Examining the movements of vessels between locations helped to predict where an invasive seaweed spread, researchers led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) have revealed.Invasive Caulerpa species (Caulerpa brachypus and
Examining the movements of vessels between locations helped to predict where an invasive seaweed spread, researchers led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) have revealed.
Invasive Caulerpa species (Caulerpa brachypus and Caulerpa parvifolia) are a major concern in New Zealand’s coastal areas, spreading rapidly via boat gear or anchor entanglement, and causing long lasting ecological and economic damage.
Documented in two research papers, scientists created tools to map how vessel movements connect different parts of the coast, then applied that framework to the spread of Caulerpa.
By analyzing the vessel networks, they identified:
• High-risk locations that should be prioritized for surveillance and early detection.
• The most likely routes for Caulerpa to spread from sites where it was already present.
• How widely Caulerpa could spread across New Zealand in a worst-case scenario.
Lead author and Perth-based AIMS experimental scientist Cal Faubel said the Caulerpa movement predictions provided valuable insight at a critical time.
“During the course of this research, Caulerpa was detected in Northland, north of Auckland, giving us the opportunity to test and apply the vessel network approach in a real-world setting,” said Faubel.
“The findings helped inform where surveillance efforts would be most effective
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