Invasion of Sargassum muticum in intertidal rockpools: Patterns along the Atlantic Iberian Peninsula

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Cacabelos, E (Author) Other; Olabarria, C (Author) Other; Viejo, RM (Author) Other; M Rubal (Author) FCUP; Veiga, P (Author) Other; Incera, M (Author) Other; Gestoso, I (Author) Other; Vaz Pinto, F (Author) Other; Mejia, A (Author) Other; Engelen, AH (Author) Other; Arenas, F (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Marine Environmental Research

Vol. 90

Pages: 18-26

ISSN: 0141-1136

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 9 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-006-7J4

DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.05.008

Abstract (EN): Spatial patterns of non-indigenous species show scale-dependent properties. Sargassum muticum is an invasive macroalga widely distributed along the Atlantic Iberian Peninsula. Despite being quite abundant from Norway to South Portugal, there is little information about its patterns of distribution, particularly at a large spatial scale (i.e. thousands of kilometres). Here, we examined the spatial variation in the invasion success of S. muticum from rockpools at multiple spatial scales using a hierarchical design. In addition, we analysed how the richness of native assemblages was related to its invasion success and how this relationship changed over different scales. Most of the variation in the invasion success was found at the smallest scales of pool and plot. Furthermore, the invasibility of native macroalgal assemblages was related to the native species richness, but causes that determined invasion success could not be separated from the effects provoked by the invader. Results suggest that small-scale (centimetres to metres) processes contribute considerably to the heterogeneity of S. muticum invasion success.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9