Phenology and ecology of the alien seagrass Halophila stipulacea in its northern range limit in the Mediterranean Sea

Exotic species often face new environmental conditions that are different from those that they are adapted to. The tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea is a Lessepsian migrant that colonized the Mediterranean Sea around 100 years ago, where at present the minimum seawater temperature is cooler than in its native range in the Red Sea. Here, we tested if the temperature range in which H. stipulacea can exist is conserved within the species or if the exotic populations have shifted their thermal breadth and optimum due to the cooler conditions in the Mediterranean. We did so by comparing the thermal niche (e.g. optimal temperatures, and upper and lower thermal limits) of native (Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea) and exotic (Greece and Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea) populations of H. stipulacea . We exposed plants to 12 temperature treatments ranging from 8 to 40°C for 7 days. At the end of the incubation period, we measured survival, rhizome elongation, shoot recruitment, net population growth and metabolic rates. Upper and lower lethal thermal thresholds (indicated by 50% plant mortality) were conserved across populations, but minimum and optimal temperatures for growth and oxygen production were lower for Mediterranean populations than for the Red Sea one. The displacement of the thermal niche of exotic populations towards the colder Mediterranean Sea regime could have occurred within 175 clonal generations.

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In Silico Analysis of Bioactive Peptides in Invasive Sea Grass Halophila stipulacea

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells8060557 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 557 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cagin Kandemir-Cavas ◽

Horacio Pérez-Sanchez ◽

Nazli Mert-Ozupek ◽

Levent Cavas

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

In Silico ◽

Bioactive Peptides ◽

In Silico Analysis ◽

Indigenous Species ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

Sea Grass ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Reported Data

Halophila stipulacea is a well-known invasive marine sea grass in the Mediterranean Sea. Having been introduced into the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Channel, it is considered a Lessepsian migrant. Although, unlike other invasive marine seaweeds, it has not demonstrated serious negative impacts on indigenous species, it does have remarkable invasive properties. The present in-silico study reveals the biotechnological features of H. stipulacea by showing bioactive peptides from its rubisc/o protein. These are features such as antioxidant and hypolipideamic activities, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitions. The reported data open up new applications for such bioactive peptides in the field of pharmacy, medicine and also the food industry.

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Enigmatic Phytomyxid Parasite of the Alien Seagrass Halophila stipulacea: New Insights into Its Ecology, Phylogeny, and Distribution in the Mediterranean Sea

Microbial Ecology ◽

10.1007/s00248-019-01450-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 79 (3) ◽

pp. 631-643 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Viktorie Kolátková ◽

Ivan Čepička ◽

Gaetano Maurizio Gargiulo ◽

Martin Vohník

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

The Mediterranean

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Differences in flowering sex ratios between native and invasive populations of the seagrass Halophila stipulacea

Botanica Marina ◽

10.1515/bot-2018-0015 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 337-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Hung Manh Nguyen ◽

Periklis Kleitou ◽

Demetris Kletou ◽

Yuval Sapir ◽

Gidon Winters

Keyword(s):

Sex Ratio ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Red Sea ◽

Sex Ratios ◽

Dioecious Plants ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Northern Red Sea ◽

Rare Group

Abstract Deviations from the 1:1 sex ratio are common in dioecious plants. The tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea is among an extremely rare group of dioecious plants that are widely recognized as female-biased. Here we report on differences in sex ratios between native (Eilat, northern Red Sea) and invasive (Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea) populations. While H. stipulacea populations were female-biased in their native region, invasive populations were either male- or female-biased. The existence of both sexes simultaneously in the Mediterranean invasive populations might help its ongoing expansion in the Mediterranean, thereby threatening local seagrasses species.

