Effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caulerpa racemosa</Emphasis> invasion on soft-bottom assemblages in the Western Mediterranean Sea |
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Authors: | Lorenzo Pacciardi Anna Maria De Biasi Luigi Piazzi |
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Institution: | (1) Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina ed Ecologia Applicata, v.le N. Sauro 4, Livorno, Italy |
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Abstract: | The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea spread on Mediterranean soft-bottom assemblages. The benthic assemblages colonized by C. racemosa were compared with non invaded assemblages at multiple spatial scales. In addition, a manipulative experiment has been conducted
over a one-year period in order to compare the structure of native assemblages invaded by the alga with others where the alga
has been manually removed and others that were not invaded. Results of both studies showed that Mediterranean soft-bottom
assemblages invaded by C. racemosa differed from non invaded ones in terms of species composition, abundance and patterns of spatial variability. Moreover,
in areas cleaned out from the alga, the benthic assemblages begin to recover their structure and after one year they get more
similar to the assemblages observed in non invaded areas. The present paper, taking into account different aspects of C. racemosa invasion in Mediterranean soft bottoms, highlighted that the observed increase in alpha diversity did not correspond to an
increase in the overall diversity of the studied system. Infact, the loss of beta diversity in invaded sites, together with
the spread of species typical of vegetated habitats, may contribute to a homogenization of the Mediterranean coastal system.
Furthermore, a possible role of ecosystem engineer for C. racemosa can be hypothesized. |
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