Rm. Viejo et al., AN EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF WAVE ACTION ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF SARGASSUM-MUTICUM IN NORTHERN SPAIN, Botanica marina, 38(5), 1995, pp. 437-441
The invasive brown seaweed Sargassum muticum was first recorded in nor
thern Spain in the 1980's. The species is now patchily distributed in
localities that differ in wave-exposure and is most abundant in shelte
red areas. A transplant experiment was done on a local scale to test t
he ability of S. muticum to persist and grow on wave-exposed shores. O
ne month after transplantation, plants moved to exposed areas suffered
a high percentage of breakages (>80%). When only plants without damag
e were considered, those transplanted to exposed areas exhibited a mea
n elongation rate significantly less than those on the sheltered shore
. The lower rate of elongation in the absence of any apparent injury s
uggests a grade of phenotypic response of S. muticum to changes in the
physical conditions. Nevertheless, the low tolerance exhibited by thi
s species to mechanical stress indicates that its distribution may be
limited by physical conditions in wave-exposed environments.