Date of the first record

The date of the first documented record of the species occurrence in a country/country region.
Date fields usage example:

Date to be specifiedDate FromDate To
Exact 198519851985
18th century17011800
before 1700 1700
after 20012001 

Environmental position

Environment(s) occupied by a species throughout its life cycle.

OPTIONS:

Biofouling. Assemblage of organisms on wetted artificial substrates.

Commensal. An organism in a symbiotic relationship, in which one benefits while the other is not adversely affected.

Demersal. Synonyms: hyperbenthic, benthopelagic, nektobenthic. An organism living at, in or near the bottom of the sea, but having the ability to swim.

Ectoparasite. A parasite living on the surface of its host.

Endoparasite. A parasite living within the organs or tissues of its host.

Epifaunal. Synonym: epibenthic. An animal inhabiting the surface of the seabed, submerged plants and animals.

Epilithic. An organism living on the surface of rock or other hard inorganic substrata.

Epiphytic. An organism living on the surface of a plant, non-parasitic.

Epizoic. An organism living on the surface of an animal, non-parasitic.

Infaunal. Synonym: endobenthic. An animal living within the seabed sediments.

Interstitial. An organism (< 1 mm) living in the spaces between sediment particles.

Lithotomous. An organism burrowing into rock.

Neustonic. An organism living on (epineuston) or under (hyponeuston) the surface film of water bodies.

Pelagic. An organism inhabiting the water column.

Pleustonic. An organism inhabiting the water surface due to their own buoyancy, normally positioned partly in the water and partly in the air.

Habitat type

Estuary. River mouth, transition zone between riverine and marine environments, subject to influences from both.

Lagoon. Shallow, enclosed water body separated from the sea by barrier islands, narrow spit or reefs.

Offshore. Areas located at least 50 nautical miles from the shore.

Open coast. A coast not sheltered from the sea.

Strait/Sound. Channels between the mainland and an island or between two islands which are open at both ends to the open coast (it does not refer to similar features or narrows within marine inlets).

Sheltered coastal area. Coastal area partly surrounded by land (e.g., bay, inlet, fjord).

Ports. A location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbours where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land.

Port vicinity. The area near a port where ballast water operations may occur, including areas where vessels may conduct ballast water discharge or uptake operations when approaching a port or leaving it, e.g., port approaches, anchorage areas and designated ballast water exchange areas. The dimension is port specific.

Marina. A specially designed harbour for pleasure craft and small boats.

Aquaculture sites. Areas set out for the purpose of farming aquatic organisms.

Marine Protected Area (MPA). Defined marine area where natural resources are given greater protection than the surrounding waters. Different categories exist depending on the level of protection afforded by legislation.

Migration pattern

Diurnal. Movements between alternative habitats over day and night, e.g. vertical migration.

Life-time. One time migration between different habitats during the life cycle, e.g. anadromus migration.

Not relevant. No evidence of any life history cycle stages to migrate.

Seasonal. Movements between alternative habitats during a specific time of a year (e.g., spawning and feeding migrations).

Pathway / Vector

Pathway

A pathway is the route a NIS takes to enter or spread through a non-native ecosystem e.g. vessels. Each pathway may have a number of vectors.

Vector

A vector is a transfer mechanism and is the physical means by which species are transported from one geographic region to another. More than one vector within a pathway may be involved in a transfer of species.

Pathways and vectors included:
PathwayVector
Aquarium tradeIntentional organism release
Transported water
Waste discharge
Culture activitiesAquaculture equipment
Associated water & packaging material
Intercontinental stock movement
Regional stock movement
Unintentional release & escapees
Leisure activitiesAngling catch
Cultural releases
Live bait
Live souvenirs
Sport equipment
Stocking for angling
Waste discharge
Live food tradeIntentional organism release
Transported water
Waste discharge
ManagementBiological habitat management
Construction equipment
Construction materials
Release for biological control
Natural spread from neighboring countriesOther natural vectors
Water currents
Other canalsCanal de Midi (linking the Bay of Biscay with the Mediterranean Sea)
Kiel Canal (linking the North Sea with the Baltic)
Northern waterway (linking the Baltic with the Ponto-Caspian region through Volga river canal system)
Rhone waterway (linking the North Sea with the Mediterranean)
Southern waterway (linking the North Sea with the Black Sea through Danube river canal system)
Central waterway (linking the Baltic Sea with the Black Sea through the Dnieper river canal system)
Other waterways
Irrigation canals
Research and educationGear movement
Intentional releases
Unintentional release & escapees
Waste discharge
Suez Canal 
VesselsAnchor and anchor chain
Ballast tank sediments
Ballast water
Ship’s hull
Sea chest
Others
Wild fisheriesDiscard of by-catch
Fishing gear
Live bait release
Live packaging material
Processed live material
Stock movements
Transported water

