Assessing the distribution and future introduction probability of macroalgae in the English Channel Islands.

When species are brought by humans to environments they are not naturally found in, they are
designated as introduced or invasive depending on whether they have a harmful impact.
Invasive species- and specifically invasive algae- can have adverse effects on their new
surroundings. Looking specifically at invasive algae, impacts include damaging corals and
urchins and negatively affecting communities found within seagrass. The latter could be
relevant to Jersey seagrass beds. This dissertation sought to update knowledge about new algal
arrivals and sixteen species noted as probable future introductions to the Channel Islands.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) records were accessed for sixteen macroalgal
species and field surveys were conducted to search for these species- with six species swapped
out due to lack of microscope access for identification. Six rocky beaches were studied in the
west and east of Jersey. Four species were detected in field surveys and GBIF records detected
three species in Jersey which were noted as potential arrivals in a 2017 report. Priority
categories were drawn up based on this information. Future study directions include bioclimatic
modelling to inform future probability of novel species introductions and standardising algal
knowledge to aid such modelling.