Spread of introduced Caulerpa species in macroalgal habitats

Ceccherelli, Giulia; Piazzi, Luigi; Balata, David

doi:10.1016/s0022-0981(02)00336-2

Cited by 97 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…The spread and growth of Caulerpa racemosa was greater in algal turfs than in barren habitats, irrespective of the nature of the substratum, in accordance with previous findings of Ceccherelli et al (2002). The lack of differences between natural assemblages and their mimics strongly suggests that the nature of positive effects of algal turfs on C. racemosa is physical.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…As also suggested by Ceccherelli et al (2002), the effects of algal turfs on Caulerpa racemosa may arise from its physical properties; due to the tight packing of species and to the dense network of ramifications (Airoldi et al 1995), algal turfs may provide a complex 3-dimensional substratum that favours the entrapment of fragments of the alga and the anchoring of its stolons. It might therefore be predicted that differences in the invasion success of C. racemosa between algal turfs (greater complexity) and barren habitats (surfaces monopolised by encrusting corallines characterised by a smaller complexity) would emerge either in natural assemblages or in mimics (artificial substrata with complexities comparable to those of the natural counterparts).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…To date, positive effects of native species on the establishment of invaders have been largely overlooked in marine environments (but see Ceccherelli et al 2002, Levin et al 2002, Bulleri & Airoldi 2005, Stachowicz & Byrnes 2006, Bulleri et al 2008. The introduced green alga Caulerpa racemosa (Forsskål) J. Agardh has been indicated as a driver of change in patterns of abundance and distribution of resident assemblages on rocky ) and sandy (Argyrou et al 1999) bottoms of the western Mediterranean Sea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Understanding the factors that regulate the establishment and spread of this species is, therefore, crucial to predicting future pathways of invasion and susceptible locales. Ceccherelli et al (2002) have experimentally shown that the ability of Caulerpa racemosa to spread and grow was greater in algal turfs than in the presence of simpler algal forms such as encrusting corallines. No study has, however, attempted to identify the nature of the mechanisms underlying the facilitation of C. racemosa by algal turfs, in respect to substrata dominated by encrusting forms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Facilitation of the introduced green alga Caulerpa racemosa by resident algal turfs: experimental evaluation of underlying mechanisms

Bulleri¹,

Benedetti‐Cecchi²

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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There is convincing evidence showing that resistance to invasion greatly varies among recipient assemblages. We assessed whether variation in the performance of the introduced macroalga Caulerpa racemosa between algal turfs and surfaces dominated by encrusting corallines (barrens) arises from their physical or biological properties, by comparing the invasion success of this alga between natural assemblages and their mimics. Furthermore, to establish whether greater retention of sediments by algal turfs can favour C. racemosa, sediment deposition in barrens was raised to levels matching those recorded in turfs. The effects of herbivores on patterns of distribution of C. racemosa between habitats were evaluated by removing urchins from some experimental patches. The performance of C. racemosa was greater in turfs than in barrens, regardless of the type of substratum (natural or artificial), suggesting that positive effects of turfs on C. racemosa are physical (e.g. entrapment of fragments of the alga and/or enhancing the anchoring of stolons). Removing urchins or enhancing the deposition of sediments in barrens had no effect on C. racemosa. Our results show that the complexity of biogenic substrata is key to determining the spread of this invader and that facilitation of exotic species by natives could enhance ecosystem invasibility. This study has important implications for the management of C. racemosa, as turfs are progressively replacing canopy-forming species along urbanised coasts. Also, it suggests that current invasion theories based on the assumption that interactions between native and exotic species are exclusively negative may be inadequate to predict future invasion scenarios

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Facilitation of the introduced green alga Caulerpa racemosa by resident algal turfs: experimental evaluation of underlying mechanisms

Bulleri¹,

Benedetti‐Cecchi²

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Although this alga is able to colonize a variety of natural substrata (Piazzi et al 2005), here, it was not found on sandy bottoms sheltered by breakwaters. C. racemosa can tolerate high rates of sedimentation (Piazzi et al, 2007) and its colonization and spread are facilitated by the presence of algal turfs (Ceccherelli et al, 2002;305 Bulleri and Benedetti-Cecchi, in press). Hence, domination by algal turfs in wave-sheltered habitats could have favoured the establishment of this invader.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hard coastal-defence structures as habitats for native and exotic rocky-bottom species

Vaselli

Bulleri

Benedetti‐Cecchi

2008

Marine Environmental Research

120

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The use of hard coastal-defence structures, like breakwaters and seawalls, is rapidly increasing to prevent coastal erosion. We compared low-shore assemblages between wave-protected and wave-exposed habitats on breakwaters along a sandy shore of Tuscany (North-Western Mediterranean). Assemblages were generally characterized by a low diversity of taxa, with space 5 monopolized by Mytilus galloprovincialis and Corallina elongata on the seaward side of breakwaters and by filamentous algae on the landward side. Assemblages in wave-protected habitats were characterized by greater temporal stability than those in exposed habitats and supported non-indigenous macroalgae such as Caulerpa racemosa and Codium fragile ssp.tomentosoides. Hence, the introduction of hard coastal defence-structures in otherwise soft-bottom 10 dominated areas, attracting native and exotic rocky bottom species, should be of great concern for the conservation of marine biodiversity at local and regional scales and for the management of biological invasions.

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Patterns of wide‐scale substitution within meadows of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in NW Mediterranean Sea: invaders are stronger than natives

Montefalcone

Albertelli

Morri

et al. 2010

Aquatic Conservation

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ABSTRACT1. The endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Mediterranean Sea are presently facing invasion by alien algal species, especially where they are already showing signs of regression as a result of other stresses. Regressed meadows may be recolonized by native or alien macrophytes that take the place of P. oceanica.2. The pattern and degree of substitution by either native (Cymodocea nodosa and Caulerpa prolifera) or alien (Caulerpa taxifolia and C. racemosa) species in 17 P. oceanica meadows along the coast of Liguria (Italy, NW Mediterranean) were investigated. The invaders were found to be stronger colonizers, in terms of habitat occupancy within meadows, than the natives.3. A set of indices was used to quantify biological invasion within the seagrass ecosystem and to explore the relationship between the meadow's state of health and the replacement by substitutes. The ecological status of the receiving habitat was shown to play a major role in modulating the spread of substitutes.4. Substitutes are thought likely to act simply as passengers of habitat degradation in deep meadows, where previous regression has increased the likelihood of their colonization, but could be the drivers for P. oceanica loss in shallow ones, where they settled even in healthy meadows thus starting the process of regression. Long term monitoring and sustained maintenance of healthy P. oceanica meadows appear to be the most effective management tools to contain the risk of ecological substitution.

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Spread of introduced Caulerpa species in macroalgal habitats

Cited by 97 publications

References 48 publications

Facilitation of the introduced green alga Caulerpa racemosa by resident algal turfs: experimental evaluation of underlying mechanisms

Facilitation of the introduced green alga Caulerpa racemosa by resident algal turfs: experimental evaluation of underlying mechanisms

Hard coastal-defence structures as habitats for native and exotic rocky-bottom species

Patterns of wide‐scale substitution within meadows of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in NW Mediterranean Sea: invaders are stronger than natives

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