans - ShrimpPalaemon macrodactylusOriental shrimp49.87risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - GastropodsPhiline auriformisNew Zealand sea slug49.71risk
0- Bering SeaFishesAlosa sapidissimaAmerican shad49.25risk
0- Bering SeaFishesSalmo salarAtlantic salmon49.25risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonAnnelid - PolychaetePseudopolydora cf. kempiN/A47.4risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - AmphipodMelita nitidaN/A47.3risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCnidarians - HydrozoanCordylophora caspiaN/A46.84risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaMollusks - GastropodsCrepidula onyxOnyx slippersnail46.84risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - BivalvesMacoma petalumAtlantic macoma46.75risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - GastropodsTritia (Ilyanassa) obsoletaEastern mudsnail46.41risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaMollusks - GastropodsBatillaria attramentariaAsian horn snail46risk
2E- Alaskan Panhandle / British ColumbiaTunicatesMolgula manhattensisN/A45risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonMollusks - BivalvesPetricolaria pholadiformisFalse Angelwing44.11risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCnidarians - AnthozoansNematostella vectensisStarlet sea anemone43.47risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - IsopodsSynidotea laticaudaN/A39.45risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonAnnelid - PolychaeteHediste diadromaN/A38.83risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, Oregon & 3W- Sea of Japan/East SeaCrustaceans - CopepodsMytilicola orientalisRed worm36.12risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - CopepodsLimnoithona tetraspinaN/A34.26risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - OstracodsEusarsiella zostericolaN/A33.91risk
3E- Vancouver, Washington, OregonCrustaceans - AmphipodParacorophium spp.N/A29.15risk

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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