Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory

Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory - research into the ecology of invasive species and aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and plants

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

@T3c1 Tom you are right once they are here there is little we can do where they are establishing or established. But they do pose a threat to invaded water bodies. The more we have of the natural water bodies the more likely we are to keep our native species

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Our latest pull out banner on the demon shrimp. This invasive aquatic amphipod is spreading in our lakes, rivers and canals in Ireland. Unfortunately it's displacing our native amphipods!

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Mixed results for Lough Sheelin. The invasive starry stonewort now occupies over 100ha! The aquatic shrimps are still mostly native but new records for Gammarus pulex and G tigrinus. Survey supported by @meathcoco @westmeathcoco @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Unfortunately this is what's happening to our freshwater habitats in Ireland. Invasive demon shrimp displacing our native shrimp. This is an unprecedented shift. Survey supported by @NPWSIreland @DeptHousingIRL @longfordcoco @GalwayCoCo @roscommoncoco @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Our lakes in Ireland are changing quickly. Invasive species are changing how these ecosystems work altering nutrient cycling and carbon dynamics. The Demon shrimp and quagga mussels are very recent invaders. @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES @DeptHousingIRL @GalwayCoCo

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Surveys for the invasive Demon shimp continues on the Shannon River and it's tributaries. Essential information on this aquatic invader gained through support from @LimerickCouncil @TipperaryCoCo @NPWSIreland @DeptHousingIRL @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

@chris_harrod @KildareCoCo @NPWSIreland @DeptHousingIRL @ucdscience @UCDSBES They do eat anything in front of them!
No isotope or fatty acid work on them yet. It's surprising how much of their diet is this new shrimp even in places where our first lot of exploratory sampling indicates it is present but not in high numbers.

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Perch in the canal are now feeding on the invasive demon shrimp! Unfortunately the fish are unlikely to control them. Study on how the shrimp impact the aquatic habitat supported by @KildareCoCo @NPWSIreland @DeptHousingIRL @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Lough Sheelin has a large population of the non-native starry stonewort in the southern shallows up to ~4.4m depth. Easily entangles on fishing gear. Survey sponsored by @westmeathcoco @meathcoco @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @DeptHousingIRL @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Unfortunately the rocky shoreline of Lough Ree is being invaded by the freshwater Demon shrimp. Surveys supported by local authorities along the Shannon and canal waterways @westmeathcoco @roscommoncoco @longfordcoco @offalycoco @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

The invasive Demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes is localised but also established in the canals in Ireland. This species seems to have gone undetected in Ireland for some time @ucdscience @UCDSBES @KildareCoCo @offalycoco

[Business For Biodiversity Ireland @BizBioIrl]

We are delighted to welcome Dr Maria Fitzpatrick as our Executive Director. With a #FreshwaterEcology, #Environmental Consultant background, Maria worked at @royalbotanic.bsky.social, Kew Research Funding Services and is #CircularEconomy and #CSRD trained: https://t.co/iema65PhUS

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

This is the invasive alien Bloody Red Shrimp collected in Lough Derg. These nocturnal shrimp can be seen in extremely large numbers in-between rocks in littoral habitats in Irish lakes. @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Meet our newly discovered freshwater invader the demon shrimp. Dikerogammarus haemobaphes. It's already in high densities in parts of the Shannon. Please be careful moving boats or equipment between systems. High impact species! @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

While surveying in Lough Sheelin unfortunately another invasive species was detected. Implications for the ecology of the lake. Supported by@DeptHousingIRL @meathcoco @westmeathcoco @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Surveying freshwater mussels in Lough Sheelin in 2025 provides insights into the possible impact on water quality. Supported by @DeptHousingIRL @meathcoco @westmeathcoco @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Surveying our precious rivers in Kilkenny as part of the national mayfly survey in Ireland supported by 29 county councils @KilkennyNotices @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

Delighted to see a healthy population of mayfly Ephemera danica in Lough Sheelin in 2025! Recorded as part of National mayfly survey supported by @cavancoco @meathcoco @westmeathcoco @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

New county record of Siphlonurus lacustris in Cavan. This large mayfly lives in the margins and slack water in rivers usually at higher elevation sites. Survey as part of national mayfly survey funded by 29 councils @cavancoco @NPWSIreland @DeptHousingIRL @ucdscience @UCDSBES

[Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory @UCDInEcoLab]

It's taken five years of control to reduce the seed bank of skunk cabbage after eradication efforts started in 2021 along the River Liffey. Continued support from @KildareCoCo through LBAF funding @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland. Manual removal is tough going!