1. Gracilaria salicornia
Gorilla Ogo
Gracilaria salicornia

2. Characteristics and Appearance of Gorilla Ogo
Found in tidepools and/or reef flats
Brittle seaweed with cylindrical branches 2-5mm in diameter
Yellowish if growing in sunny spots
Dark green or brownish when growing in shaded areas
 Branching irregular
 Forked at tips with tips bluntly rounded
Reproduces Asexually
al/images/gorillaogo2.jpg

3. Origin of the Gracilaria salicornia
Widespread in tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans
Introduce to Hawaii by Philippine ships
Found in Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, Big Island
origin of the gorilla ogo
First Found in Hilo Bay in 1971
& introduce in Kaneohe Bay &
Waikiki in 1970s.

4. Gorilla Ogo's "niche" on the community
A producer that lives in the ocean and grows over coral, choking it and later kills it.
Has major effects on Hawaiian oceans, like changing the ocean's temperature
Most effects are negative
Invades Hawaiian oceans and beaches
Floats on shores of beaches
Spreads quickly through loose branches floating to different places
super-sucker-algae.jpg
Above: Gorilla Ogo covers hawaii's reef on ocean floor.

5. Gorilla Ogo's "niche" in its community (Continued)
CONS
Grows over coral reef rapidly & kills the coral/ seaweed
Increases temperature on ocean floor
 Prevents coral from growing
 Washes to shore, polluting the beaches
Drives fishes away from their original homes
Lessens diversity of coral reef ecosystem
Changes food web and food chains of coral reef ecosystem
Changes nutrient distribution and cyling of coral reef ecosystem
PROS
Fish food for passing fish
Used as composting and fertilizer for taro farmers in Hawaii

6. Out-Competing Competitors
Gorilla Ogo is able to out-compete it competitors because:
Nothing really eats it. Very few fishes eat the seaweed.
It has no predators
Grows quickly and very invasive
super-sucker-algae.jpg
%20affect%20environment/catelito2/gorillaogo.jpg
/algaehimag1.jpg
Hawaii-Business/April-2004/Unwanted-Dead-Or-Alive/

7. Reasons for Success in Hawaii
The gorilla ogo is so successful in Hawaii because:
Grows quickly
Primarily spread by fragmentation 
Large amounts of algae wash ashore on beaches

8. Biological Problems Caused by Gorilla Ogo
Grows quickly, covering massive parts of the reef
Thick texture and overgrowth cause suffocation, killing coral and other seaweeds
 Reduces space for young new coral to attach to the reef and grow
 Not a prefered food source for many reef dwellers
 Changes bottom habitat, limiting access to holes and crevices for larger animals
Hawaii-Business/April-2004/Unwanted-Dead-
Or-Alive/

9. Economical Problems Caused by Gorilla Ogo
Costs attributable to invasive species in the United States amount to approximately $137 billion each year
U.S. agricultural cost alone round to about $72.7 billion
Now I am
We're missing something between the origin and niche
/AAAAAAAAAKE/Ga0IqgyqzJU/s200/
Print_SS_Uchino20.jpg
org/pests/gorillaogo.html

10. Impact on Hawaii's Ecosystems & Native Species Displacement
Known to compete with a native reef algae, G. Coronopifolia, for area on the reef flat
 Thick patches of Gorilla Ogo block corals from sunlight and the flow of fresh seawater which kills them
 Smothers beds of sea grass
 Rice coral is disappearing due to enlargement of Gorilla Ogo species
 Animals such as turtles and smaller fish are forced to find new areas of rest due to the limited space on the reef caused by large mats of Gorilla Ogo
hawaii_collection/rice_coral.jpg
Above: Disappearing Rice Coral

11. Impact on Hawaii's Ecosystem & Native Species Displacement (Cont.)
The lesser diversity an ecosystem contains, the more unstable it is.
Populations of algae-eating fish and sea urchins declined
 High diversity coral communities shift to algae dominated reefs
Greatly reduced species diversity caused by reduced coral diversity

