2025, Lopes-Lima, Manuel, Aldridge, David C., Álvarez, María G., Araujo, Rafael, Barea-Azcón, José Miguel, Bikashvili, Ani, Bragado, Dolores, Bylyna, Lilia, Carlevaro, Anna, Černecký, Ján, Cherot, Frédéric, Cichy, Anna, Collas, Frank, Csányi, Béla, Douda, Karel, Ercoli, Fabio, Fehér, Zoltán, Ferreira-Rodríguez, Noé, Froufe, Elsa, Geist, Juergen, Gil, Maria G., Gołdyn, Bartłomiej, Golski, Janusz Lech, Gomes-dos-Santos, André, Gumpinger, Clemens, Halabowski, Dariusz, Harbar, Olexander, Kamocki, Andrzej, Karaouzas, Ioannis, Labecka, Anna Maria, Lajtner, Jasna, Larsen, Bjørn Mejdell, Lavictoire, Louise, Lewin, Iga, Lipinskaya, Tatsiana, Madeira, M. José, Magerøy, Jon H., Moorkens, Evelyn, Morales, Javier, Motte, Grégory, Mumladze, Levan, Nakamura, Keiko, Ondina, Paz, Österling, Martin, Outeiro, Adolfo, Ożgo, Małgorzata, Patzner, Robert A., Paunovic, Momir, Pereira, Joana, Petkevičiūtė, Romualda, Prié, Vincent, Reis, Joaquim, Riccardi, Nicoletta, Richling, Ira, Romero, Rafael, Sablon, Rose, Sandaas, Kjell, Severijns, Nathal, Shevchuk, Larysa, Sîrbu, Ioan, Skawina, Aleksandra, Son, Mikhail O., Sousa, Ronaldo, Spikkeland, Ingvar, Stanevičiūtė, Gražina, Stanicka, Anna, Stöckl, Katharina, Stunżėnas, Virmantas, Taskinen, Jouni, Teixeira, Amílcar, Thielen, Frankie, Timm, Henn, Todorov, Milcho, Tomović, Jelena, Tończyk, Grzegorz, Trichkova, Teodora, Urbanič, Gorazd, Urbańska, Maria, Väinölä, Risto, Varandas, Simone, Vercauteren, Thierry, Vicentini, Heinrich, Zając, Katarzyna, Zając, Tadeusz

2025, Douda, Karel, Zieritz, Alexandra, Vodáková, Barbora, Urbańska, Maria, Bolotov, Ivan N., Marková, Jana, Froufe, Elsa, Bogan, Arthur E., Lopes-Lima, Manuel

AbstractIn this review, we synthesize the current knowledge of the biology, ecology, and impact of Sinanodonta freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionidae), native to East Asia, that have successfully invaded Europe, Central America, North Africa, and several Asian regions. The main introduction pathways of Sinanodonta were reconstructed based on DNA sequence data and distribution records. We show that invasive lineages of Sinanodonta belong to three species, namely, S. woodiana s. str. (“temperate invasive” lineage), S. pacifica (“tropical invasive” lineage), and S. lauta. Their generalist fish-dispersed larvae, short life span, high fecundity, use by humans for multiple purposes, and ability to establish populations in anthropogenically disturbed conditions were identified as crucial traits driving their invasions. Information on the consequences is scarcer, but Sinanodonta can impact native species through larval parasitism, host fish/food competition, and parasite transmission. In addition, ecosystem effects through their filtration—biodeposition—excretion activity and the occurrence of massive die-offs were detected. Ecosystem services and disservices have not yet been quantified, even at local scales, and management methods in the invasive range are understudied. A better understanding of Sinanodonta ecology, impacts, and management options is urgently needed to make informed decisions and set realistic and impactful restoration goals.

2023, Sousa, Ronaldo, Zając, Tadeusz, Halabowski, Dariusz, Aksenova, Olga V., Bespalaya, Yulia V., Carvalho, Francisco, Castro, Paulo, Douda, Karel, da Silva, Janine P., Ferreira‐Rodríguez, Noé, Geist, Juergen, Gumpinger, Clemens, Labecka, Anna M., Lajtner, Jasna, Lewin, Iga, Lopes‐Lima, Manuel, Meira, Alexandra, Nakamura, Keiko, Nogueira, Joana Garrido, Ondina, Paz, Ożgo, Małgorzata, Reis, Joaquim, Riccardi, Nicoletta, Shumka, Spase, Son, Mikhail O., Teixeira, Amílcar, Thielen, Frankie, Urbańska, Maria, Varandas, Simone, Wengström, Niklas, Zając, Katarzyna, Zieritz, Alexandra, Aldridge, David C.

AbstractEurope has a long history of human pressure on freshwater ecosystems. As pressure continues to grow and new threats emerge, there is an urgent need for conservation of freshwater biodiversity and its ecosystem services. However, whilst some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received a disproportionate amount of attention and funds, other groups remain largely off the public and scientific radar. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) are an alarming example of this conservation bias and here we point out six conceptual areas that need immediate and long‐term attention: knowledge, threats, socioeconomics, conservation, governance and education. The proposed roadmap aims to advance research, policy and education by identifying the most pressing priorities for the short‐ and long‐term conservation of freshwater mussels across Europe.

2025, Zieritz, Alexandra, Brian, Joshua I., Sousa, Ronaldo, Aldridge, David C., Atkinson, Carla L., Douda, Karel, Vaughn, Caryn, Bespalaya, Yulia, Richmond, Tabitha, Ćmiel, Adam M., Crisp, Alma, Dobler, Andreas H., Ercoli, Fabio, Esteves, Eduardo, Ferreira‐Rodríquez, Noé, Geist, Juergen, González, Irene Sánchez, Halabowski, Dariusz, Hoos, Philipp, Hopper, Garrett W., Hyvärinen, Heini, Ilarri, Martina, Lewin, Iga, Lipińska, Anna M., Mageroy, Jon H., Nizzoli, Daniele, Ollard, Isobel, Österling, Martin, Riccardi, Nicoletta, Rock, Sebastian L., Sjönberg, Tuomo, Taskinen, Jouni, Urbanič, Gorazd, Urbańska, Maria, Yu, Qingqing, Vaz, Ana Sofia

AbstractFreshwater bivalves are globally distributed, diverse, and common in benthic communities. Many taxa, particularly in the most species‐rich order, Unionida, are declining due to anthropogenic stressors, while a small number of non‐native species have become increasingly abundant and widespread, commonly replacing native bivalve assemblages. To understand how these global changes may impact ecosystems and people, we conducted a meta‐analysis of existing literature quantifying the ecological functions (= supporting or intermediate ecosystem services) and regulating ecosystem services of freshwater bivalves (hereafter “ecosystem services”). Random effects meta‐analysis modeling across 447 case studies revealed a positive effect on human health, safety, or comfort of freshwater bivalve ecosystem services overall and specifically, via effects on native macrofauna, microorganisms, wastes, and pollutants, and the physico‐chemical condition or quantity of sediments. Generally, effects of native species and species within the orders Unionida and Venerida were more significant and positive than those of other freshwater bivalves. No significant overall effect was found for ecosystem services related to zooplankton, algae, invasive species, and the physico‐chemical condition of ambient water. Moreover, a significant bias toward publication of positive results existed for studies quantifying ecosystem services related to algae. These findings illustrate the global importance of the ecosystem services of freshwater bivalves and highlight the need for large‐scale conservation and restoration efforts for their species and populations globally, including those of common species. Our findings also question common assumptions of strong and ubiquitous effects of freshwater bivalves on algae and water condition, cautioning against extrapolating observations across systems.