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Seagrass ( Halophila stipulacea ) invasion enhances carbon sequestration in the Mediterranean Sea

Global Change Biology ◽

10.1111/gcb.15589 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Marlene Wesselmann ◽

Nathan R. Geraldi ◽

Carlos M. Duarte ◽

Jordi Garcia‐Orellana ◽

Rubén Díaz‐Rúa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

The Mediterranean

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Review of alien marine macrophytes in Tunisia

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.1366 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 109 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Y. R. SGHAIER ◽

R. ZAKHAMA-SRAIEB ◽

S. MOUELHI ◽

M. VAZQUEZ ◽

C. VALLE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Codium Fragile ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

Marine Macrophytes ◽

The Status ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

First Time ◽

Eleven Species ◽

Asparagopsis Armata

In the present study, the list of alien marine macrophytes introduced into Tunisia was updated in the light of available data and new observations. A total of 27 alien marine macrophytes have been recorded so far from Tunisia: 18 Rhodophyta, 3 Ochrophyta, 5 Chlorophyta and 1 Magnoliophyta. For each species, the locality (-ies), the year (or) period and the source of the first observation in Tunisia are given. The distribution and the status (casual, cryptogenic, established or questionable) of species in Tunisia were evaluated and, where appropriate, discussed. Among them, Hypnea cornuta is reported for the first time from Tunisia. Fourteen alien marine macrophytes are established, whereas seven cryptogenic and two casual species require further investigation. Eleven species are considered as invasive or potentially invasive in the Mediterranean Sea: Acrothamnion preissii, Asparagopsis armata, A. taxiformis Indo-Pacific lineage, Hypnea cornuta, Lophocladia lallemandii, Womersleyella setacea, Caulerpa chemnitzia, C. cylindracea, C. taxifolia, Codium fragile subsp. fragile and Halophila stipulacea. Finally, the case of four questionable species is also discussed.

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Temperature is not a limiting factor for the expansion of Halophila stipulacea throughout the Mediterranean Sea

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps11582 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 544 ◽

pp. 159-167 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

D Georgiou ◽

A Alexandre ◽

J Luis ◽

R Santos

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

The Mediterranean

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Warming Threatens to Propel the Expansion of the Exotic Seagrass Halophila stipulacea

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.759676 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Marlene Wesselmann ◽

Rosa M. Chefaoui ◽

Núria Marbà ◽

Ester A. Serrao ◽

Carlos M. Duarte

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Local Adaptation ◽

Hybrid Model ◽

Red Sea ◽

Hybrid Models ◽

Niche Conservatism ◽

Thermal Limits ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

Rcp 8.5 ◽

The Mediterranean

The spread of exotic species to new areas can be magnified when favored by future climatic conditions. Forecasting future ranges using species distribution models (SDMs) could be improved by considering physiological thresholds, because models solely based on occurrence data cannot account for plasticity due to acclimation of individuals to local conditions over their life-time or to adaptation due to selection within local populations. This is particularly relevant for the exotic seagrass Halophila stipulacea, which colonized the Mediterranean Sea a century ago and shifted its thermal niche, coping with a colder regime. Here, we used two hybrid models combining correlative SDMs with the thermal limits for growth of native and exotic H. stipulacea populations to predict the distribution of the species in its native (Indian Ocean and Red Sea) and exotic ranges (Mediterranean Sea and Caribbean Sea) under two scenarios forecasting limited (RCP 2.6) and severe (RCP 8.5) future climate changes by 2050 and 2100. Then, we assessed the differences between hybrid models based on native Red Sea thermal limits (niche conservatism: 17–36°C) and on exotic Mediterranean thermal limits (local adaptation: 14–36°C). At the Mediterranean exotic range, the local adaptation hybrid model accurately agreed with the present distribution of the species while the niche conservatism-based hybrid model failed to predict 87% of the current occurrences of the species. By contrast, both hybrid models predicted similar species distributions for the native range and exotic Caribbean range at present and projected that H. stipulacea will maintain its current worldwide under all future greenhouse gas emission scenarios. The hybrid model based on Mediterranean thermal limits projected the expansion of H. stipulacea through the western Mediterranean basin (except the gulf of Leon) under the most severe scenario (RCP 8.5) by 2100, increasing its distribution by 50% in the Mediterranean. The future expansion of H. stipulacea is related to its capacity to cope with warm waters and it may become a relevant species in the future, particularly under the projected decline of native Mediterranean seagrasses, resulting in important shifts in seagrass communities and overall ecosystem functions.

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