Translocate species - Translocate worms

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
Share Tweet Email

View assessment score

How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

10%
Certainty

25%
Harms

15%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Many populations of marine subtidal benthic invertebrate species have declined or been depleted due to the multiple threats they are under, such as habitat loss and overharvest (Airoldi et al. 2008; Hobday et al. 2000). To counteract this phenomenon, marine subtidal benthic invertebrates can be translocated from a site with a healthy population, either to introduce a species to a new site (where they did not historically occur), to reintroduce a species to a site (where they used to occur), or to enhance the population at a site where the species is already present by increasing its abundance (Hughes et al. 2008; Swan et al. 2016). As the outcomes of translocating species can vary largely with the type of species, studies have been grouped by broader taxonomic group (e.g: crustaceans such as lobsters or prawns; molluscs such as abalone, scallops, or mussels; worms).

When translocation is undertaken for a habitat-forming (biogenic) species, effects on the invertebrates associated with the habitat are reported in “Habitat restoration and creation – Translocate habitat-forming (biogenic) species”. Evidence from transplantation studies of hatchery-reared species is summarised under “Species management – Transplant/release captive-bred or hatchery-reared species” and “Habitat restoration and creation – Transplant/release captive-bred or hatchery-reared habitat-forming (biogenic) species”.

_{Airoldi L., Balata D. & Beck M.W. (2008) The gray zone: relationships between habitat loss and marine diversity and their applications in conservation. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 366, 8–15.}

_{Hobday A.J., Tegner M.J. & Haaker P.L. (2000) Over-exploitation of a broadcast spawning marine invertebrate: decline of the white abalone. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 10, 493–514.}

_{Hughes D.J., Poloczanska E.S. & Dodd J. (2008) Survivorship and tube growth of reef‐building Serpula vermicularis (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) in two Scottish sea lochs. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 18, 117–129.}

_{Swan K.D., McPherson J.M., Seddon P.J. & Moehrenschlager A. (2016) Managing marine biodiversity: the rising diversity and prevalence of marine conservation translocations. Conservation Letters, 9, 239–251.}

Study locations

Key messages

One study examined the effects of translocating worm species on their wild populations. The study was in Scottish Lochs (UK).

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (1 STUDY)

Worm survival (1 study): One replicated, controlled study in Scottish Lochsfound that no reef-forming red tube worm survived when translocated to a new Loch, but survival was high when worms were translocated back to its source Loch.
Worm condition (1 study): One replicated, controlled study in Scottish Lochsfound that no reef-forming red tube worm survived and so no growth was recorded when translocated to a new loch, worms translocated back to its source Loch grew.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, controlled study in 2004–2005 of four soft seabed sites in two sea lochs in west Scotland, UK (Hughes et al. 2008) found that a year after translocation, survivorship and growth of the reef-forming red tube worm Serpula vermicularis were different when translocated to a new Loch or back to the source Loch. In Loch Sween (new Loch), translocated tubes gradually disappeared and only remnants remained after one year. No mortality and growth data were recorded for Loch Sween. In Loch Creran (the source Loch) 76% of tubes were recovered after one year. Mortality averaged 5.3% and tube growth averaged 32–33 mm/year at Loch Creran. In June and July 2004, clusters of tubes containing living individuals of the red tube worm were manually collected by divers from one site in Loch Creran. Seven to ten days later, 10 clusters (10 tubes with living worm/cluster) were translocated at 1 m intervals to each of four sites: two in Loch Sween where wild populations died out (3–4 m depth) and two back in Loch Creran (9–10 m depth). For a year, clusters were monitored at intervals, and the remaining clusters recovered in July 2005. For each tube, the presence of living worm was recorded, and its growth measured.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Hughes D.J., Poloczanska E.S. & Dodd J. (2008) Survivorship and tube growth of reef-building Serpula vermicularis (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) in two Scottish sea lochs. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 18, 117-129.

Please cite as:

Lemasson, A.J., Pettit, L.R., Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation. Pages 635-732 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Transplant/release captive-bred or hatchery-reared species - Transplant/release crustaceans Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	5	Synopsis Link
Translocate species - Translocate worms Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link
Cease or prohibit the harvest of sea urchins Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link