An investigation of dispersal of the introduced brown alga Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar and its competition with some species on the man-made structures of Torquay Marina (Devon, UK)

As part of a study into the ecology of the recently introduced macroalga Undaria pinnatifida in the British Isles, the competitive ability of this adventive kelp with native species was investigated in Torquay Marina (Devon, UK). Sites of introduction were surveyed for the presence of native species filling a similar ecological niche and long-term competition experiments set up over 6 years. Experiments involving clearance, removal and monitoring showed that Undaria has a low competitive ability in the infralittoral and sublittoral of a rocky breakwater. Undaria did not manage to colonise the nearby (200 m) shoreline for at least 7 years from the date of its original introduction to the floating pontoons of Torquay Marina. Undaria did out-compete native species in a marina environment: two kelp species, Laminaria digitata and Laminaria saccharina, and a sea squirt, Styela clava.