Pike (Esox lucius) could have been an exclusive human introduction to Ireland after all: a comment on Pedreschi et al. (2014) |
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| Authors: | Dennis Ensing |
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| Affiliation: | Agri‐Food & Biosciences Institute Northern Ireland – Fisheries & Aquatic Ecosystems, Belfast, UK |
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| Abstract: | A recent publication (Pedreschi et al., 2014, Journal of Biogeography, 41 , 548–560) casts doubt over the status of pike (Esox lucius) as a non‐native species in Ireland by reporting two distinct genetic groups of pike present: one a human introduction in the Middle Ages, the other hypothesized to result from natural colonization after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). While the existence of two groups is not disputed, the hypothesized natural colonization scenario conflicts with the sequence in which the islands of Britain and Ireland became isolated from Europe after the LGM. An alternative natural colonization scenario raised herein was rejected, leaving an earlier, two‐phase, human introduction of pike from Britain or Europe to Ireland as a realistic alternative hypothesis explaining the results of Pedreschi et al. (2014). This leaves the debates on human introduction versus natural colonization, introduced versus native species status, and pike management in Ireland wide open. |
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| Keywords: | Bronze Age colonization
Esox lucius
genetics human introduction invasive species Ireland Last Glacial Maximum non‐native pike |
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