Project ID:2006NJ105B
Title: The Potential Impact of the Asian Isopod, Synidotea laevidorsalis (Miers 1881), on the Delaware Bay, USA
Project Type: Research
Start Date: 03/01/2006
End Date: 02/28/2007
Congressional District: 6th
Focus Categories: Invasive Species, Ecology, Conservation
Keywords: Synidotea laevidorsalis, marine isopod, aquatic ecosystem, non-ingenious species (NIS), estuarine communities, anthropogenic activities, estuary, Isopod, marine crustacean, mesohaline
Principal Investigators: Boyd, Sean; Bushek, David
Federal Funds: $2,000
Non-Federal Matching Funds: $4,152
Abstract: With the increasing risks of non-native species introductions and the negative impacts that exotic species can exert upon our natural ecosystems, it becomes vital to understand the potential threat of each newly discovered non-native species as soon as possible to minimize environmental damage. Many instances exist where an exotic species became problematic or harmful to the environment because of neglect or misunderstanding of its impact following an introduction. Because the introduction of S. laevidorsalis is relatively recent, it is still developing and defining its niche within the Delaware Bay. In order to guage its long-term impact on the ecosystem, we need to understand its expected range and resource demands within the ecosystem itself.
Progress/Completion Report, PDF