Competition between the invasive macrophyte Caulerpa taxifolia and the seagrass Posidonia oceanica: contrasting strategies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plant defense strategy is usually a result of trade-offs between growth and differentiation (i.e. Optimal Defense Theory--ODT, Growth Differentiation Balance hypothesis--GDB, Plant Apparency Theory--PAT). Interaction between the introduced green alga Caulerpa taxifolia and the endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean Sea offers the opportunity to investigate the plausibility of these theories. We have accordingly investigated defense metabolite content and growth year-round, on the basis of an interaction gradient.

Results

When in competition with P. oceanica, C. taxifolia exhibits increased frond length and decreased Caulerpenyne--CYN content (major terpene compound). In contrast, the length of P. oceanica leaves decreases when in competition with

SUBMITTER: Pergent G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2621152 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature