Invasive tunicates

[bikeflip22]

well, i dont kno what anyones going to do about it..

its like trying to stop the growing of phragmites and purple loosestrife in marshes..

isnt it?

 

[waterkitty]

well, i dont kno what anyones going to do about it..

its like trying to stop the growing of phragmites and purple loosestrife in marshes..

isnt it?

It is a difficult venture and I had mentioned before that it takes a lot of effort to decrease a small population of this tunicate. But we don't know a whole lot about it yet. There's a lot of research ahead of us; luckily, I am not the only one studying this thing. There are scientists all over the world working on its ecology, taxonomy, chemistry, etc, and hopefully, we will know what kind of threat it poses (if it really poses a threat), what makes it grow well, what kills it quickly and efficiently, and perhaps, (something I am especially interested in), if humans can use the tunicate in some type of industry...what toxin does this puppy possess and can anything be done with it?

But, although it seems rather hopeless to rid ourselves of this tunicate, perhaps we can take on an act of prevention against further infestation.

(I really have to start writing with this much conviction in my actual thesis proposal!)

 

[Gidds]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050823...OQK.J6s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MzV0MTdmBHNlYwM3NTM-

 

[waterkitty]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050823...OQK.J6s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MzV0MTdmBHNlYwM3NTM-

Thank you for this link!

I am keeping a scrapbook of articles I find on this stuff. This will be added.

I met Larry Harris back in April at an (would you believe it?) Internation Invasive Sea Squirt Conference! He's a nice guy and is well-informed on these tunicates.

 

[MSilvia]

Gary and I saw a ton of these at Back Beach in Rockport on sunday. Several medium-sized boulders had near-complete coverage.

 

[bikeflip22]

i saw some at old garden beach about 2 weeks ago, although it is invasive, it is a neat little organism to look at.
it replicates a sponge almost.