Infantes E, Terrados J, Orfila A
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 91: 434-441
Publication year: 2011

ABSTRACT

Two-year monitoring of the invasive marine Chlorophyta Caulerpa taxifolia and Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea shows the great influence of substratum on their spatial distribution. The cover of C. taxifolia and C. racemosa was measured in shallow (<8 m) areas indicating that these species are more abundant in rocks with photophilic algae and in the dead matte of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica than in sand or inside the P. oceanica meadow.

A short-term experiment comparing the persistence of C. taxifolia and C. racemosa planted either in a model of dead matte of P. oceanica or in sand shows that the persistence of these species was higher in the dead matte model than in sand. Correlative evidence suggests that C. taxifolia and C. racemosa tolerate near-bottom orbital velocities below 15 cm s−1 and that C. taxifolia cover declines at velocities above that value. These results contribute to understand the process of invasion of these Caulerpa species predicting which substrata would be more susceptible to be invaded and to the adoption of appropriate management strategies.

doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2010.11.005

Highlights

• Substratum plays a crucial role in the spatial distribution of invasive marine species Caulerpa taxifolia and Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea.
• These species are more abundant in rocks with photophilic algae and in the dead matte of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica than in sand or inside the P. oceanica meadow.
• The persistence of C. taxifolia and C. racemosa was higher in the dead matte model of P. oceanica than in sand.
• Correlative evidence suggests that these species tolerate near-bottom orbital velocities below 15 cm s−1 and that C. taxifolia cover declines at velocities above that value.

Assestment of substratum effect on the distribution of two Caulerpa (Chlorophyta) species
Assestment of substratum effect on the distribution of two Caulerpa (Chlorophyta) species
Assestment of substratum effect on the distribution of two Caulerpa (Chlorophyta) species

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One Response to “Assessment of substratum effect on the distribution of two Caulerpa (Chlorophyta) species”

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