12. What is being done about the Gorilla Ogo?
Marine biologists are very aware of this invasive species
 They are letting the community know about the invasive seaweed
Citizens are manually picking invasive seaweed, but not the most productive way to get rid of the Gorilla Ogo
Scuba divers are vacuuming the Gorilla Ogo, which more efficient than doing by hand
SUPER SUCKER PROJECT by Nature Conservancy & UH Mānoa
/files/images/web%20pic.
img_assist_custom.jpg
Above: A man picks Gorilla ogo from a local pond in moloka'i.

13. What is being done about the Gorilla Ogo? (continued)
Government organization called, "The Division of Aquatic Resources” DAR
Mālama Mauna Lua Bay
HEAR & HISC
Nature Conservancy & UH Mānoa
 Another government organization called "Aquatic Resources Monit0ring”
ʻAʻohe Limu ʻe- Alien Algae clean -up
Contact them at:
    Division of Aquatic Resources     1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330     Honolulu, HI     Phone:     FAX:     
Ask for Dan Pulhemus, administrator of Division of Aquatic Resources
(808) 643-PEST
    Design & Analysis Team     US EPA     200 SW 35th St     Corvallis, OR 97333
Contact Robert Nishimoto, Head of Design & Analysis Team

14. What can be done by the government to remove Gorilla Ogo?
Make commercials about invasive seaweed
 Bring the problem to public's attention
Get others to help clean infested beaches
Publicate more local beach clean- up events
Good for the environment
Multiple people will clean coral faster
Makes a good outing event for family and friends
Have educational opportunities to teach the problem in various school via environmental fairs
Removal or clean-up of the invasive seaweed

15. THE MAIN IDEA...
GRACILARIA SALICORNIA IS AN INVASIVE SEAWEED THAT ALTERS THE CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM
GRACILARIA SALICORNIA IS NEGATIVELY AFFECTING THE DIVESITY OF THE OCEANS
GRACILARIA IS ALSO AFFECTING OUR  ECONOMY
         (no fish = less fishing = less fish to sell = less money)
WE MUST PROTECT THE OCEAN AND ITS RESOURCES
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS!
THE GORILLA OGO CAN BE STOPPED, BUT WE NEED EVERYONES HELP TO GET RID OF THIS INVASIVE SEAWEED TO MAKE HAWAI'I A BETTER PLACE!

16. Bibliography
"An Introduction to Invasive Alien Algae in Hawaii: Ecological and Economic Impacts." SGNIS: Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species. Web. 29 Sept
 "Aquatic Resource Monitoring." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 01 Oct
"Gorilla ogo (Gracilaria salicornia)." Hawaii Invasive Species Partnerships. Web. 30 Sept <
Gorilla ogo (Gracilaria salicornia)." Hawaii Invasive Species Partnerships. Web. 25 Sept <
Index of /blog/wp-content/themes/default/images/sushi." Sustainable Hawaii? island sustainability data, maps,blog, training from Kauai. Web. 28 Sept
"Issg Database: Ecology of." IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). Web. 30 Sept <
"New Page 1." University of Hawaii System. Web. 30 Sept <
""Super Suckers" Slurp Invasive Algae Off Reefs." Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News. Web. 01 Oct <
""Super Suckers" Slurp Invasive Algae Off Reefs -." DuikForum.nl. Web. 01 Oct <
"SusHI | Sustainability in Hawai`i » sucking Hawaii’s reefs: gorilla ogo’s gotta go." Sustainable Hawaii? island sustainability data, maps,blog, training from Kauai. Web. 01 Oct <
"Unwanted: Dead Or Alive - Hawaii Business - April Hawaii." Hawaii Business Magazine - Industry, Employers, Finance - Honolulu, HI. Web. 01 Oct <
Business/April-2004/Unwanted-Dead-Or-Alive/>.