Invasion
Invasion Description
1st record: Isles of Shoals/ME-NH/Gulf of Maine (1987, Berman et al. 1993; Harris and Tyrell 2001)
Geographic Extent
Yarmouth/Nova Scotia/Gulf of Maine (2008, Lacoursiere-Roussel et al. 2016); Castine, Hancock County/ME/Castine Harbor, Penobscot Bay (1998, Whitlatch and Osman 2000); Belfast, Waldo County/ME/Belfast Bay, Penobscot Bay (1998, Whitlatch and Osman 2000); Wayfarer Marina, Rockland/ME/Penobscot Bay (2007, MIT Sea Grant 2008); ME/Damariscotta Estuary (1992, Lambert et al. 1992); Maine Department of Marine Resources Docks, Boothbay Harbor/ME/Boothbay Harbor (2007, MIT Sea Grant 2008); Bailey Island/ME/Casco Bay (2004, Pratt and Grason 2007); Spring Point Marina, South Portland/ME/Casco Bay (2010, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 2013);; Cape Porpoise/ME/Saco Bay (1998, Whitlatch and Osman 2000); Cashes Ledge/ME/Gulf of Maine (1992, Lambert et al. 1992, 42.9 : -68.9333333333); Cape Neddick (York)/ME/Outer Gulf of Maine (1987, Berman et al. 1992; Lambert et al. 1992); ME/York Harbor (1998, Whitlatch and Osman 2000); Near Fox Pt./NH/Great Bay Estuary (1989, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program 2008); Badgers Island Marina, Portsmouth/NH/Great Bay (2001, Ruiz et al. unpublished data); Coast Guard Pier, Portsmouth/NH/Great Bay (2001, Ruiz et al. unpublished data); Great Cove Boat Club, Portsmouth/NH/Great Bay; NH/Great Bay (2001, Ruiz et al. unpublished data); Main Marina Shipyard, Sounding Pier, Portsmouth/NH/Great Bay (2001, Ruiz et al. unpublished data); Port Authority, Portsmouth/NH/Great Bay; NH/Great Bay (2001, Ruiz et al. unpublished data); Wentworth Marina, Portsmouth/NH/Great Bay (2006, Harris and Dijkstra 2008); Coastal Marine Lab, Portsmouth/NH/Great Bay (2006, Harris and Dijkstra 2008); Great Bay Marina, Newington/NH/Great Bay (2006, Harris and Dijkstra 2008); Isles of Shoals/ME-NH/Gulf of Maine (1987, Berman et al. 1993); Hampton River Marina/State Pier, Hampton/NH/Hampton Harbor (2007, MIT Sea Grant 2008); Gloucester/MA/Massachusetts Bay (2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003); Gloucester/MA/Massachusetts Bay (2010, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 2013); Hawthorne Cove Marina, Salem/MA/Salem Harbor, Massachusetts Bay (2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003; 2010, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 2013); Boston Harbor Islands/MA/Boston Harbor (Bell et al. 2005; 2012, Eddy and Romna 2016); Rowes Wharf, Boston/MA/Boston Harbor (2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003; 2010, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 2013); Quincy/MA/Boston Harbor (2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003); Plymouth/MA/Cape Cod Bay (1998, Whitlach and Osman 2000; 2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003); Sandwich/MA/Cape Cod Canal (2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003; 2010, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 2013)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Ballast Water |
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Competition | |
| On the Isles of Shoals (NH-ME) Membranipora membranacea consistently overgrows the bryozoan Electra pilosa and the hydroid Obelia geniculata on kelp fronds, and is rarely overgrown by other epiphytes (Berman et al. 1992). At Cape Neddick, Membranipora membranacea covered extensive areas (22-52%) of the area of kelp (Laminaria saccharum = Saccharina latissima) fronds, potentially decreasing growth and photosynthesis. The bryozoan also largely replaced other kelp epibionts (Lambert et al. 1992). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
| Kelps overgrown by M. membranacea are more vulnerable to breaking and tearing during storm surges (Berman et al. 1992). Fouling by Membranipora membranacea killed kelps (Saccharina and Laminaria spp.) in the Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts, and Cape Neddick, Maine (Lambert et al. 1992). Decreases in the abundance of large kelps (Laminaria spp.) at the Isles of Shoals have contributed to increases in other seaweeds (Agarum clathratum, Desmarestia aculeata, and the introduced Codium fragile fragile), which suffer less damage from colonization by M. membranipora (Harris and Tyrell 2001). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Food/Prey | |
| Membranipora membranacea provides an additional food resource for the nudibranch Onchidoris muricata, possibly allowing it to reproduce earlier in the season (Pratt and Grason 2007; Lambert et al. 2016). | ||