How different is Mediterranean Caulerpa taxifolia (Caulerpales: Chlorophyta) to other populations of the species?

Phillips, Julie A.; Price, Ian R.

doi:10.3354/meps238061

Cited by 37 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Wiedenmann et al, 2001;Famaè t al., 2002). The 'aquarium-Mediterranean' strain also resembles the Moreton Bay population morphologically, both of these having more robust thalli than C. taxifolia found elsewhere (Meinesz et al, 1995;Komatsu et al, 1997;Phillips & Price, 2002). Moreton Bay experiences minimum winter temperatures similar to the Mediterranean Sea and the two populations of C. taxifolia thus exhibit similar cold tolerance thresholds (Komatsu et al, 1997;Chisholm et al, 2000;Phillips & Price, 2002;Burfeind & Udy, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…This alga is out-competing native seaweeds and seagrasses in the Mediterranean by forming dense carpets, leading to a loss of biodiversity. Although C. taxifolia is considered one of the most invasive species in the Mediterranean, it is also indigenous to tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, including Australia (Phillips & Price, 2002) and it has been used widely as a decorative plant in the marine aquarium trade. It was accidentally released from the Monaco Aquarium in 1984 (Meinesz & Hesse, 1991) and rapidly spread across the western Mediterranean basin .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Description of a new marine diatom,Cocconeis caulerpacola sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae), epiphytic on invasiveCaulerpaspecies

Car

Witkowski

Dobosz

et al. 2012

European Journal of Phycology

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A new species of Cocconeis has been found growing on thalli of the invasive green alga Caulerpa taxifolia collected from the Croatian Adriatic Sea (Bay of Stari Grad, the Island of Hvar, Central Adriatic, Croatia), the coasts of the Mediterranean (Saint Raphae¨l, west of Cannes, France) and the eastern coast of Australia (Moreton Bay, southeast Queensland). Additionally, it was observed on samples of Caulerpa racemosa, another invasive alga in the Mediterranean. Preserved thalli of Caulerpa and cleaned material of the new diatom were studied by light and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The morphology and fine structure of the new marine epiphytic diatom, for which we propose the name Cocconeis caulerpacola Witkowski, Car & Dobosz, was determined, including the internal and external structure of the raphe and sternum valve, and the cingulum. Comparison between the new species and three closely related species, C. borbonica, C. diruptoides and C. pseudodiruptoides, was made using material from our samples, as well as material from Vis (Adriatic Sea) obtained from the Hustedt collection. Surprisingly, C. caulerpacola is able to colonize Caulerpa taxifolia in very high abundance, but its occurrence seems to be strongly patchy. Indeed, it seems that C. taxifolia is a suitable host for epiphytic diatoms, in particular this tiny Cocconeis, despite its reputation as a 'killer seaweed'. Cocconeis caulerpacola was observed on Caulerpa species in varying abundance over a wide geographical range.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Description of a new marine diatom,Cocconeis caulerpacola sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae), epiphytic on invasiveCaulerpaspecies

Car

Witkowski

Dobosz

et al. 2012

European Journal of Phycology

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“…In the Mediterranean and in Australia, C. taxifolia invades seagrass meadows and bare sediments, which may or may not have previously been colonized by seagrasses (Chisholm et al 1997;Ceccherelli and Cinelli 1998;Glasby and Creese 2007). Although C. taxifolia is native to subtropical Moreton Bay (eastern Australia) (Phillips and Price 2002), its range is expanding into large areas that were previously colonized by seagrass (Burfeind and Udy 2009). However, rather than directly displacing seagrass, there appears to be a successional trend of seagrass loss (controlled by other factors) followed by C. taxifolia colonization of the bare sediment (Burfeind and Udy 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in benthic metabolism, nutrient fluxes, and denitrification in Caulerpa taxifolia communities compared to uninvaded bare sediment and seagrass (Zostera capricorni) habitats

Eyre

Maher

Oakes

et al. 2011

Limnology & Oceanography

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Benthic metabolism, nutrient fluxes, and denitrification were measured in Caulerpa taxifolia communities that had recently invaded (between 2003 and 2008) bare sediments following the loss of Zostera capricorni (prior to 2003), and in adjacent Z. capricorni communities and bare sediments, to determine the likely changes in ecosystem function following C. taxifolia colonization. Areas colonized by C. taxifolia had higher gross primary production (GPP), net primary production (NPP), and dark benthic N 2 effluxes than adjacent bare sediments, but lower dark benthic NH z 4 effluxes. C. taxifolia invasion of bare sediments had a beneficial role in removing excess nitrogen from the system through enhanced denitrification. In contrast, areas occupied by C. taxifolia had similar GPP and NPP relative to Z. capricorni beds and similar benthic N 2 and NH z 4 effluxes. Thus, C. taxifolia appears to play a comparable role to Z. capricorni in terms of some ecosystem functions, although the degree of similarity is likely to be affected by the relative densities of the two macrophytes. However, replacement of Z. capricorni communities by C. taxifolia appears to significantly alter the quantity and quality (higher ratio) of benthic dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen fluxes.

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“…The alga's acclaimed ability to expand exponentially on any type of substratum and thereby displace keystone species such as the seagrass Posidonia oceanica L. Delile has been ascribed to exceptional, morphological and physiological traits (gigantic size, amplified growth rate, exceptional cold resistance, enhanced chemical toxicity, reproduction from small fragments), which it supposedly acquired through prolonged aquarium culture (2,7,9,10). Contradictory data indicate that the alga does not possess abnormal traits (11)(12)(13), nor covers 30,000 acres of the Mediterranean seabed (14,15), nor develops on any type of substratum but preferentially exploits nutrient resources in polluted or organically enriched substrata (16)(17)(18). The latter argument is supported by a correlation between the extent of Caulerpa taxifolia development in the coastal waters of the Riviera, where more than 90% of the alga's biomass in the Mediterranean is found (19), and the quantity and treatment level of wastewater discharged from adjacent human settlements (14-16; Figs S1 and S2).…”

Section: Effort To Have All Varieties Of the Marine Algamentioning

confidence: 99%

A century of warfare shoots holes in anti-Caulerpa campaign

Chisholm¹,

Povinec²,

Briet³

et al. 2007

Nat Prec

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Effort to have all varieties of the marine alga Caulerpa taxifolia listed as noxious weeds hinges on the argument that the alga's proliferation in the Mediterranean Sea is a cause and not a consequence of environmental degradation. Until now, the occurrence of two populations in a pristine part of the northern Mediterranean near the island of Porquerolles has upheld this claim. Here we show that the alga's development at Porquerolles is indeed a consequence of environmental degradation caused by military weapons' impacts on seagrass beds during the last century. The available data show that substratum enrichment plays a key role in fostering development of Caulerpa, irrespective of whether this results directly from pollution or from the impacts of pollution and other anthropogenic factors on benthic vegetation cover.

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How different is Mediterranean Caulerpa taxifolia (Caulerpales: Chlorophyta) to other populations of the species?

Cited by 37 publications

References 39 publications

Description of a new marine diatom,Cocconeis caulerpacola sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae), epiphytic on invasiveCaulerpaspecies

Description of a new marine diatom,Cocconeis caulerpacola sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae), epiphytic on invasiveCaulerpaspecies

Differences in benthic metabolism, nutrient fluxes, and denitrification in Caulerpa taxifolia communities compared to uninvaded bare sediment and seagrass (Zostera capricorni) habitats

A century of warfare shoots holes in anti-Caulerpa campaign

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