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Introduction Since 1984, the introduced invasive circumtropical alga Caulerpa taxifolia (Vahl) C. Agardh (Ulvophyceae, Caulerpales) has been changing the appearance of the infralittoral zone in the North-Western Mediterranean (Meinesz and Hesse 1991, Boudouresque et al. 1992, Meinesz et al. 1993b). The estimated total occupied area rapidly increased: 30 ha in 1991, 430 ha in 1992 and, at different degrees of coverage, 1300 ha by late 1993 (Meinesz et al 1993 a and b, Vaugelas et al. 1994). Various features of this alga are worrying: (i) in the Mediterranean, it is much larger and more tolerant than in tropical seas; (ii) C. taxifolia meadows are very dense at depths between 1 and 15-20m; (iii) most substrate types can be colonized including seagrass beds; (iv) once established, C. taxifolia persists throughout the year; (v) it possesses a high capacity for vegetative spread, (vi) finally, it synthesizes several bioactive substances known for their role in defensive mechanisms against the other organisms (Boudouresque et al. 1992, Guerriero et al. 1992). In 1992, an international research programme was launched to investigate this introduction. As part of this programme, we have studied the impact of C. taxifolia on the Mediterranean benthic communities. The present
Botanica Marina – de Gruyter
Published: Jan 1, 1995
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