Factors promoting marine invasions: a chemoecological approach

The Mediterranean Sea is losing its biological distinctiveness, and the same phenomenon is occurring in other seas. It gives urgency to a better understanding of the factors that affect marine biological invasions. A chemoecological approach is proposed here to define biotic conditions that promote biological invasions in terms of enemy escape and resource opportunities. Research has focused on the secondary metabolite composition of three exotic sea slugs found in Greece that have most probably entered the Mediterranean basin by Lessepsian migration, an exchange that contributes significantly to Mediterranean biodiversity. We have found toxic compounds with significant activity as feeding deterrents both in the cephalaspidean Haminoea cyanomarginata and in the nudibranch Melibe viridis. These findings led us to propose aposematism in the former and dietary autonomy in producing defensive metabolites in the latter case, as predisposing factors to the migration. In the third mollusk investigated, the anaspidean Syphonota geographica, the topic of marine invasions has been approached through a study of its feeding biology. The identification of the same compounds from both the viscera of each individual, separately analyzed, and their food, the seagrass Halophila stipulacea, implies a dietary dependency. The survival of S. geographica in the Mediterranean seems to be related to the presence of H. stipulacea. The initial invasion of this exotic pest would seem to have paved the way for the subsequent invasion of a trophic specialist that takes advantage of niche opportunities.