Preliminary survey of toxicity of the green algaCaulerpa taxifolia introduced into the Mediterranean

Lemée, Rodolphe; Pesando, D.; Durand-Clément, Monique; A, Dubreuil; Meinesz, A.; Guerriero, Antonio; Pietra, Francesco

doi:10.1007/bf02182507

Cited by 78 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Other minor compounds can also produce significant biological effects (e.g. ) and some may be water soluble (Lemée et al 1993) as observed for our feeding trials with Aplysia sydneyensis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Responses of common SE Australian herbivores to three suspected invasive Caulerpa spp.

2005

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We sought to determine whether common intertidal and shallow subtidal-zone grazers would consume extracts or fronds of three invasive Caulerpa spp., all of which are now resident in southern New South Wales, Australia. We examined the responses of herbivorous fishes, echinoderms and molluscs to C. filiformis. A subset of these organisms was tested with extracts of C. scalpelliformis and C. taxifolia. Polar scalpelliformis and C. taxifolia did not significantly deter any grazers. However, the overall trend was for reduced consumption of discs containing solvent extracts of these seaweeds. Indeed, for the large urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii and in the fish trials these effects were very near significant (P<0.06). We conclude that common herbivores associated with hard substrata are highly unlikely to intercede in the spread or control of these invasive algae.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Responses of common SE Australian herbivores to three suspected invasive Caulerpa spp.

2005

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“…Also, C. taxifolia also has the potential to markedly alter detrital pools. C. taxifolia easily fragments and can be transported large distances (Ceccherelli & Cinelli 1999, West et al 2009), it contains the secondary metabolite Caulerpenyne that can deter some herbivores and limit fouling (Lemée et al 1993, Amade & Lemée 1998. Caulerpa spp.…”

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of detritus from the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia on a soft sediment community

Taylor¹,

Bishop²,

Kelaher³

et al. 2010

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Invasive primary producers can dramatically reorganize food webs through detrital subsidies. This study assessed (1) contributions of the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia to detrital resources of temperate Australian estuaries, and (2) effects of these contributions on sedimentdwelling invertebrates. In an invaded estuary, sampling of an intertidal shore indicated C. taxifolia fragments were consistently present in organic matter deposits and were particularly abundant following storms. Sampling of the alga across 6 invaded estuaries showed that the ratio of organic carbon to nitrogen (C:N) in fresh tissue varied between 7 and 16. To determine how C. taxifolia detritus influences benthic macrofaunal assemblages and whether this influence depends on the quantity and C:N ratio of C. taxifolia detritus, a manipulative field experiment was performed. On a sheltered intertidal mudflat, 0.25 m 2 plots of sediment were experimentally enriched with either a high (90 g DW) or low (30 g) loading of high C:N (14) or low C:N (7) C. taxifolia detritus. Experimental enrichment negatively affected the total abundance and species richness of macroinvertebrates relative to controls, and these effects increased with detrital loading. For some macrofauna, reducing the C:N ratio tended to exacerbate negative effects on abundances, whereas it moderated these effects for other species. Given that organic matter derived from invasive species can be transported beyond the distribution of live invaders, greater consideration should be given to the potential broad-scale effects of invasive primary producers on detrital pathways. KEY WORDS: Detritus · Caulerpa taxifolia · Food quality · Invasion · Nitrogen content · Spatial subsidy Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 420: [73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81] 2010 sources, typically degrades rapidly and produces a short-term nutritional source to fast growing consumers (Tenore 1977). Although the C:N ratio of detritus can change during degradation (Anderson 1973, Suberkropp et al. 1976, the starting C:N ratio is a good predictor of decomposition rate (Enriquez et al. 1993).Invasive primary producers are an increasingly large component of detrital pools (Kennedy & Hobbie 2004, Rodil et al. 2008 and have the potential to markedly alter their value. Many successful invaders have rapid individual growth, early maturity, a short life span, high fecundity, minimal structural defence and extensive dispersal capacity (Lodge 1993, Schaffelke et al. 2006. Consequently, invasive primary producers tend to generate large amounts of labile detritus with a low C:N ratio, which is more readily decomposed than is litter from native species (Vitousek et al. 1987, Ashton et al. 2005. Whereas small amounts of refractory detritus may fuel productivity, large quantities of labile detritus may induce sediment anoxia (Pearson & Rosenberg 1978). This phenomenon may be exacerbated in areas of nutrient enrichment where invasive primary producer...

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“…Caulerpales produce secondary metabolites that have been previously investigated for their ecological role both in the chemical defence against herbivores (McConnell et al 1982, Pe san do et al 1996, Lemée et al 1997) and as allelochemicals in in-terspecific competition among marine macrophytes (Raniello et al 2007). Various studies have evaluated the toxic effect of these compounds on vertebrates and invertebrates (Lemée et al 1993, Schröder et al 1998, Barbier et al 2001, Mozzachiodi et al 2001, Paul et al 2007). The homogenate of Caulerpa taxifolia affects the physiology of the black scopionfish Scorpaena porcus by altering enzymatic detoxification systems in their livers (Uchimura et al 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detrimental physiological effects of the invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa on the Mediterranean white seabream Diplodus sargus

Terlizzi¹,

Felline²,

Lionetto³

et al. 2011

Aquat. Biol.

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Observational data suggest that the white seabream Diplodus sargus, a sparid fish of economic and ecological relevance in the Mediterranean Sea, has included the invasive green alga Caulerpa racemosa in its diet. Here we adopted a chemoecological approach to study the trophic relationship between the fish and the exotic pest. We demonstrated that the red pigment caulerpin, the most abundant secondary metabolite of C. racemosa, enters food chains and accumulates in the fish tissues. General biological condition markers associated with fish health and reproductive development were measured and correlated with the caulerpin levels in the fish tissues. Significant correlations among caulerpin tissue load (determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis) and fish condition factor and hepatosomatic index were obtained, suggesting a possible detrimental effect of the dietary exposure to C. racemosa on D. sargus. Glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity were also significantly correlated with caulerpin concentrations in the liver, suggesting a possible interaction between algal metabolites and liver antioxidant mechanisms. Studies on the impact of invasive macroalgae on marine assemblages have been almost exclusively focused on the structural modification of benthic assemblages, through the alteration of the relative importance of some endemic species and the modification of habitat complexity. Here we propose a new mechanism by which invasive algae can impact marine systems, namely the entry of pest metabolites in food webs, with potential detrimental effects on the population dynamics of a single species, alteration of trophic webs and changes in the functioning of coastal ecosystems.

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Preliminary survey of toxicity of the green algaCaulerpa taxifolia introduced into the Mediterranean

Cited by 78 publications

References 33 publications

Responses of common SE Australian herbivores to three suspected invasive Caulerpa spp.

Responses of common SE Australian herbivores to three suspected invasive Caulerpa spp.

Impacts of detritus from the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia on a soft sediment community

Detrimental physiological effects of the invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa on the Mediterranean white seabream Diplodus sargus

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