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Vertical distribution of macrofouling communities in Kudankulam coastal waters, Gulf of Mannar (east coast of India)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2009

S. Satheesh*
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil-629003, Tamil Nadu, India
S. Godwin Wesley
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil-629003, Tamil Nadu, India
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: S. Satheesh, Department of Zoology, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil-629003, Tamil Nadu, India email: satheesh_s2005@yahoo.co.in
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Abstract

The vertical distribution of fouling communities in Kudankulam coastal waters was studied for a period of one year (January to December 2005) by suspending wooden test panels at 1 m, 4 m and 7 m depths. Panels were submerged on short-term duration (15 days) and long-term basis (cumulative). The fouling organisms observed were barnacles, mussels, ascidians, polychaetes, amphipods and seaweeds. Recruitment was observed on the panels throughout the year with a considerable variation in relation to time and depth. On the short-term series, the fouling biomass varied from 0.218 to 1.23 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 1 m, 0.23 to 4.72 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 4 m and 0.241 to 5.66 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 7 m depths. The biomass of the fouling community that colonized on the long-term panels ranged between 0.79 and 35 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 1 m, 3.72 and 58.2 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 4 m and 0.241 and 55.9 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 7 m depths. At 1 m depth, macro-algae, ascidians (Botryllus tuberatus and Diplosoma sp.) and amphipods were the dominant species. Barnacles, tube worms and ascidians (Didemnum spp.) were abundant on the 4 m and 7 m depth panels. In general, the fouling community recruitment was higher at 4 m than 1 m and 7 m depths.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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