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Invasive Algae

Invasive Algae. Coral Reef Degradation. Problems. Competes for crevices housing wildlife, can cover and shadow out corals. Uses nitrogen provided by coral to reproduce. Growth at 10% increase over coral in last year. All these lead to the degradation of coral reef and their ecosystems.

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Invasive Algae

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  1. Invasive Algae Coral Reef Degradation

  2. Problems • Competes for crevices housing wildlife, can cover and shadow out corals. • Uses nitrogen provided by coral to reproduce. • Growth at 10% increase over coral in last year. • All these lead to the degradation of coral reef and their ecosystems

  3. The algae • Kappaphycus alvarezii • Gracilaria salicornia • Caulerpa brachypus

  4. Kappaphycus alvareziiHawaii • Red algae • Extremely high growth rates, doubling in 15-30 days • Branches usually irregularly arranged, 3 - 18 cm long • Dominating the changing marine ecology

  5. Gracilaria salicorniaHawaii • Red algae • Intertidal to subtidal 4 meters deep, attached to limestone and basalt substrates • Introduced to Kane‘ohe Bay and Waikiki in the 1970’s • Propagate sexually as well as asexually

  6. Caulerpa brachypusPacific (Florida) • Green algae (dark to light green in color) • Branches, feather-like, flattened, and upright, 3 - 10 cm high • Small patches grow in sandy areas of tidepools and reef flats • Has been designated a U.S. Federal Noxious Weed and currently prohibited in the U.S

  7. Current Projects • Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (CRAMP) • Founded in 1998 in Hawaii to monitor long-term changes in coral reef benthic communities.

  8. The End

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