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Severe outbreaks of the crust-forming European bryozoan Membranipora membranacea in northwestern Atlantic waters have caused extensive losses of kelp canopy through a process of defoliation. Here, we report how these crusts may negatively impact kelp beds by reducing spore release from fertile blades. In the laboratory, fully and partially encrusted sori of Laminaria longicruris released significantly fewer spores than bryozoan-free blades. Through field observations, we quantified the potential ecological impact of the encrusting mechanism. Unlike previous years, infestation was minimal in 2002 when only 4% of kelp surface areas were covered with bryozoan colonies (with a maximum of 72% of kelp individuals infested). This indicates strong interannual variability in the scale of impact on kelp spore release. In years when Membranipora encrustation impact is high and coincides with invasion by other nonnative species and/or elevated levels of sea urchin grazing, there is the potential for conversion of the rocky subtidal benthos to a new, possibly stable community state.

Crusts of the alien bryozoan Membranipora membranacea can negatively impact spore output from native kelps ( Laminaria longicruris )