Invasion
Invasion Description
1st recnt record: Algarve/Portugal/Ria fFormosa, Gulf of Cadiz (2011, Cunha et al. 2013, but historical records, 1805, 1847, 1931, fluctuating range?; Parreira et al. 2021
Geographic Extent
Algarve/Portugal/Ria fFormosa, Gulf of Cadiz (2011, Cunha et al. 2013, and historical records, 1805, 1847, 1931, fluctuating range?; Parreira et al. 2021 ), Isla Cristina, Huelva Province/Spain/Gulf of Cadiz (Cunha et al. 2013)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Natural Dispersal |
| Alternate | Fisheries Accidental (not Oyster) |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Competition | |
| Caulerpa prolifera competes with native seagrasses Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera marina (Parreira et al. 2021), This alga has a high ability to take up nitrogen throuh its stolons and rhizoids, which may help it colonize bare sediment at a faster rate than seagrasses (Alexandre and Santos 2020). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
| Caulerpa prolifera rapidly colonizes soft-bottom habitats in the Ria Formosa Lagoon, reducing the abundance of the gastropod | ||