Proliferation of algae Caulerpa Taxifolia

Collection title

Atr2

ID

INA00314

Source

INA (FR)

First broadcast date

08/06/1990

Production year

1990

Abstract

Professor Meneisz, from the University of Nice, is studying a new species of algae, Caulerpa Taxifolia, which proliferates rapidly.

Type

video

Production companies

• France 3 Méditerranée - Own production

Broadcaster

FTV - F3

Audiovisual form

News

Primary theme

Natural

Secondary themes

• Art, Culture and Knowledge / Science / Biology

Credits / Cast

• Christophe Jean Daniel - Journalist
• Meinesz, Alexandre - Journalist

Period of events

• 1990

Map locations

• France - South East - Nice

Original language

French

Media running time

2m14

Additional information

Context

Proliferation of algae Caulerpa Taxifolia

Jean Marie Guillon

This news report is a fine example of the excitement which seized the media when the spread of this alga along the provencal coasts was "discovered". Today we hear much less about it. However it is still spreading, and now there are few areas of the Mediterranean which are clear of it. It is a green tropical alga used to decorate aquariums. It was released, by accident, from the Musée océanographique de Monaco in 1984 and has proliferated from there. The discovery a few years later of how much of the coastline is affected provoked an outcry, amplified by the media. The catastrophe everyone predicted, though, has not happened, despite the fact this alga now covers 5,000 hectares (12,350 acres) of coast-line, though not continuously, not only in France but also in Spain, Italy, on the Balkan coast and in Tunisia.

Toxic for most animals, its unstopped proliferation threatens many endemic species, particularly sea grasses (Posidonia oceanica) which play an essential role in helping the Mediterranean breathe. Several methods of fighting the algae have been tried – biological methods using rare predators, copper etc. Some are shown here in this report: getting rid of it by hand, or laying non-transparent covers on the water to prevent photosynthesis. Up to now none have proved to be "the" solution to the problem. Even if a solution is eventually found, this invasion shows the dangers of introducing new species, on purpose or by accident.