First Record of the tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea (Forsskål) Ascherson, 1867 in the Punic Port of Carthage-Salammbô (Northern Tunisia)

Abstract

The bioinvasion has increased in recent years with climate change, and some invasive species have caused significant damage to the marine ecosystem, including a great loss of biodiversity. The studied seagrass is a marine tropical phanerogam introduced in the Mediterranean at the end of the 19^th century and in southern Tunisia in 2003. In this study we record this species for the first time in northern Tunisia, precisely in the Punic Port of Carthage-Salammbo. Surveys were carried out on foot around the Punic Port, and measurements/photos were taken on site, and others in the laboratory on taken samples. Most of these measures do not differ from those carried out elsewhere in the Mediterranean. For the moment, the plant does not occupy a large part of the port buttom, but it may invade all the area in the future.