Researchers from the FishME project investigated whether the presence of introduced fish affects background risk and antipredator sensitivity in larvae of the common frog (Rana temporaria).

Study results suggest that the presence of introduced fish may modify sensitivity to predation risk in amphibian larvae. Findings further highlight that biological invasions can influence not only direct predation risk but also prey behavioral responses and non-consumptive effects, with potential consequences at both population and landscape scales.

Mattioli et al. (2026). Fish Introductions Reshape Antipredator Sensitivity in Rana temporaria Tadpoles Across Alpine Lakes. Ecology and Evolution 16:e73787.

Researchers from the FishME project document that introduced fish displace the white-throated dipper from high-mountain lakes.

Authors show that introduced fish negatively affected dipper occurrence, with lakes largely avoided when fish were present, while hydrological connectivity with streams emerged as a key factor facilitating dipper use of high-mountain lakes. Even though dippers can thrive in areas without high-mountain lakes, relying exclusively on riverine habitats, their association with pristine fishless lakes, together with their recognizability and public appeal, make them effective flagship species to stimulate broader discussion on the impacts of invasive species in mountain freshwater ecosystems and their consequences for native fauna.

Bello et al. (2026). Introduced fish displace the white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) from high-mountain lakes. Biodiversity and Conservation 35:229