Invasive Coral Species Dynamics in Marine Ecosystems

Invasive coral species have emerged as a critical driver of change in marine ecosystems, with some azooxanthellate and zooxanthellate forms extending beyond their native ranges via anthropogenic vectors. These corals, notably members of the genus Tubastraea and other fast-growing taxa, colonise artificial and natural substrates, outcompeting indigenous benthic fauna and altering community structure. Their success reflects a combination of life-history traits—rapid asexual reproduction, opportunistic larval settlement and broad environmental tolerance—coupled with human activities such as shipping, oil-rig deployment and coastal development. Climate warming and oceanographic shifts further facilitate range expansions by creating favourable thermal and salinity regimes. The ecological consequences include displacement of reef-building species, changes in habitat complexity and disruption of local trophic networks. Effective management demands integrated monitoring of biofouling, targeted removal of established populations and regulation of maritime vector control, underpinned by genetic and ecological research to anticipate invasion hotspots and inform mitigation strategies.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have elucidated the multiplicity of introduction events of sun corals (Tubastraea spp.) and their clonal spread across thousands of kilometres of the South Atlantic coastline. Genetic analyses reveal high diversity of multilocus genotypes on shipping vectors, indicating contamination prior to arrival, while invaded sites exhibit few dominant clones distributed over broad distances through secondary transport. The findings emphasise the role of multiple invasions, clonality and vector management as critical factors governing invasion success and inform strategies aimed at controlling further spread by targeting biofouling on maritime structures and improving ballast water treatment.

Invasive Coral Species Dynamics in Marine Ecosystems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in invasive coral species dynamics in marine ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Biofouling: The accumulation and growth of organisms on submerged artificial surfaces, serving as a vector for non-native species transport.

Clonality: Asexual reproduction producing genetically identical individuals, facilitating rapid population expansion and persistence.

Lessepsian migration: Movement of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, often leading to tropical species establishing in temperate habitats.

References

1. Non-native coral species dominate the fouling community on a semi-submersible platform in the southern Caribbean. Marine Pollution Bulletin (2023).
2. Neutral interactions among three nonindigenous coral species in a tropical marine fouling community. Ecology (2024).
3. New Record of Dendronephthya sp. (Family: Nephtheidae) from Mediterranean Israel: Evidence for Tropicalization?. Biology (2023).
4. A review of the diversity and impact of invasive non-native species in tropical marine ecosystems. Marine Biodiversity Records (2021).
5. Multiple introductions and secondary dispersion of Tubastraea spp. in the Southwestern Atlantic. Scientific Reports (2019).
6. Genetic Connectivity in Scleractinian Corals across the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Oil/Gas Platforms, and Relationship to the Flower Garden Banks. PLOS ONE (2012).
7. Life‐history traits of Tubastraea coccinea: Reproduction, development, and larval competence. Ecology and Evolution (2020).
8. Success in Competition for Space in Two Invasive Coral Species in the western Atlantic – Tubastraea micranthus and T. coccinea. PLOS ONE (2015).