Rapidly spreading seagrass invades the Caribbean with unknown ecological consequences

Caroline S. Rogers; Demian A Willette; Jeff Miller

doi:10.1890/14.wb.016

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Rapidly spreading seagrass invades the Caribbean with unknown ecological consequences

Caroline S. Rogers·Demian A Willette·Jeff Miller

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Abstract

The non-native seagrass Halophila stipulacea has spread rapidly throughout the Caribbean Sea (Willette et al. 2014); without additional research, the ecological ramifications of this invasion are difficult to predict. Biodiversity, connectivity of marine ecosystems, and recovery of degraded coral reefs could all be affected. The invasive seagrass, native to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, has taken over sand bottoms and intermixed with or replaced native seagrasses, including Thalassia testudinum, Syringodium filiforme, and Halodule wrightii .

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Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 8.754794702435618° to 22.187404991398775° latitude; -87.890625° to -61.69921875° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Caroline S. Rogers, Demian A Willette, Jeff Miller. 2014. Rapidly spreading seagrass invades the Caribbean with unknown ecological consequences. https://doi.org/10.1890/14.wb.016

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