From exotic to invasive in record time: The extreme impact of Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta) in the strait of Gibraltar

García‐Gómez, José Carlos; Sempere-Valverde, Juan; González, A. R.; Martínez-Chacón, Manuel; Olaya‐Ponzone, Liliana; Sánchez-Moyano, Emilio; Ostalé‐Valriberas, Enrique; Megina, César

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135408

Cited by 86 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Even though the method is able to detect the presence of invasive species, further studies are required to test the reliability of the method for detecting other potential impacts of anthropic origin. Recently, the SBPQ methodology has already been used successfully in the early detection of exotic species with invasive potential, in particular the invasive seaweed Rugulopterix okamurae [80]. The Fig 2 shows a temporal variation of benthic mean percent species coverage at Tarifa Island monitoring by SBPQ method from years 2013 to 2017.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Detect coastal disturbances and climate change effects in coralligenous community through sentinel stations

et al. 2020

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This study was implemented to assess the Sessile Bioindicators in Permanent Quadrats (SBPQ) underwater environmental alert method. The SBPQ is a non-invasive and low-cost protocol; it uses sessile target species (indicators) to detect environmental alterations (natural or anthropic) at either the local or global (i.e., climate change) scale and the intrusion of invasive species. The SBPQ focuses on the monitoring of preselected sessile and sensitive benthic species associated with rocky coralligenous habitats using permanent quadrats in underwater sentinel stations. The selected target species have been well documented as bioindicators that disappear in the absence of environmental stability. However, whether these species are good indicators of stability or, in contrast, suffer variations in long-term coverage has not been verified. The purpose of this study was to assess the part of the method based on the hypothesis that, over a long temporal series in a highly structured and biodiverse coralligenous assemblage, the cover of sensitive sessile species does not change over time if the environmental stability characterising the habitat is not altered. Over a ten-year period (2005-2014), the sublittoral sessile biota in the Straits of Gibraltar Natural Park on the southern Iberian Peninsula was monitored at a 28 m-deep underwater sentinel stations. Analyses of the coverages of target indicator species (i.e., Paramuricea clavata and Astroides calycularis) together with other accompanying sessile organisms based on the periodic superimposition of gridded images from horizontal and vertical rocky surfaces allowed us to assess the effectiveness of the method. We conclude that no alterations occurred during the study period; only minimal fluctuations in cover were detected, and the method is reliable for detecting biological changes in ecosystems found in other geographical areas containing the chosen indicator species at similar dominance levels.

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Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Detect coastal disturbances and climate change effects in coralligenous community through sentinel stations

et al. 2020

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“…The rocky bottoms of The Jbel Moussa Site of Biological and Ecological Interest (SIBE) (El Aamri et al, 2018) and the eastern littoral of El Estrecho Natural Park (PNE) (García-Gómez et al, 2018) firstly represented the northern and southern scenarios of R. okamurae expansion in the Strait of Gibraltar. Until date, these areas constitute the most intensely affected by the brown alga, which continues its westward and eastward directionality of expansion (Altamirano et al, 2019;Figueroa et al, 2020) with trend to monopolize the sea rocky bottom in detriment of the photophilous resident biota (García-Gómez et al, 2020b). In the introduced areas, the species is present throughout the year and is dispersed mainly due to asexual and vegetative strategies by propagules and monospores (Altamirano-Jeschke et al, 2017;Altamirano et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the introduced areas, the species is present throughout the year and is dispersed mainly due to asexual and vegetative strategies by propagules and monospores (Altamirano-Jeschke et al, 2017;Altamirano et al, 2019). Although it has not been possible to assess if the species is able to complete its entire life cycle in the Atlantic and Mediterranean waters (Verlaque et al, 2009;Altamirano-Jeschke et al, 2016, the fast expansion and massive occupation potential since its first detection in 2015 reflects that this bioinvasion case is one of the most serious and threatening caused by marine macroalgae in the European waters (García-Gómez et al, 2018, 2020b.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is urgent to carry out studies on the distribution, ecology and impacts of R. okamurae in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts, as well as the implementation of management measures. However, few studies have been carried out on R. okamurae distribution (e.g., Altamirano-Jeschke et al, 2016;Ocaña et al, 2016;El Aamri et al, 2018;Altamirano et al, 2019) and its derived impacts on the recipient sessile (García-Gómez et al, 2018, 2020bSempere-Valverde et al, 2020) and mobile associated biota (Navarro-Barranco et al, 2019). In this regard, there is only one published study monitoring the temporal dynamic of the invasion since the first apparition of the species in the Strait waters (see García-Gómez et al, 2020b) by the utilization of Sessile Bioindicators in Permanent Quadrats (SBPQ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, few studies have been carried out on R. okamurae distribution (e.g., Altamirano-Jeschke et al, 2016;Ocaña et al, 2016;El Aamri et al, 2018;Altamirano et al, 2019) and its derived impacts on the recipient sessile (García-Gómez et al, 2018, 2020bSempere-Valverde et al, 2020) and mobile associated biota (Navarro-Barranco et al, 2019). In this regard, there is only one published study monitoring the temporal dynamic of the invasion since the first apparition of the species in the Strait waters (see García-Gómez et al, 2020b) by the utilization of Sessile Bioindicators in Permanent Quadrats (SBPQ). The SBPQ is part of a monitoring of sessile sentinel species which has been carried out since 2013 to detect early impacts on the littoral environment, including changes in the benthic system related to global warming (García-Gómez, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Monitoring Extreme Impacts of Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta) in El Estrecho Natural Park (Biosphere Reserve). Showing Radical Changes in the Underwater Seascape

