OYSTER TRANSFERS: A MAJOR VECTOR FOR MACROPHYTE INTRODUCTIONS

Oyster transfers, as a vector of primary introduction and secondary dispersal of exotic macrophytes, were assessed on the basis of (i) two major French aquaculture sites: the Thau Lagoon and the Arcachon Basin; (ii) a bibliographical analysis of 34 Mediterranean coastal lagoons; and (iii) an experimental simulation of oyster transfers. The resultsconfirmed the tremendous efficiency of the vector. The oyster trade is by far the main vector of macrophyte introduction into the Mediterranean Sea, ranking above the shipping and the opening of the