Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Larval Settlement Preference Of A Native Bivalve: The Influence Of An Invasive Alga Versus Native Substrata, Paul E. Gribben, Jeffrey T. Wright, Wayne A. O'Connor, Peter Steinberg

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Recruitment patterns of marine invertebrates are strongly influenced by the habitat preference of larvae as larvae can choose to settle (or not) in response to positive or negative cues. High abundances of recruits of the native infaunal bivalve Anadara trapezia occur in the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia compared to native habitats. Using controlled laboratory experiments, A. trapezia larval habitat preference was investigated through exposure to available native (adult A. trapezia, Zostera capricorni and sediment from unvegetated areas) and invasive (C. taxifolia and sediments from C. taxifolia) substrata that co-occur in estuaries invaded by C. taxifolia in New South Wales, Australia. …