et al. 2021

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The invasive macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae represents an unprecedented case of bioinvasion by marine macroalgae facing the European coasts. Since the first apparition of the species in the Strait of Gibraltar in 2015, its fast dispersion along the introduced habitats constitutes a real challenge to develop monitoring strategies that ahead of its impacts. The present study uses three different approaches to address impacts on the benthic ecosystems, at the same time offers relevant data for future management actions in El Estrecho Natural Park (PNE). Information obtained by monitoring permanent sentinel stations revealed a significant loss in resident species coverage after the moment of maximum growth in 2017. Thus, despite coverage of R. okamurae did not strongly varied in the latter years, impacts generated remain high in the habitats studied. Estimations of the invasive species coverage by combining cartographic image analysis and in situ data predicted a major occupation (over 85% coverage) between 10 and 30 m, coinciding with the maximum rocky surface areas (m2) mapped on the PNE. Furthermore, a Citizen Science research collaboration evidenced impacts on the benthic seascape through an ad hoc exploration of images that allowed a “before” and “after” comparison of the invasion process in the same geographic locations. This has made it possible to graphically demonstrate severe changes in the underwater seascape and, therefore, the general impact of this new biological invasion. The spatial colonization estimations combined with the impacts reported by both scientific [Sessile Bioindicators in Permanent Quadrats (SBPQ) sentinel stations] and civilian (Citizen Science) monitoring methodologies claim the urgent development of further studies that allow the design of monitoring strategies against R. okamurae expansion across the Mediterranean and Atlantic waters.

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Evaluating the vulnerability of coralligenous epifauna to macroalgal invasions

Navarro‐Barranco

Moreira

Espinosa

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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This work constitutes the first comprehensive study of the epifaunal response to biological invasions in coralligenous habitats, which are one of the main hotspots of biodiversity in the Mediterranean. The epifaunal community inhabiting the invasive macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae and other dominant sessile hosts on coralligenous habitats (i.e. the sponge Spongia lamella, the gorgonian Paramuricea clavata, and the macroalga Sphaerococcus coronopifolius) was characterized. A total of 137 taxa were found. There was a lack of functional equivalence between macroalgal species (both native and invasive) and sessile invertebrates. Despite the absence of significant differences in mean density values and number of species per replicate among host species, epifaunal composition on gorgonians and sponges differed significantly from that on both macroalgae. Epifaunal assemblages, especially those inhabiting macroalgal species, were dominated by generalist detritivorous species that can inhabit different hosts, while specialized interactions between mobile epifauna and sessile hosts were observed almost exclusively on sessile invertebrates. Moreover, epifaunal community associated with invertebrate hosts showed higher spatial heterogeneity in comparison with native and invasive macroalgae. A competitive displacement of native hosts by the spreading of R. okamurae on coralligenous habitats would likely result in a biotic impoverishment in terms of overall number of species and a taxonomical and functional homogenization of the epifaunal community. Specialist species with a heterogeneous distribution could be gradually replaced by a spatially homogeneous assemblage dominated by generalist species.

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From exotic to invasive in record time: The extreme impact of Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta) in the strait of Gibraltar

Cited by 86 publications

References 42 publications

Detect coastal disturbances and climate change effects in coralligenous community through sentinel stations

Detect coastal disturbances and climate change effects in coralligenous community through sentinel stations

Monitoring Extreme Impacts of Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta) in El Estrecho Natural Park (Biosphere Reserve). Showing Radical Changes in the Underwater Seascape

Evaluating the vulnerability of coralligenous epifauna to macroalgal invasions

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