Farming of eucheumatoid seaweeds is a widespread, promising activity and an important livelihood option in many tropical coastal areas as for example in East Africa, Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Compared to other types of aquaculture, seaweed farming has generally low impact on the environment. Nonetheless, there are potential direct or indirect negative effects of seaweed farming, such as introduction of alien species and changes in local environmental conditions. Although farming has been practiced in this region during several decades, the knowledge concerning the actual environmental impacts from faming non-native eucheumatoid haplotypes and consequently how to manage farming activities to mitigate those is highly limited. In this review, we provide a summary of the current scientific knowledge of potential direct and indirect negative environmental effects linked to eucheumatoid seaweed farming such as alterations of benthic macrophyte habitats and loss of native biodiversity. Furthermore, we highlight knowledge gaps that are of importance to address in the near future, e.g., large-scale ecosystem effects and farms as potential vectors of pathogens. We also provide a number of feasible management recommendations to be implemented for a continued development of environmentally sustainable seaweed farming practices in the WIO region, which includes spatial planning of farms to avoid sensitive areas and farming of native haplotypes of eucheumatoids instead of introduced specimens.

In this study we examined abiotic and biotic factors that could potentially influence the presence of a non-indigenous seaweed, Eucheuma denticulatum, in two locations, one outside (Kane’ohe Bay, Hawai’i, USA) and one within (Mafia Island, Tanzania) its natural geographical range. We hypothesized that the availability of hard substrate and the amount of wave exposure would explain distribution patterns, and that higher abundance of herbivorous fishes in Tanzania would exert stronger top-down control than in Hawai’i. To address these hypotheses, we surveyed E. denticulatum in sites subjected to different environmental conditions and used generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) to identify predictors of E. denticulatum presence. We also estimated grazing intensity on E. denticulatum by surveying the type and the amount of grazing scars. Finally, we used molecular tools to distinguish between indigenous and non-indigenous strains of E. denticulatum on Mafia Island. In Kane’ohe Bay, the likelihood of finding E. denticulatum increased with wave exposure, whereas on Mafia Island, the likelihood increased with cover of coral rubble, and decreased with distance from areas of introduction (AOI), but this decrease was less pronounced in the presence of coral rubble. Grazing intensity was higher in Kane’ohe Bay than on Mafia Island. However, we still suggest that efforts to reduce non-indigenous E. denticulatum should include protection of important herbivores in both sites,    because of the high amount of grazing damages close to AOI. Moreover, we recommend that areas with hard substrate and high structural complexity should be avoided when farming non-indigenous strains of E. denticulatum.

Invasive macroalgae can alter coral reef habitats by causing phase shifts from coral to macroalgal domination with negative ecological effects and dramatic reductions in coral cover. In Tanzania, South East Asian haplotypes of the macroalgae Eucheuma denticulatum, documented to overgrow reef corals in other locations, have been introduced through seaweed farming practices. In this study we examine growth and holdfast development of introduced and native E. denticulatum on live and dead branches of Acropora sp. in the presence and absence of herbivores in Unguja Island, Zanzibar. Coral and macroalgae health were also estimated. Macroalgae did not attach to any live coral. Coral health was not impacted by the presence of E. denticulatum regardless of origin and gene expression analyses did not indicate any additional stress in corals. Necrotic tissue on the macroalgae in areas of direct contact indicated damage inflicted by the coral. The biomass of E. denticulatum did not differ between live or dead corals but was strongly influenced by herbivory.  The study indicates that E. denticulatum may not pose a strong immediate threat to healthy acroporids in the WIO region but stresses the importance to keep corals healthy and maintaining viable populations of macroalgae feeding species.

Understanding drivers behind patterns of functionally important groups of fishes is crucial for successful management and conservation of tropical seascapes. Herbivorous fishes are the most prominent consumers of marine primary production which can have profound effects on reef resilience. We explored environmental variables affecting distribution and foraging patterns of herbivorous and detritivorous fish assemblages (siganids, acanthurids and parrotfish) across distinct shallow-water habitats (coral reefs, macroalgae beds and seagrass meadows) during September-November 2016 at Mafia Island, Tanzania (8 degrees 00S, 39 degrees 41E). We performed underwater visual census to quantify fish assemblages, measured habitat features, deployed macroalgal assays and conducted inventories of grazing scars. Multi-dimensional scaling and mixed-effects linear models were used to evaluate differences in fish assemblages and environmental variables influencing abundance and foraging patterns of fishes. Fish communities of focal functional groups differed among habitats. Abundance of herbivores and detritivores as well as relative browsing and scraping was highest on coral reefs compared to macroalgae and seagrass meadows.Adult fish were more abundant on coral reefs while juveniles were abundant in macroalgal beds. Coral cover and crustose coralline algal cover had a positive effect on the abundance of fish in coral reef areas, while macroalgal cover had a negative effect. Contrastingly, in macroalgae habitats, macroalgal cover had a positive effect on the abundance of parrotfish. These results highlight the importance of considering connectivity between macroalgal beds and coral reefs through ontogenetic shifts in habitat use by primarily microphagous parrotfish and of incorporating a range of habitats within coastal management plans.

Structural complexity spanning fine to coarse spatial scales can influence the distribution and activity of key organisms within marine ecosystems. The current study shows how both broad-scale (seascape configuration of coral structure) and fine-scale habitat complexity (structural height, number of holes, and macroalgae) can influence the abundance and spatial ecology of reef fishes in a shallow tropical lagoon. Visual surveys, remote underwater video, and field observations were used to quantify habitat characteristics and the abundance, size structure and behavior (rates of herbivory, tortuosity ratios and total distance travelled) of abundant reef fishes. Both seascape configuration and macroalgae influenced patterns of fish abundance and rates of herbivory. However, these relationships varied with fish trophic groups and ontogenetic stages. High levels of hard complexity increased abundance of adult and intermediate-phase parrotfishes, whereas juvenile abundance was positively influenced by the presence of macroalgae, irrespective of the spatial configuration of coral structure in the seascape. Foraging path patterns (directed vs. convoluted) and bite rates of an abundant excavating parrotfish, Chlorurus spilurus, was not influenced by coral structure configuration in the seascape (dense/sparse) or coral structure height (high/low), but the presence of macroalgae increased the bite rates of all juvenile parrotfishes (including C. spilurus). Our results suggest a combination of microhabitat selectivity, fine-scale habitat complexity, and seascape configuration influence reef fish community structure and foraging behaviour, with consequences for the important ecological function of herbivory.