Invasive seaweed enhances recruitment of a native bivalve: roles of refuge from predation and the habitat choice of recruits

Abstract

invasive species may have a range of negative effects on native species in the region invaded. The invasive green alga Cauperla taxifolia has invaded several temperate regions world-wide and now occurs in 9 estuaries in temperate eastern Australia. Despite the threat posed by C. taxifolia, virtually nothing is known of its effects on native estuarine infauna. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and abundance, habitat choice and predation of recruits (post-set juveniles) of the native Sydney cockle Anadara trapezia at 2 sites invaded by C. taxifolia in Lake Conjola, NSW, Australia.