Studies on the Recently Introduced Brown Alga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt I. Ecology and Reproduction

Fletcher, R. L.; Fletcher, S. M.

doi:10.1515/botm.1975.18.3.149

Cited by 73 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Species of the family Sargassaceae are common in northern New Zealand (Choat & Schiel 1982;Schiel 1985), and the genus Sargassum is abundant in warmer seas, forming dense stands in some tropical localities (DeWreede 1976). It is noted for its long-range dispersal and ability to invade shallow coastal areas (Fletcher & Fletcher 1975;Critchley 1983). Sargassum and other macroalgae are common at Lord Howe Island (Kraft 1978;Veron & Done 1979), which has the southernmost coral reef of the Indo-Pacific.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depth distribution and abundance of benthic organisms and fishes at the subtropical Kermadec Islands

Schiel

Kingsford

Choat

1986

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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Subtidal areas of the Kermadec Islands have not previously been described; samples from a bay at Raoul Island are discussed here. Abundances and percentage cover of benthic organisms were assessed from the high intertidal to 20 m depth using quadrat sampling. Fish abundances were assessed subtidally by random transects in shallow (3-6 m deep) and deep (14-20 m) areas of the reef. Hard corals occurred at 2-18 m depths at densities of 5 colonies per m 2 , but colonies were generally small. Soft coral colonies occurred at similar densities, but were confined to depths of 5-13 m. The mean percentage cover of corals did not exceed 20% at any one depth, and coral reefs did not occur. Fucalean and laminarian algae were not seen. The most abundant algae were foliose and filamentous species, and encrusting red algae. These covered over 80% of the reef at some depths. Grazing invertebrates were not abundant. Echinoids were found primarily in shallow water, reaching a density of 5 per m 2 at 5 m depth. The most abundant gastropod was the endemic limpet, Patella kermadecensis, which reached densities of 21 per m 2 , and was confined entirely to a zone in the low intertidal-shallow subtidal region. Mid to high intertidal areas were mostly barren, with high numbers of Nerita atramentosa, but few other invertebrates. Forty-five species of fish were seen, 11 of which were new records for the Kermadec Islands. Several herbivorous fish (kyphosids, pomacentrids, and aplodactylids) were found mostly on shallow areas of the Corals were sparsely distributed and stands of large brown algae were not encountered. Sea urchins were abundant in patches, whereas larger herbivorous fish were found only in shallow water. The geographic isolation of these islands and their relatively recent geological history may be the most important factors affecting species composition for this area of the Pacific Ocean.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depth distribution and abundance of benthic organisms and fishes at the subtropical Kermadec Islands

Schiel

Kingsford

Choat

1986

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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“…From the English Channel S. muticum rapidly spread north-and southward. Because of its successful reproductive strategy by self-fertilisation (Fletcher 1975, Norton 1976, 1977 and efficient dispersal mechanism by floating thalli, its current distribution reaches from Portugal to Scandinavia (Druehl 1973, Critchley 1983, Rueness 1989, Karlsson & Loo 1999, Wolff 2005. After establishment, densities of S. muticum have strongly increased along European coasts (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Native pipefish Entelurus aequoreus are promoted by the introduced seaweed Sargassum muticum in the northern Wadden Sea, North Sea

Polte¹,

Buschbaum²

2008

Aquat. Biol.

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After the major loss of eelgrass habitats in the 1930s the snake pipefish Entelurus aequoreus was considered to be rare in the Wadden Sea (south-eastern North Sea, German Bight). We hypothesize that a sudden increase in pipefish abundance observed in the area since 2004 is related to new habitats provided by the introduced Japanese seaweed Sargassum muticum. SCUBA observations conducted near the Island of Sylt during July 2006 showed that approximately every second S. muticum thallus was inhabited by E. aequoreus, whereas no pipefish could be found on sedimentary areas dominating the Wadden Sea. In a field experiment, we removed thalli from a S. muticum bed and transplanted them to an unvegetated site and to the donor S. muticum bed, respectively. Nine days after the transplantation, abundances of pipefish per thallus were almost equally high within all transplanted S. muticum units at vegetated and originally unvegetated sites. Abundances of E. aequoreus in transplanted thalli did not significantly differ from those found in unaffected control thalli located in the donor S. muticum bed. To explain high pipefish densities within S. muticum beds we sampled the zooplankton community inside and outside the S. muticum bed and compared it with gut contents of pipefish. Zooplankton densities were significantly higher inside the S. muticum bed. Harpacticoid copepods were the dominant group associated with S. muticum and also represented the major prey of E. aequoreus. We conclude that stocks of E. aequoreus are promoted by S. muticum beds since they benefit from higher food supply during the spawning season, probably in addition to increased shelter by habitat complexity. Results of the present study suggest that introductions of habitat-forming species such as S. muticum may cause beneficial effects on abundance and diversity of native species.

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“…Currently, S. muticum has an almost worldwide distribution. Because of its fast growth and large thallus size (>3 m), its very successful reproductive strategy by self fertilisation (Fletcher 1975;Norton 1976Norton , 1977a and several successful dispersal mechanisms (including floating thalli), the alga has been highly invasive and was believed to out-compete native algal species and the organisms associated with them (Norton 1977b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How an introduced seaweed can affect epibiota diversity in different coastal systems

2005

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Invasions by non-indigenous species have the potential to alter the biodiversity of recipient systems. The magnitude of this effect often depends on the nature of the invaded communities and the ecology of the invader. We investigated the impacts of the Japanese seaweed Sargassum muticum (Phaeophyceae, Fucales) on biodiversity in a rocky and sedimentary environment on two islands in the North Sea. In each case, we compared the epibiota of non-indigenous S. muticum with epibiota communities on taxonomically related and structurally similar native seaweed hosts. Total and average species richness on S. muticum were similar on the rocky shore (60 species and 22±6 species, respectively) and the sandy shore (64 species and 20±3 species, respectively). However, community structure and species composition differed significantly between the environments. On the rocky shore, another native fucoid seaweed, Halidrys siliquosa, supported an epibiota community very similar to that of the invader. On the sandy shore, the only other abundant native habitat-providing algal species was Fucus vesiculosus. This species supported a different and less diverse assemblage of associated taxa. We conclude that S. muticum enhances epibiota diversity in the sedimentary environment, probably by increasing the substratum availability and habitat heterogeneity. In contrast, it has negligible impacts on epibiota diversity in the rocky shore environment, where it does not represent a fundamentally new habitat component. We conclude that even within the same region, the consequences of non-indigenous species on biodiversity cannot be generalised but depend on the composition and structural complexity of the species in the recipient community.

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Studies on the Recently Introduced Brown Alga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt I. Ecology and Reproduction

Cited by 73 publications

References 4 publications

Depth distribution and abundance of benthic organisms and fishes at the subtropical Kermadec Islands

Depth distribution and abundance of benthic organisms and fishes at the subtropical Kermadec Islands

Native pipefish Entelurus aequoreus are promoted by the introduced seaweed Sargassum muticum in the northern Wadden Sea, North Sea

How an introduced seaweed can affect epibiota diversity in different coastal systems

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