1. Invasive species and how to control them
The hybrid form of Caulerpa taxifolia was most likely produced as a result of the tropical
form having been captively bred for a number of years by the Saltwater Aquarium at the
Wilhelmina Zoo in Stuttgart Germany. They were trying to identify a hearty breed of
seaweed that could be used commercially in saltwater aquariums that was also very
attractive to the eye with a form and color that would make a beautiful backdrop for exotic
fish. After having been exposed to tank chemicals and ultraviolet lights over the course of
several years, it is believed that, unbeknownst to the staff at the time, these abiotic stressors
created the current mutant form of Caulerpataxifolia. Samples were sent to various
institutions, including the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, where it was probably leaked
into the environment. A marine biologist, Alexandre Meinsz, first discovered it under the
windows of that Museum when it was first found in the sea as a small patch of about a
square meter. It spread to cover more than 2.5 acres in less than five years and by 1997 it
covered more than 11,000 acres along the coast of the Mediterranean, reaching North
Africa.
