Rarely have global battles in the war on invasive species been successful. Even tougher is fighting a mutant genetic clone of a natural counterpart on a marine coast. The first known Western Hemisphere detection of the invasive seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia occurred in Southern California, at San Diego County's Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad. Caulerpa Conquest is the true story of the 2000 to 2006 precedent-setting local eradication effort inspired by missed opportunities and lessons learned from the Mediterranean Sea. City staff planner, designated agency liaison, lagoon...