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- Title
Deterioration of Sediment Quality in Seagrass Meadows (Posidonia ocean ica) Invaded by Macroalgae (Caulerpa sp.).
- Authors
Holmer, Marianne; Marbà, Núria; Lamote, Morgane; Duarte, Carlos M.
- Abstract
Species of the macroalgae Caulerpa sp. are increasingly being observed in meadows of the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica, and in particular Caulerpa taxifoIia, has been considered as an invasive species leading to seagrass decline. Studies have so far failed to reveal the underlying mechanisms of the success of the macroalgae, and here, we examine how biogeochemical changes of the environment associated to indigenous (Caulerpa prolifera) and non-indigenous (Caulerpa race-mosa and C. taxijblia) species affect the habitat of P oceanica. Two of the species (C. prolifera and C. race- mosa) affect the sediment biogeochemical conditions by increasing organic matter pools, microbial activity, and sulfide pools of the sediments, and limited effects were found for C. taxifolia. Biomass of the macroalgae contributed to the extent of impacts, and high sulfide invasion into the seagrasses and regression of the meadow were pronounced at the location with the highest Caulerpa biomass. This suggests that Caulerpa invasion contributes to seagrass decline probably because Caulerpa thrives better than the seagrasses in the modified environment.
- Subjects
MARINE sediments; POSIDONIA oceanica; SEAGRASSES; ORGANIC compounds; CAULERPA taxifolia
- Publication
Estuaries & Coasts, 2009, Vol 32, Issue 3, p456
- ISSN
1559-2723
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s12237-009-9133-4