Two invasive algae species present in the Mediterranean can hinder the natural regeneration of Posidonia seagrass meadows. A study by the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (Imedea) has found that the presence of Caulerpa cylindracea and Lophocladia trichoclados reduces the biomass of leaves and rhizomes of new seagrass plants by between 40% and 50%, in addition to affecting their energy reserves and the associated microbial communities in the roots.