Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Honolulu, Oahu/HI/Honolulu Harbor (1974, Rodgers 1999)
Geographic Extent
Honolulu, Oahu/HI/Honolulu Harbor (1974, Rodgers 1999); Moku 0 Lo'e, Oahu/HI/Kane'ohe Bay (1974, Rodgers 1999); Coconut Island, Oahu/HI/Kane'ohe Bay (1975, Carlton and Eldredge 2009); Oahu/HI/Kane'ohe Bay (1974, Rodgers 1999, common to abundant on patch reefs, also ocurring in variable abundance on fringing reefs (Smith 2002; Bahr et al. 2015).
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Probable | Fisheries Accidental (not Oyster) |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Competition | |
| In Kane'ohe Bay, 'In some areas this organism is clearly competitively dominant, occupying up to 80% of the substrate. Because of its large stature, Kappaphycus also appears to be competing with coral and may be able to overgrow live coral colonies.' (Smith et al. 2002). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Food/Prey | |
| Kappaphycus spp. is a less preferred item for herbivorus fishes in Kane'ohe Bay, which may contribute to its competitiveness. However, it is preferentially grazed by native sea urchins, providing a possible means of biocontrol (Conklin and Smith 2005). | ||