Climate change may exacerbate the risk of invasiveness of non-native aquatic plants: the case of the Pannonian and Mediterranean regions of Croatia

Non-native aquatic plants are amongst the major threats to freshwater biodiversity and climate change is expected facilitate their further spread invasiveness. To date, in Croatia, no complete list of non-native extant horizon has been compiled nor a risk screening performed. address this knowledge gap, 10 14 plant species were screened for invasiveness Pannonian Mediterranean regions Croatia under current predicted (future) conditions. Overall, 90% 60% classified as high regions, respectively, both scenarios. Of species, 42% conditions and, change, proportion increased 78%. The ‘top invasive’ (i.e. scored very risk) Elodea nuttallii Lemna aequinoctialis . Hygrophila polysperma was Region projected Azolla filiculoides , canadensis Egeria densa Utricularia gibba also after accounting they became regions. Further, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides minuta found pose only Region. It anticipated that outcomes study will contribute different climatic enable prioritisation measures control/eradication.