Alien Invasion: the spread of Caulerpa taxifolia in Australian waters

Alien Invasion: the spread of Caulerpa taxifolia in Australian waters The eradication or control of introduced marine pests will represent one of the greatest challenges of this century. Indeed, hundreds of introduced marine species are already present in Australian waters. Marine pests pose such a challenge because by the time they are discovered they are usually well established and almost impossible to remove. Their impacts have been likened to Russian roulette — often the impacts are minor, but occasionally the results are devastating. These issues have been brought into sharp focus by the arrival on our shores of one of the world s most successful marine invaders — Caulerpa taxifolia. This green seaweed belongs to a family of largely tropical marine species. Its spectacular appearance, hardy disposition and profuse growth unfortunately make this species particularly popular with aquarists. An apparent escapee from aquaria at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco has led to the spread of this species across the Mediterranean. It now occurs in five countries and covers an estimated 50,000 hectares of sea floor. Biologists have been battling this Mediterranean invader for almost 20 years without success.