Marine Exotics species in the cold temperate harbors of Argentina

SCHWINDT, EVANGELINA; TATIÁN, MARCOS; LAGGER, CRISTIAN

Mar del Plata

Congreso; BIOLIEF 2011 - 2nd World Conference on Biological Invasions and Ecosystem Functioning; 2011

Our results show that SAE harbor has the highest taxonomic richness and number of marine exotic and cryptogenic fouling species within the studied region and it is where a closer surveillance should be performed. Although the 90% of the national shipping traffic is concentrated in freshwater harbors, the cold temperate harbors of Patagonia were, during the past few decades, the main entrance for several aggressive exotic species, like the green crab Carcinus maenas (in CR) and the japanese algae Undaria pinnatifida (in PM).