Invasive warty comb jelly threatens Venice Lagoon Ecosystem

The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi is considered to be one of the 100 most harmful invasive species worldwide and has been present in the Adriatic Sea for almost a decade, causing serious issues for fishing operators, particularly in lagoon environments. A research team from the University of Padua and the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) has recently published a study in the journal «Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science». The publication is titled An invader chronicles: local ecological niche of Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Venice Lagoon, and it emphasises the potential ecological threat posed by Mnemiopsis leidyi to the Venice Lagoon, attributable to its adaptability and the favourable conditions for its proliferation , resulting from ongoing climate change, which may have a negative impact on other species within the ecosystem.