Species Regional Summary
Sargassum muticum
_CDA_P058 (San Pedro Channel Islands) ( P058 )

Invasion History Vectors Impacts References

Invasion

Invasion Description

1st Record: Santa Catalina,San Nicolas, San Clemente Islands/CA/Pacfiic Ocean (1970, Norton 1981, Cohen 2005)

Geographic Extent

Santa Catalina Island/CA/Pacfiic Ocean (1970, Norton 1981, Cohen 2005); Pin Rock, Santa Catalina Island/CA/Pacfiic Ocean (2004, Maloney et al. 2006); Santa Catalina Island/CA/Avalon Harbor (2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catlaina Island/CA/Sotuhern California Bight (Looby and Ginsburg 2021)

Vectors

Level Vector
Alternate Natural Dispersal
Alternate None
Alternate Hull Fouling

Regional Impacts

Ecological ImpactCompetition
Sargassum muticum colonized Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) beds on Bird Rock, off Catalina Island, after a die-off, possibly caused by high water temperatures during El Nino. Shading by Sargassum muticum probably inhibited recolonization by the kelp. After experimental removal, the kelp recolonized the cleared areas (Ambrose and Nelson 1982). Several years later, Giant Kelp did recolonize Bird Rock (Foster & Schiel 1992, cited by Engelen et al. 2015).
 

References

Full Reference List for Sargassum muticum

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