“Project CERO” was named after the central aspects of my study: Complexity and Epifauna of Rugulopteryx okamurae.

R. okamurae is a type of brown algae, originally from Japan, that was most likely introduced with aquaculture to the Mediterranean (France) in 2002. Since then, it has expanded its range to Spain and Morocco and is further expanding. This type of algae is considered to be a very aggressive invasive species and leads to changes in native algal communities, displacing other species. To learn about possible ecological impacts of this algal invasion on local ecosystems in Gibraltar and further to investigate the role of habitat complexity in the process I studied the epifaunal macroinverterates and the structural complexity of R. okamurae at two sites in Gibraltar. I am further looking to investigate two hypotheses:

1. Different levels of exposure to wave action and currents at the different sample locations result in different degrees of structural complexity of the algae. Complexity is expected to decrease with increasing exposure.

2. The level of complexity influences the associated epifaunal assemblages. It is assumed that higher complexity results in a more diverse invertebrate assemblage.

To learn about gaps in knowledge and further need and areas of research a review of the current body of scientific literature on the topic is carried out.

One part of the project was scientific reading and critical reviewing of literature which is a crucial skill for researchers. Another part was to design a feasible study and carry out the fieldwork. This involved practical skills like organising the necessary equipment, scheduling and time management involving several people and taking and organising the samples. The subsequent work in the lab included the development of protocols to make the processes more efficient. The identification of groups and organisms involved improvement of taxonomic knowledge and fine motor skills. Organising and analysing the derived data helped me to improve my IT-skills, working with different software like Excel, ImageJ, PRIMER7, R statistics and SPSS.

Evaluating fauna within Rugulopteryx.

Everyone should be concerned about the health and resilience of marine ecosystems, as we all directly or indirectly depend on them. Invasive species can have strong negative impacts on native communities and can induce rapid changes impacting fisheries, the aesthetic value of recreational areas, human health (harmful algae blooms that result in deposition and decomposition of algae on beaches and the release of potentially harmful compounds into the environment). Citizens can also help in detecting the arrival of new invasive species and help inform local authorities to imply further measures to effectively manage the situation. Therefore, it is important, that the public is aware of the issue and their own potential to help reduce the risk of invasion by other species in the future.

Invasive species are of great concern in conservation as many have the potential to displace native species and hence reduce biodiversity and cause a homogenisation of flora and fauna. While it is unlikely to be possible to eradicate R. okamurae, understanding ecological impacts of the algae on associated fauna can help to find management strategies for future invasives. Further, it adds to the body of knowledge about habitat complexity, an intuitive yet hard to quantify concept in nature, and its significance in structuring epifaunal assemblages.

Example of Rugulopteryx okamurae.