Since its first introduction into the Atlantic for farming purposes in 1983, the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida has been found at several sites along the European coasts . The present study deals with an ecological experiment that was performed at the island of Ushant (Brittany, France) in order to check the ability of Undaria to recruit to a rocky substratum in situ . On the one hand, the authors were unsuccessful in getting Undaria to colonize a previously denuded area of shore, which was subsequently colonized by other native species, a result that may speak for a competition between Undaria and the local kelps . On the other hand, evidence is presented that Undaria pinnatifida has become a member of the Atlantic flora for good . The sporophytes can be found growing from low water mark of neap tide (+ 1 .5 m) down to at least -15 m below lower water mark of spring tide . Its propagation is thought to occur in at least two ways : either step by step from cultivation sites along the coasts, or from the hulls of ships sailing from harbour to harbour . The preference of Undaria for settlement is on artificial structures .
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