The detection of invasive marine species in Portugal increased by 75% over a decade, reaching 231 records. This significant growth was revealed by a study that monitored the evolution of the presence of these organisms in Portuguese coastal waters during this period.
The study identifies navigation as the main responsible for the introduction of these organisms in Portuguese coastal waters. Ships that circulate through Portuguese ports function as transport vectors, carrying species from other regions of the world that find favorable conditions to establish themselves in local ecosystems.
This phenomenon represents an alarming threat to national marine biodiversity. Invasive species tend to compete with native species for resources and habitat, potentially causing significant ecological imbalances in Portuguese coastal ecosystems.
