Abstract
The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is an important aquaculture species world-wide. Due to its wide environmental tolerance and high growth rate, it has also become a successful invader in many areas, leading to major ecosystem changes. Low water temperatures were previously believed to restrict the establishment of Pacific oysters in Scandinavia. However, recent surveys reveal that the Pacific oyster is now established in many areas in Scandinavia. The biomass of oysters in the Danish Wadden Sea has increased dramatically between 2005 and 2007, large numbers were observed along the Swedish west coast from settlement in 2006, and in Norway, populations are established along the southwest coast to 60°N.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to Kristin Hopkins for preparation of histological slides and Jan Aure and Ellen Sofie Grefsud for comments on the manuscript. Thanks to Rolf Olav Stene for sampling in Kragerø and Ingrid Elmedal, Jens Kristian Davids, Mark Wejlemann Holm, Michelle Schollert, Nicolai Herring Rasmussen, Stine Raith Richter, Jing Wang, Kenn Christoffersen, Sine Buck and Ying Tao for data from the Danish surveys.
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Wrange, AL., Valero, J., Harkestad, L.S. et al. Massive settlements of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, in Scandinavia. Biol Invasions 12, 1453–1458 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-009-9565-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-009-9565-6