Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: GA/Wassaw Sound (2009, Byers et al. 2012, 4 sites, 31.9260 , 80.9806 to 31.9633 , 1.0140 )
Geographic Extent
GA/Wassaw Sound (2009, Byers et al. 2012, 4 sites, 31.9260 , 80.9806 to 31.9633 , 1.0140 ); Priests Landing, Skidaway Island/GA/Wassaw Sound (Bishop and Byers 2015, 31 ° 96 ? 29 ? N, 81 ° 01 ? 33 ? W).
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
| Alternate | Natural Dispersal |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
| Agarophyton vermiculophyllum created extensive seaweed habitat in Charleston Harbor, Hilton Head, and Wassaw Sound, by attaching to tubes of the polychaete Diopatra cuprea, providing habitat for invertebrate fauna, especially amphipods and snails (Byers et al. 2012). Agarophyton vermiculophyllum also provides a refuge from predation for the mud crab Panopeus herbstii, hiding from Blue Crabs Callinectes sapidus, although this was intermediate in value, compared to Eastern Oyster reefs (Bishop and Byers 2015). e in habitat value, compared to Eastern Oyster reefs (Bishop and Byers 2015). In mudflats in Georgia, the presence of G. vermiculophylla was associated with increased abundnace of benthic invertebrates, and shore birds, but bird responses were species-specific. In experimental setups on a smaller scale,, most species preferred to forage in bare mud, or showed no preference (Haram et al. 2018). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Food/Prey | |
| Agarophyton vermiculophyllum increased seaweed biomass in Charleston Harbor, Hilton Head, and the Savannah River Delta, and rapidly decayed, providing a potential food source for invertebrates and microbes in the mudflats (Byers et al. 2012). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Trophic Cascade | |
| The presence of Agarophyton vermiculophyllum has had effects on the intnesity of predation by carnivorous species on invertebrates in mudflats, bot by attracting prey, and also intering with some predators. Agarophyton vermiculophyllum also provides a predation refuge for the mud crab Panopeus herbstii, hiding from Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus), although this was intermediate in habitat value, compared to Eastern Oyster reefs (Bishop and Byers 2015). In mudflats in Georgia, the presence of G. vermiculophylla was associated with increased abundnace of benthic invertebrates, and shore birds, but bird responses were species-specific. In experimental setups on a smaller scale, most species preferred to forage in bare mud, or showed no preference (Haram et al. 2018). | ||