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Matías Stuber
Malaga
Friday, 16 August 2024, 10:48
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In ballast water released by heavy cargo ships when they arrived at their port of destination is how the seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae, better known as Asian seaweed, first arrived on the beaches of the Costa del Sol in the summer of 2018. This invasive species took little time to spread and populate the rocky seabed.
"It is an algae that stands out for its bad smell and its high sulphur content," Francisco Franco, director of the Costa del Sol's coastal sciences department, explained to SUR.
The impact on the local flora and fauna was almost immediate. "The shoals of fish were displaced and everything was deserted," Franco added. But, as has happened so many times in nature, the motto "adapt or die" has taken hold on the Malaga coastline.
After a few depressing years, life has returned to many areas of the coast, as could be seen in a video which was filmed this week on the Arroyo Vaquero beach, some eight kilometres from Estepona. The footage shows the recovery of biodiversity and shows native species such as the common bream, royal sea bream, maiden bream and anchovy.
"Species adaptation is the miracle that allows life on the planet. Here is another example. Years ago there were no sea urchins left because of the invasive algae. Now they are recovering," Franco said.
Contrary to what one might think, the return of life is not due to a massive regression of the Asian algae, although a slight reversal in its proliferation can be observed.
Invasive species always have a negative impact, but the scientist points out that they also follow their own process, which is usually divided into three stages: "The first stage, which is very aggressive. We have seen how the Asian algae has displaced flora and fauna. Then comes a stabilisation stage, which is what we are seeing now in areas of Marbella and Estepona. Finally, there is a phase of regression. If life has returned in terms of fauna, it has also returned in terms of flora. Although the presence of Asian algae persists, native algae are once again being seen. The scientist cites the following: Ulva rigida, Ericaria selaginoide, Dictyota dichotoma, Jania rubens, Amphiroa beauvoisii, Ceramial and Asparagosis armata.
If the invasion process is reversing in the westernmost areas of the province, the University of Malaga (UMA) professor draws attention to what is happening on the beaches of the capital. Franco cites the Sacaba and Pedregalejo beaches in Malaga city and points out that the first signs that the Asian seaweed is spreading in the capital of the Costa del Sol are being observed. "If there are beaches where we observe a stabilisation phase, there are others where we see that we are in the colonisation stage," Franco said.
The councils of the coastal municipalities now all have tools for cleaning and collecting waste on the beaches. Tractors and machinery have been adapted to combat this invasive species. These vehicles are equipped with an algae remover and a beach cleaner.
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