Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: New Hanover County/NC/Masonboro Sound (2000, Freshwater et al. 2006)
Geographic Extent
New Hanover County/NC/Masonboro Sound (2000, Freshwater et al. 2006); NC/Myrtle Grove Sound (2001, Freshwater et al. 2006)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
| Alternate | Ballast Water |
| Alternate | Fisheries Accidental (not Oyster) |
Regional Impacts
| Economic Impact | Fisheries | |
| In 2000, red algae, later identified as G. vermiculophylla, was found fouling nets for shrimp and fish in Masonboro Sound, North Carolina (Freshwater et al. 2006). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
| In an experiment, large areas (25 m2) of a mudflat were planted with high and low densities of G. vermiculophylla, and compared with control plots. Abundance and diversity of epifauna, sediment stabilization, attenuation of water flow, nursery functions, and a multifunctionality index, all showed a density-dependent relationship with G. vermiculophylla. Ramus et al. (2017) argue that these positive relationships are beneficial, in relation to declining salt marsh and sea-grass habitats (Ramus et al. 2017). | ||