Invasive Species Gains Ground Over Native in the Xúquer

The issue of invasive species versus native ones is a global phenomenon that affects various ecosystems, including riverine ones. In the case of the Xúquer, a river fundamental to the region in terms of biodiversity, water resources, and economic activities, the invasion of foreign species has become a significant environmental challenge. Invasive turtles, often released into the wild by owners who no longer wish to care for them, find in the Xúquer a favorable habitat for their development, competing for food and space with local species, which can lead to the displacement of the latter. A particularly problematic invasive species in many aquatic ecosystems in Spain and other parts of the world...