Pathway / Vector – Levels of certainty:
LevelCriteriaExamples
Direct evidenceThe species was actually found associated with the specific vector(s) of a pathway at the time of introduction to a particular locality within a country/country region.Documented evidence of an introduction: release to the wild for stocking or biological control; escape/release of live food; import of cultured species and documented findings of their associate organisms, parasites and diseases on transmission; appearance of organisms by hull fouling, ballast water discharge sampling or other ship vectors documented upon an arrival with appropriate scientific methods.
Very likelyThe species appears for the first time in a locality where a single pathway/vector(s) is known to operate and where there is no other explanation that can be argued for its presence except by this likely pathway/vector(s).A highly localized distribution of a species in an area adjacent to an isolated port or other locality where the only pathway is vessels and its vector(s) (ballast water, hull fouling, etc). This often involves geographically discontinuous distributions. It may be a continuous spread as in case of introduction by canals or by natural means. The conclusion is deduced from the analysis of the invasion event and species distribution patterns.
PossibleThe species cannot be convincingly ascribed to a single pathway, but is known to be introduced by this pathway(s) elsewhere.There may be more than one pathway involved in the introduction within a country/country region. Arrival of a species known to have taken place elsewhere by the same pathway(s) which operates in an area. A conclusion is made by expert judgment based on pathways currently or historically present.
UnknownInvasion of a given alien species cannot be clearly explained.Where no rational explanation for the appearance of a species in a given country/region.

Population status

Population status (the lowest level of certainty):

Unknown. There is no reliable information on population status of a species.
Established. A species is known to form a reproducing population in a wild.
Not established. There is no evidence of a species’ reproducing population in a wild.

Population status (the moderate level of certainty):
Extinct/no recent record. There are old records where a species was recorded but have not been seen in the same region since.
Rare/single record. There are only casual observations or a single record of a species'presence available.
Common. A species with successfully reproducing populations in an open ecosystem, which are unlikely to be eliminated by man or natural causes. Not dominating native communities.
Abundant. A species with successfully reproducing populations in an open ecosystem, which are unlikely to be eliminated by man or natural causes. Locally dominating native communities.
Very abundant. A species with successfully reproducing populations in an open ecosystem, which are unlikely to be eliminated by man or natural causes. Largely dominating native communities.
Outbreak. A species undergoing pulse-like, short-term (days to few months) exponential population growth during which they have an adverse effect on one or more of the following: biological diversity, ecosystem functioning, socio-economic values and human health.

Recipient region

The country/region for which introduction is recorded.

References.



References should follow the standard of Biological invasions:


Journal article
Gamelin FX, Baquet G, Berthoin S, Thevenet D, Nourry C, Nottin S, Bosquet L (2009) Effect of high intensity intermittent training on heart rate variability in prepubescent children. Eur J Appl Physiol 105:731-738. doi: 10.1007/s00421-008-0955-8
Ideally, the names of all authors should be provided, but the usage of “et al” in long author lists will also be accepted:
Smith J, Jones M Jr, Houghton L et al (1999) Future of health insurance. N Engl J Med 965:325–329


Article by DOI


Slifka MK, Whitton JL (2000) Clinical implications of dysregulated cytokine production. J Mol Med. doi:10.1007/s001090000086


Book
South J, Blass B (2001) The future of modern genomics. Blackwell, London


Book chapter
Brown B, Aaron M (2001) The politics of nature. In: Smith J (ed) The rise of modern genomics, 3rd edn. Wiley, New York, pp 230-257


Online document
Cartwright J (2007) Big stars have weather too. IOP Publishing PhysicsWeb. http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/11/6/16/1. Accessed 26 June 2007


Dissertation
Trent JW (1975) Experimental acute renal failure. Dissertation, University of California

Reproductive duration

Long. Breeds in one or more discrete periods, each longer than three months.

Medium. Breeds in one or more discrete periods, each longer than a week and less than three months.

Short. Breeds in one or more discrete periods within a week.

Reproductive seasonality

Months for a species known to reproduce in the invaded site.

