US: Are Russian olive trees fueling an invasive species in the San Juan River?

Published Nov 9, 2023

Tridge summary

Researchers have discovered that the Russian olive tree, an invasive species, is indirectly fueling the growth of another invasive species, the channel catfish, in the San Juan River. The catfish have been preying on native fish species in the river, contributing to their decline. The Russian olive tree produces fruit that the catfish consume, providing them with a food source that supports their population growth.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

The San Juan River, a major tributary of the Colorado River located in the "Four Corners" region of the southwestern United States, is home to two native fish species—the Colorado pikeminnow and the Razorback sucker. Both of these species are federally endangered and are being threatened by an invasive species, the channel catfish. To save the endangered fish, biologists, researchers and wildlife managers have been attempting to better understand how these native and non-native species interact with each other. Christopher Cheek, assistant professor in South Dakota State University's Department of Natural Resource Management, is one of those researchers. Introduced in the late 1800s, channel catfish are a direct threat to native fish through both predation and competition. While the impacts of non-native fish are difficult to quantify, resource managers have deemed them a direct threat to the native fish ...

Source: Phys