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Depth-gradient biometrics of the invasive seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia spreading northward along the Turkish Aegean coast

Year 2025, Volume: 42 Issue: 2, 158 - 172, 15.06.2025

Erhan Mutlu , Barış Akçalı , Yaşar Özvarol , Zeynep Zabun , Zeynep Narlı , Berivan Elif Aslan

Abstract

The presence of the invasive green alga Caulerpa taxifolia has been documented in the Turkish Aegean Sea, prompting a comprehensive investigation into its depth biometry and ecological interactions. This study sought to assess the distribution, density, and morphological characteristics of C. taxifolia at four distinct depths (10, 15, 20, and 30 m) in Dikili Bay, İzmir, during the summer of 2024. A total of 321 sampling stations were surveyed, and C. taxifolia specimens were identified at four locations. Sampling was performed by SCUBA divers using a 0.4 x 0.4 m quadrat. Biometric measurements included shoot density, stolon length, frond length, and number of pinnae per frond. Environmental parameters such as temperature, salinity, pH, and light intensity were simultaneously recorded to evaluate their influence on algal growth. The internodal distance (frond) on stolon exhibited a range from 18.4 mm at the 15-m depth to 38.4 mm at the 30-m depth. The maximum shoot density (1397 shoots/m2) was recorded at the deepest sampling depth. The minimum density of 343 shoots/m2 was observed at 15 m. The number of fronds (shoots) per stolon showed a gradual decrease with depth up to 20 m. The length of the stolons ranged from 178 mm to 355 mm, with the shortest stolon occurring in the shallowest water, followed by a gradual increase with increasing bottom depth. Frond length exhibited a range from 49.9 mm at 10 m to 87 mm at 20 m, followed by 71 mm at 30 m. Frond width remained within a narrow range of 0.855 cm to 1.1139 cm across the bottom depth. The widest frond was observed at 30 m, while the narrowest frond was recorded at 10 m. A total of 35% of the specimens examined at 10 m were found to be budded, 12% at 15 m, and 7% at 20 m, and 20% at 30 m. The number of branchlets ranged from 6-18 to 156-210, with an average of 76 to 94 and 10-12 per 1 cm frond length.

Keywords

Caulerpa taxifolia invasive species biometric depth distribution Turkish Aegean Sea

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that all applicable guidelines for sampling, care, and experimental use of animals in the study have been followed.

Supporting Institution

Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), project number 124Y031.

Project Number

124Y031

Thanks

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) for providing financial support through project number 124Y031. The authors also wish to acknowledge the dedicated efforts and support provided by the crew of the R/V Akdeniz Su during this project.

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Türkiye Ege kıyılarında kuzeye doğru yayılan istilacı deniz yosunu Caulerpa taxifolia'nın derinlik-meyilli biyometrisi

Year 2025, Volume: 42 Issue: 2, 158 - 172, 15.06.2025

Erhan Mutlu , Barış Akçalı , Yaşar Özvarol , Zeynep Zabun , Zeynep Narlı , Berivan Elif Aslan

Abstract

İstilacı yeşil alg Caulerpa taxifolia'nın varlığı Türkiye Ege Denizi'nde belgelenmiş olup, bu durum derinlik biyometrisi ve ekolojik etkileşimleri hakkında kapsamlı bir araştırma yapılmasını sağlamıştır. Bu çalışma, 2024 yazında İzmir, Dikili Körfezi'nde dört farklı derinlikte (10, 15, 20 ve 30 m) C. taxifolia'nın dağılımını, yoğunluğunu ve morfolojik özelliklerini değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Toplam 321 örnekleme istasyonu araştırılmış ve C. taxifolia örnekleri dört lokasyonda tanımlanmıştır. Örnekleme, 0,4 x 0,4 m'lik bir kuadrat kullanılarak SCUBA dalgıçları tarafından gerçekleştirilmiştir. Biyometrik ölçümler sürgün yoğunluğu, stolon uzunluğu, yaprak uzunluğu ve yaprak başına pinna sayısını içermiştir. Sıcaklık, tuzluluk, pH ve ışık yoğunluğu gibi çevresel parametreler, alg büyümesi üzerindeki etkilerini değerlendirmek için eş zamanlı olarak kaydedilmiştir. Stolon üzerindeki sürgün arası mesafe (frond) 15 m derinlikte 18,4 mm'den 30 m derinlikte 38,4 mm'ye kadar bir aralık gösterdi. Maksimum sürgün yoğunluğu (1397 sürgün/m2) en derin örnekleme derinliğinde kaydedildi. Minimum yoğunluk 343 sürgün/m2 olarak 15 m'de gözlendi. Stolon başına düşen frond (sürgün) sayısı, 20 m'ye kadar derinlikle kademeli bir azalma gösterdi. Stolonların uzunluğu 178 mm ile 355 mm arasında değişti; en kısa stolon en sığ suda meydana geldi, ardından artan dip derinliğiyle kademeli bir artış izledi. Frond uzunluğu 10 m'de 49,9 mm'den 20 m'de 87 mm'ye kadar bir aralık gösterdi, ardından 30 m'de 71 mm oldu. Frond genişliği dip derinliği boyunca 0,855 cm ile 1,1139 cm arasında dar bir aralıkta kalmıştır. En geniş frond 30 m'de gözlenirken, en dar frond 10 m'de kaydedilmiştir. 10 m'de incelenen örneklerin toplam %35'inin tomurcuklu, %12'sinin 15 m'de, %7'sinin 20 m'de ve %20'sinin 30 m'de olduğu bulunmuştur. Pinna sayısı 6-18 ile 156-210 arasında değişmiş olup, ortalama 76 ila 94 ve 1 cm'lik frond uzunluğu başına 10-12 pinna bulunmaktadır.

Keywords

Caulerpa taxifolia istilacı türler biyometrik derinlik dağılımı Türk Ege Denizi

Project Number

124Y031

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There are 63 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Hydrobiology, Aquaculture and Fisheries (Other)
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Erhan Mutlu 0000-0002-6825-3587

Barış Akçalı 0000-0002-7341-0196

Yaşar Özvarol 0000-0002-8308-1189

Zeynep Zabun 0009-0008-2786-4729

Zeynep Narlı 0009-0009-1764-8587

Berivan Elif Aslan 0000-0002-6248-8553

Project Number 124Y031
Early Pub Date June 14, 2025
Publication Date June 15, 2025
Submission Date May 15, 2025
Acceptance Date June 2, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025Volume: 42 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Mutlu, E., Akçalı, B., Özvarol, Y., Zabun, Z., et al. (2025). Depth-gradient biometrics of the invasive seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia spreading northward along the Turkish Aegean coast. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 42(2), 158-172.