Phenotypic plasticity and invasion dynamics of Caulerpa species in the Mediterranean Sea: A systematic review and conceptual framework.

Authors

Yaşar Özvarol

Published in

Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 233. Issue Pt 1. Pages 120217. Aug 08, 2026. Epub Aug 08, 2026.

Abstract

Species of the genus Caulerpa rank among the most successful marine invaders in the Mediterranean Sea, yet they differ markedly in their distribution, persistence and ecological impacts. These contrasting invasion trajectories have generated inconsistent interpretations regarding the mechanisms underlying invasion success and have limited the development of a unified ecological framework. The review also identifies major knowledge gaps, particularly regarding reproductive biology, long-term monitoring and climate-driven range expansion and highlights habitat protection, early detection and rapid response as key priorities for improving the management of Mediterranean Caulerpa invasions. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 84 peer-reviewed studies to evaluate the distribution, ecological impacts, environmental tolerances and invasion dynamics of the principal invasive Caulerpa taxa in the Mediterranean, including Caulerpa cylindracea, Caulerpa taxifolia, Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla and the recently established Caulerpa mexicana. By integrating findings across physiological, ecological and field-based studies, the review identifies common patterns while explaining the distinct invasion trajectories observed among species. The synthesis indicates that long-term invasion success is more closely associated with the breadth of phenotypic plasticity and the capacity to maintain a high ecological performance under changing environmental conditions than with maximum growth rates alone. Based on the available evidence, two complementary conceptual frameworks are proposed. The Plasticity Breadth Hypothesis explains how differences in the breadth and limits of phenotypic plasticity shape invasion success, whereas the passenger-to-driver transition model describes how habitat degradation and positive ecological feedbacks can transform invasive Caulerpa from opportunistic colonizers into drivers of ecosystem change.

PMID:
42570484
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 09 Aug 2026.

Read full publication at:
Please sign in to see all details.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this publication? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.