Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 15.1
Control methods tested to eradicate invasive
Caulerpa taxifolia
Method
Location
Success?
Manual harvest
Mediterranean,
Australia
Not successful due to fragmentation, costs
Suction pumps
Mediterranean,
Australia
Not successful due to fragmentation, residual attached
biomass
Opaque tarpaulins
USA
Successful when combined with liquid chlorine (tarpau-
lins not tested alone in USA)
Mediterranean
Not successful due to damage to tarps
Australia
Not successful due to damage to tarps, cost for labor,
nontarget mortality
Altering salinity
Australia
Successful
Liquid chlorine
USA
Successful
Copper
Mediterranean,
USA
Not successful with short exposures as 100% mortality
not achieved
Hydrogen peroxide
Mediterranean
Not successful with short exposures as 100% mortality
not achieved
Aquatic herbicides
USA
Not successful with short exposures as 100% mortality
not achieved
Coarse sea salt
Australia
Successful
Dry ice
Mediterranean
Not successful as 100% mortality not achieved
Heated water
Mediterranean
Not successful as 100% mortality not achieved
Ultrasound
Mediterranean
Not successful as 100% mortality not achieved
Biological control
Mediterranean
Not successful due to limited numbers of native her-
bivores and government restrictions on nonnative
herbivores
the biology of most invasive species, and (5) uncertainty about control outcomes. With
any marine invasive, it obviously is best to attempt eradication with a small infestation
using methods that have limited ecosystem impacts. The ability of
C. taxifolia
to grow
successfully from very small fragments has hampered many control efforts, but there
have been some success stories. Some were based on well-planned experimental
manipulations, while others were shotgun approaches. A variety of tested control
methods and the reported effectiveness of each are described later and in Table 15.1.
Mangers must remember that all relevant biotic and abiotic variables at the infestation
site need to be considered when deciding on an eradication plan.
15.5.1
Manual Harvesting and Suction Pumps
In Mediterranean waters, harvesting by hand or with suction pumps was one of the
first eradication methods attempted. Unfortunately, all attempts were unsuccessful
because of
C. taxifolia's
ability to propagate clonally from small fragments missed
by divers and because any residual attached biomass regrew (Meinesz et al. 1993;
Rierra et al. 1994). Zuljevic and Meinesz (2002) described later efforts to use suction
