From 19 to 21 October 2026, the final field survey of the year was conducted in Kopački Rit Nature Park as part of the PACT-VIRA project. The survey focused on monitoring non-native decapod crustaceans (Decapoda) and investigating changes in the condition of key habitats in relation to climate change.
During the 2026 field monitoring programme, two non-native decapod species were recorded for the first time in Kopački Rit Nature Park: Macrobrachium nipponense, a freshwater shrimp native to East Asia, and the signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), originating from North America. The occurrence of M. nipponense is documented in a scientific manuscript submitted to the journal BioInvasions Records.
These findings represent an important contribution to our understanding of the distribution of non-native species in the floodplain ecosystems of the Danube and Drava rivers. They also highlight the need for continuous monitoring of their spread and potential impacts on native biodiversity, particularly as these impacts may interact with environmental pressures associated with climate change.
In addition to decapod monitoring, the final field survey involved investigating changes in the condition of key habitats within Kopački Rit Nature Park, with particular attention to changes in their ecological characteristics and conservation status in relation to climate change.
The collected data will support further analyses of the ecological condition of Kopački Rit and contribute to assessments of ecosystem vulnerability and resilience to climate change within the framework of the PACT-VIRA project.