Biomass seasonality of Caulerpa taxifolia in the Mediterranean Sea

The biomass of the introduced and invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia was measured monthly over one year at four different sites along the French Mediterranean coast at depths of 5 and 20 m in a sheltered and an exposed area. At the 5 m depth, C taxifolia mean biomass ranged from 203 to 518 g dry wt. m(-2), while at the 20 m depth, it ranged from 62 to 466 g dry wt. m(-2). The study clearly shows that a major characteristic of C taxifolia is its perennial life cycle with relatively high biomass values throughout the year, in different biotopes. This could be a factor in the broad ecological impact of C taxifolia. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.