Read more about the article Sleeping with the enemy: freshwater invaders hybridising in South African waters
Schematic illustrating the hybridization between smallmouth and largemouth bass in the invaded Olifants River system. Viable F1 hybrids are produced when smallmouth bass provide the sperm and largemouth bass provide the eggs. These F1 hybrids, in turn, can mate, with either parental species, resulting in a backcross – a hybrid that morphologically (size, shape, and structure of an organism or one of its parts) looks like the parent species, but who’s DNA has “pieces” of the other species incorporated. Alternatively, two F1 hybrids could reproduce, resulting in F2 hybrids.

Sleeping with the enemy: freshwater invaders hybridising in South African waters

A recent study published in the Journal of Fish Biology showed that not only is introgressive hybridisation between two notorious freshwater fish invaders possible, but continues to occur within an invaded South African river system.

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Read more about the article Genetic data reveals characteristics of a widespread aquatic invader
C·I·B core team member, Olaf Weyl, and collaborator, John Hargrove, sampling Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) (Photo credit: Darragh Woodford)

Genetic data reveals characteristics of a widespread aquatic invader

Despite repeated introductions, existing populations of an invasive fish predator in South Africa display extremely limited levels of genetic diversity.

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Read more about the article Drivers of global change: interactions of invasive species and habitat loss
An experimental tank with an example of intermediate densities of the simulated habitat complexity. Photo credit: Mhairi Alexander

Drivers of global change: interactions of invasive species and habitat loss

Global biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate. Causes of these declines include the destruction of natural habitats as a result of human development, and the introduction of non-native species.

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