Salinity range

The exact salinity range if known (psu), else salinity zone(s) according to the Venice system:
1. Limnetic [<0.5psu]
2. β-Oligohaline [0.5-3psu]
3. α-Oligohaline [3-5psu]
4. β-Mesohaline [5-10psu]
5. α-Mesohaline [10-18psu]
6. Polymixohaline [18-30psu]
7. Euhaline [30-40psu]
8. Hypersaline [>40psu]

Source region

The area the species was introduced from to the recipient country/country region. Depending on the information availability may be ascribed to a particular locality (e.g. port), a country, a LME or a larger Ocean region.
CAUTION: in many cases the source area will be not the same as the area of native origin which is defined in the SPECIES block of the database.

Species status

Non-indigenous species. Non-indigenous species (synonyms: alien, exotic, non-native, allochthonous, introduced) are species, subspecies or lower taxa (such as a variety, form) introduced outside of their natural range (past or present) and outside of their natural dispersal potential. This includes any propagule of a NIS, such as a gamete, seed or resting spore, a gravid female or a pair of individuals of different sexes (in sexual reproduction), or a vegetative reproductive organ and section of tissue (in asexual reproduction), which might survive, reproduce and subsequently form a population. It also includes hybrids between an alien species and an indigenous species, fertile polyploid organisms and artificially hybridized species irrespective of their natural range or dispersal potential.

Cryptogenic. Cryptogenic species are such species which cannot be reliably demonstrated as being either introduced or native. In some cases the true origin of a species remains obscure because of either insufficient taxonomic knowledge or due to a lack of records from the time they became introduced, or for other reasons.

Temperature range

Indicate min. and max. annual temperature range in the area where a species is known to maintain an established (reproducing) population.

Wave exposure

Exposed. Open coastline facing prevailing wind and receiving both wind-driven waves and swell.

Semi exposed. Generally open coasts facing away from prevailing winds or sheltered by offshore reefs/structures.

Sheltered. Coasts with a restricted fetch (<20 km) and lacking persistent swell.

Zonation

Ecological zone(s) occupied by a species throughout its life cycle.

Benthic - Bathyal. Synonym: continental slope. The seafloor between the edge of the continental shelf and abyssal plain (200-4000 m).

Benthic - Littoral. Synonym: intertidal. The shore between the high and low water marks.

Benthic - Sublittoral beyond photic zone. Synonym: lower circalittoral. The lower part of the continental shelf, where photosynthesis cannot take place.

Benthic - Sublittoral within photic zone. Synonyms: subtidal, infralittoral. The shallow part of sublittoral where photosynthesis can occur.

Benthic - Supralittoral. Synonyms: splash zone, spray zone, supratidal zone. The area above the spring high tide line, subject spray or splash.

Pelagic - Littoral. Water mass within littoral zone.

Pelagic - Neritic. Water mass above the continental shelf.

Pelagic - Offshore. Synonym: oceanic. Water mass beyond the continental shelf.

Public domain: Introduction event account

Species Codium fragile subsp. fragile  
Date of the first record (?) 1941

References (not structured):
Parkes H.M. (1975) Records of Codium species in Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy B 75:125-134.

Comments:
Originally described as C. fragile tomentosoides, now considered as C. fragile fragile. Status of C. fragile altlanticum presently unclear. The current date of introduction is based on a single record.
Recipient region (?) Country: Ireland
LME: 24. Celtic-Biscay Shelf
LME sub-region: Celtic seas

References (not structured):
Parkes HM (1975) Records of Codium species in Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy B75: 125-134.
Source region (?) Not entered

Comments:
It is not clear what the source region is but it is probably within Atlantic Europe.
Pathway / Vector (?) Level of certainty: Possible

Pathway: Culture activities
Vector: Aquaculture equipment
Vector: Intercontinental stock movement
Vector: Regional stock movement
Pathway: Natural spread from neighboring countries
Vector: Water currents
Pathway: Vessels
Vector: Ship’s hull

References (not structured):
Parkes HM (1975) Records of Codium species in Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy B75: 125-134.

Comments:
The pathway is unclear as Codium sp. is often washed ashore on beaches, as a result there is the possibility of natural spread from surface drift arising from wind and water current movements. However, stock movements of oysters and its association with vessel hulls could mean that either or both of these transport modes could have operated.
Habitat type (?) Lagoon
Marina
Open coast

References:
Trowbridge, C.D., Little, C. and Stirling, P. 2013 Temporal changes in Codium spp in Lough Hyne with records for the southern Irish coast. Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 113B. DOI: 10.3318/BIOE.2013.07.

Comments:
Codium fragile ssp. fragile commonly occurs in opencoast rock pools
Wave exposure (?) Sheltered

References (not structured):
Parkes H.M. (1975) Records of Codium species in Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy B 75:125-134.

