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Grateloupia turuturu
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THE CRIMES: Displaces Irish moss and possibly other red algae (seaweed) from their natural habitat, causing a shift in the seaweed species present. Can cover 100% of the habitat it invades. DESCRIPTION: Thick flat blades, deep red, burgundy or maroon in color; color tends to be lighter in summer months and darker in winter. Feels slippery or slimy; grows to several feet in length. Found in shallow subtidal waters 3-8 feet in depth. New blades appear year-round. Reproduces in several ways, including by spores and vegetatively from the blade margins (edges). Attaches to firm surfaces with a holdfast (sort of like plant roots). The Interrogation
Where are you from?
I originally hail from Asia, mainly Japan. I have since traveled to England, Portugal,
and now southern New England. It's very nice here. No grazers to eat me and lots of nutrients in the
water. I LOVE nutrients - they make me grow fast.
How did you get here?
Pick a pathway - there are several possibilities. My spores (seeds) could have
come floating in the ballast water of ships used to stabilize their weight and keep them upright
in the water. Or, I may have attached myself to the hull of a nice ship and gotten taken for a
LONG ride. I could have also gotten mixed in with a shipment of live farmed clams or oysters. Now
that I'm here, I think I'll stay. I can take warmer water temperatures in the summer, and if the
salt content in the water is lower than in full seawater, so what? It doesn't bother me!
Do you have any beneficial uses?
Well, besides serving as salad to those pesky herbivores that graze on me in
my native habitat, I am actually grown in the Philippines (Southeast Asia, you know), for carrageenan,
a substance used to make products like ice cream and toothpaste smooth and creamy. Some humans in the
Pacific region also use me for food.
Reward:
The honor of protecting our water resources— A healthier environment
and more opportunities to enjoy our natural areas.
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