@UCDInEcoLab

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

 University College Dublin
ucd.ie/bioenvsci/
Joined January 2017
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  • Followers791
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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!
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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
Nitellopsis obtusa confirmed from over 100ha in Lough Sheelin

ALT Nitellopsis obtusa confirmed from over 100ha in Lough Sheelin

Hydro acoustic signature of starry stonewort infestation Nitellopsis obtusa in Lough Sheelin

ALT Hydro acoustic signature of starry stonewort infestation Nitellopsis obtusa in Lough Sheelin

Shrimp sampling in Lough Sheelin confirms that most of the amphipods are made up of native species such as Gammarus duebeni and Gammarus lacustris.

ALT Shrimp sampling in Lough Sheelin confirms that most of the amphipods are made up of native species such as Gammarus duebeni and Gammarus lacustris.

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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
littoral habitats along the Shannon catchment in Ireland being invaded by the demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes. It is rapidly displacing our native aquatic shrimps like this one Gammarus duebeni

ALT littoral habitats along the Shannon catchment in Ireland being invaded by the demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes. It is rapidly displacing our native aquatic shrimps like this one Gammarus duebeni

Dikerogammarus haemobaphes aquatic invasive species spreading in Ireland

ALT Dikerogammarus haemobaphes aquatic invasive species spreading in Ireland

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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
Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in lakes in Shannon catchment

ALT Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in lakes in Shannon catchment

sampling littoral habitats in Ireland tracking the impact of Quagga mussels and Demon shrimp

ALT sampling littoral habitats in Ireland tracking the impact of Quagga mussels and Demon shrimp

Dreisennid mussels in lakes in Ireland

ALT Dreisennid mussels in lakes in Ireland

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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
Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in the Shannon catchment in Ireland

ALT Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in the Shannon catchment in Ireland

Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in stoney substrate

ALT Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in stoney substrate

Mulkear river co Limerick surveyed for demon shrimp

ALT Mulkear river co Limerick surveyed for demon shrimp

lower Shannon catchment in Limerick

ALT lower Shannon catchment in Limerick

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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
Fish caught by rod to assess the diet of perch

ALT Fish caught by rod to assess the diet of perch

gut contents of perch in the canal. shrimps almost exclusively made up of the demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes.

ALT gut contents of perch in the canal. shrimps almost exclusively made up of the demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes.

perch mostly small but some nice size fish in the canal

ALT perch mostly small but some nice size fish in the canal

Fish survey in the canal assessing if perch are feeding on the new invasive shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes

ALT Fish survey in the canal assessing if perch are feeding on the new invasive shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes

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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
Sample of starry stonewort Nitellopsis obtusa in Lough Sheelin

ALT Sample of starry stonewort Nitellopsis obtusa in Lough Sheelin

This large macroalgae Nitellopsis obtusa can be distinguished from our native species by the star shaped white bulbils

ALT This large macroalgae Nitellopsis obtusa can be distinguished from our native species by the star shaped white bulbils

acoustic image of starry stonewort infestation ~1.2m tall outcompeting native plants (invasive in Ireland Nitellopsis obtusa)

ALT acoustic image of starry stonewort infestation ~1.2m tall outcompeting native plants (invasive in Ireland Nitellopsis obtusa)

Starry stonewort the invasive macroalgae entangled on a pike lure. Fragments can spread to new water bodies. It's a species that transforms native plants communities and changes nutrient cycling in lakes.

ALT Starry stonewort the invasive macroalgae entangled on a pike lure. Fragments can spread to new water bodies. It's a species that transforms native plants communities and changes nutrient cycling in lakes.

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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
Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in Lough Ree. In the process of invading and expanding it's range and a indance in the Shannon catchment

ALT Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in Lough Ree. In the process of invading and expanding it's range and a indance in the Shannon catchment

The demon shrimp collected among the rocky substrates in Lough Ree in the Shannon river catchment in Ireland

ALT The demon shrimp collected among the rocky substrates in Lough Ree in the Shannon river catchment in Ireland

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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
Dikerogammarus haemobaphes recorded on the canal in Co. Kildare

ALT Dikerogammarus haemobaphes recorded on the canal in Co. Kildare

Demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes recorded in canal in Co Kildare

ALT Demon shrimp Dikerogammarus haemobaphes recorded in canal in Co Kildare

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Invasive Ecology (InEco) Laboratory retweeted
Business For Biodiversity Ireland@BizBioIrl4 Nov 2025
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: businessforbiodiversity.ie/d…
Smiling woman in a black suit beside pull-up poster with animal illustrations

ALT Smiling woman in a black suit beside pull-up poster with animal illustrations

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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
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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
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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
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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
Zebra mussels in Lough Sheelin

ALT Zebra mussels in Lough Sheelin

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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
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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
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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
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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!
Skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus in riparian habitat on River Liffey in 2021

ALT Skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus in riparian habitat on River Liffey in 2021

Native plants growing back in 2025 after five years of control of skunk cabbage.

ALT Native plants growing back in 2025 after five years of control of skunk cabbage.

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Great progress controlling Skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus along the River Liffey in last 5yrs! Native plants returning after controls applied since 2021. Funding support each year from @KildareCoCo and @DeptHousingIRL @NPWSIreland @UCDSBES @ucdscience
Riparian habitat along River Liffey in 2025 after control of skunk cabbage

ALT Riparian habitat along River Liffey in 2025 after control of skunk cabbage

Skunk cabbage along River Liffey in 2021 before mechanical controls applied

ALT Skunk cabbage along River Liffey in 2021 before mechanical controls applied

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Our Zoology students instructed by @HerpSocIreland swabbing Alpine Newts for Chytrid fungus. Surveys in protected bogs indicate high density of Alpine Newts. Please report any sightings to @BioDataCentre @NPWSIreland @UCDSBES @ucdscience
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