Comments:
Occurrences are usually in sheltered environments as the holdfast can easily be torn away.
Salinity range (?) Unknown

References (not structured):
Trowbridge, C.D. (1998). Ecology of the green macroalga Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot 1889: invasive and non-invasive subspecies. Oceanography and Marine Biology Annual Review 36: 1-64.

Comments:
Tolerance from different studies at separate sites indicate a minimum tolerance of 17 to 25 psu but with partial survival at 12-15 psu and survived at 40 psu. Growth was greatest at over 30 psu.
Temperature range (?) Unknown

References (not structured):
Trowbridge, C.D. (1998). Ecology of the green macroalga Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot 1889: invasive and non-invasive subspecies. Oceanography and Marine Biology Annual Review 36: 1-64.

Comments:
The maximum tolerance range is 12 to 27 C but in warmer regions can survice to 30 C.
Zonation / Substratum (?) Benthic:
Littoral (Benthic)
Sublittoral within photic zone
Substratum:
Artificial (manmade)
Biogenic (living or nonliving)
Hard (cobbles to bedrock)

References (not structured):
Trowbridge CD (1998) Ecology of the green macroalga Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot 1889: invasive and noninvasive subspecies. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an annual review 36: 1-64
Pybus, C. (1977). A list of algae found on artificial substrata in Galway Bay. Irish Naturalists' Journal 19: 72-75.

Comments:
The species is normally associated with firm substrata including bedrock, stones and pebbles in sheltered areas. It has been found attached to bivalve molluscs. In areas where ther are large tidal ranges the species can be found on the lower shore or within tidepools.
Reproductive duration (?)Not entered
Reproductive seasonality (?) Not entered
Migration pattern (?) Not entered
Population status (?) Common (Moderate level of certainty)

References (not structured):
Parkes HM (1975) Records of Codium species in Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy B 75:125-134.
Pybus C (1977) A list of algae found on artificial substrata in Galway Bay. Irish Naturalists' Journal 19: 72-75.
De Valéra M, Pybus C, Casley B, Webster A (1979) Littoral and benthic investigations on the west coast of Ireland X. Marine algae of the northern shores of the Burren, Co. Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 79B: 259-269.
Morton O (2003) The marine macroalgae of County Donegal, Ireland. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society 27: 3-165.
Morton O (1994) Marine algae of Northern Ireland. pp. [i]-vii, 1-123, 3 figs. Belfast: Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5AB.
Cullinane JP (1970) New seaweed records from the Leitrim and Sligo coasts. Irish Naturalists' Journal 16: 393-394.
Guiry MD (1977) Notes on Irish marine algae 1. New records from the west Waterford coast. Irish Naturalists' Journal 19: 80-85.
Parkes HM, Scannell MJP (1969) A list of marine algae from the Wexford coast. Irish Naturalists' Journal 16: 158-162.
Norton TA (1970) The marine algae of County Wexford, Ireland. British Phycological Journal 5: 257-266.
Nyberg C, Wallentinus I (2005) Can species traits be used to predict marine macroalgal invasions? Biological Invasions 7:265-279.

Comments:
Locally the species is common. it had become well established by 1955. Codium fragile subsp. fragile was formerly known as C. fragile subsp. tomentosoides. It first appeared in Europe about 1900. Codium fragile subsp. fragile has been considerd one of the world’s most invasive seaweeds (Nyberg & Wallentinus 2005). It reproduces parthenogenetically releasing swarmers that disperse locally. Since it is bouyant it can spread by surface drift from fragmentation. Its fragments once dispersed can re-attach. Within its invaded range it occupies a broad range of habitats on account of being able to tolerate a wide range of temperatures and salinities. It tends to be confined to shallows where it may be found and so is frequently associated with tidal pools and marina structures.
Species status (?) Non-indigenous species

References (not structured):
Provan J, Murphy S, Maggs CA (2004) Tracking the invasive history of the green alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides. Molecular ecology 14(1): 189-194.
Silva PC (1955) The dichotomous species of Codium in Britain. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 34: 565-577.

Comments:
The subspecies is native to the north-west Pacific and sub-Antarctic oceans. It has spread into the native ranges of other subspecies of C. fragile (Provan et al. 2008). Distinctions are made according to the shape of the utricles along the length of a frond (Silva, 1955).
Created byDan Minchin 
Last update byDan Minchin, 2022-05-09
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Edited by Dan Minchin, 2013-10-12
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