Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae
Published on: July 10, 2015
Limited impact of Sargassum muticum on native algal assemblages from rocky intertidal shores
Celia Olabarria1, Iván F Rodil, Mónica Incera
1Departamento de Ecología y Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain. colabarria@uvigo.es
Abstract:
Invasive species represent a serious threat to natural ecosystems through a range of negative effects on native species in the region invaded. The invasive species Sargassum muticum has invaded several temperate regions worldwide including the Galician rocky shoreline (northwestern Spain) in Western Europe. The main aim of this study was to assess if colonization by S. muticum has any effect on native algal assemblages by experimental removal of S. muticum. We predicted that in those plots where S. muticum plants were removed, the structure of native algal assemblages would differ from that in plots where S. muticum plants were untouched. In addition, we predicted that the effect of Sargassum removal would be more important than other causes of variability at the small scale investigated. Results indicated limited impact of S. muticum on native assemblages. The impact was only evident on the total number of native taxa and two understory morpho-functional groups, filamentous and foliose algae, rather than on the entire macroalgal assemblages.
Related Concept Videos
Other Algae
Red Algae
Marine Microbial Ecology
Overview of Algae
Green Algae
Diversity of Protists III
