Globally invasive Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) – an indicator of the degraded water systems in relation to native aquatic invertebrates

Global changes in climate and human impact favour invasions of aquatic organisms. Along with habitat modification, the abundance of invasive species might increase, leading to their greater impact on ecosystems functioning in disturbed areas. The appearance of species, which are drivers for ecosystem pollution are useful tool for the indication of some environmental changes in the area. We examine the occurrence of P. antipodarum populations, a global invader that established rivers, oxbow lakes, dam reservoirs, sand pits, gravel pits, and subsidence ponds in Poland (Central Europe). The research aims were to determine the extent of invasion in anthropogenically impacted habitats and the relationship between the abundance of aquatic invertebrates and oxygen concentration, pH, N-NO2, N-NO3, chlorides, and ammonia. This investigation helps elucidate the potential of invader to adapt to adverse environmental conditions in aquatic systems in which it was found dominant. The abundance of P. antipodarum showed an unimodal distribution, being higher in disturbed conditions. In snail communities it was a supereudominant or eudominant species in rivers, gravel pits, sand pits and subsidence ponds. Its relative abundance was the highest in gravel pits, in which it constituted more than 50 percent of benthic fauna. We demonstrated that environmental disturbances and pollution increase the vulnerability of water biocoenoses to invasions and the origin of free niches and that P. antipodarum is an indicator of degraded water systems. Results support the management of aquatic systems colonized by invasive species and highlight the need to assess the level of pollution discharged to prevent their dispersion. Management priorities must include the reduction or halt of invader spread because new aquatic environments are and will be created in industrial areas of the world.