Project properties

Title Fieldwork in Crete - The impact of invasive lionfish on the local biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea
Group Behavioural Ecology
Project type thesis
Credits 36
Supervisor(s) Alexander Kotrschal
Examiner(s) Alexander Kotrschal
Contact info
Begin date 2024/02/01
End date 2024/08/01
Description Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) are considered the most invasive fishes in the marine realm. Native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean, they colonised the Caribbean and western Atlantic following aquarium releases in the 1980’s. More recently (2012), lionfish have also begun invading the Mediterranean Sea, which they accessed through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea. In the Caribbean, lionfish predate extensively on local fishes, drastically decreasing their abundance and interfering with the stability of coral reefs. Interestingly, the impact of invasive lionfish on the local fauna has never been assessed. Students with SCUBA diving qualifications (at least PADI Advanced or equivalent) are welcome to join field trips to Crete (Greece) to participate in a long-term field study aimed at investigating the impact of invasive lionfish on the local fish community.
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