Project Page Views: [ 739 ]
| Project Metadata Element | Details |
| Project Title | CAISIE - Control of aquatic invasive species and restoration of natural communities in Ireland |
| Research Area | Water |
| Project Acronym | CAISIE |
| Principal Investigator or Lead Irish Partner | Bryan Deegan (IE) |
| Lead Institution or Organisation | Inland Fisheries Ireland |
| Lead Country | Ireland |
| Latitude, Longitude (of Lead Institution) | 53.29311, -6.42127 |
| Lead Funding Entity | LIFE |
| Approximate Project Start Date | 01/01/2009 |
| Approximate Project Finishing Date | 31/01/2013 |
| Project Website (if any) | http://caisie.ie/ |
| Links to other Web-based resources | |
| Project Keywords | Aquatic Invasive species; Biodiversity; Lough Corrib; Conservation |
| Project Abstract | Background: Lough Corrib is an internationally renowned brown trout fishery in western Ireland. It is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive and a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive. It incorporates 14 habitats listed on Annex I of the Habitats Directive (notably, "Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara spp.") and is home a range of Annex II species, including sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) and the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). The Grand Canal - Barrow Line is a man-made watercourse stretching across Ireland from Dublin to the River Shannon and southwards down to the River Barrow. Taken together, it supports rich and diverse floral and faunal communities, including such Annex II species as the opposite-leaved pondweed (Groenlandia densa), the white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) and the European river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis). However, aquatic invasive species (AIS) have, in recent years, become a major threat to the biodiversity of these ecosystems. They impact both directly and indirectly on habitats and species of Community interest as well as carrying additional risks including exacerbating the impact of flooding events and negatively impacting upon the recreational use of waterways Their adverse impact will continue to increase and spread to other linked water bodies unless effective eradication and control methods are developed. In Lough Corrib, curly-leaved waterweed (Lagarosiphon major) spread rapidly throughout the lake since first appearing in 2005 threatening its ecological integrity (notably the keystone Chara habitat) and conservation status. The shallow character of many areas of this large water body made it highly susceptible to invasion. In the Grand Canal and Barrow Line waterway, three highly invasive plant species Nuttall's pondweed (Elodea nuttallii), New Zealand pygmyweed (Crassula helmsii) and water fern (Azolla filiculoides) have also become established in recent years. Objectives: The overall objective of this LIFE+ Biodiversity project was to contribute to halting the loss of biodiversity in Irish freshwater ecosystems by preventing further impacts on native biodiversity from high impact aquatic invasive species. It specifically aimed to develop and demonstrate new and effective control methods, particularly for submerged aquatic species. Site specific objectives were: *The eradication of curly-leaved waterweed from Lough Corrib using a number of methods over three seasons; *The prevention of further spread of three AIS by implementing control measures in a key dispersal corridor of the Grand Canal and Barrow Line, including mechanical removal and targeted herbicide application. The project planned to investigate boating as a vector in the spreading of species, quantify the impact on native communities of the removal of invasive species and undertake laboratory testing of potential biological control mechanisms. The project sought to collect data on effective control methods and develop guidelines for effective aquatic invasive species management to be exchanged and disseminated through links with policy makers and similar control teams in other locations. Key additional objectives were around developing an effective programme of stakeholder engagement and awareness-raising. By building capacity on invasive species control and remediation of native biotic communities by transplantation of native species from unimpacted areas, the project hoped to contribute to the protection of biodiversity in Ireland and the European target to halt biodiversity loss by 2020. |