Abstract
A fouling study was conducted in coastal waters southwest of the East China Sea between December 2013 and November 2014. A total of 84 species of fouling organisms belonging to 69 genera, 49 families, and 10 phyla were recorded over the entire year. The community composition was dominated by coastal warm-water species belonging to typical subtropical inner bay communities. The prosperous stage of settlement lasted from April to September, and the adhesion strength of the fouling organisms was the highest in summer. Sessile suspension feeders constituted the main core of settlement for the fouling community. Amphibalanus reticulatus was the most dominant and representative species of fouling organism, and other dominant species included Caprella equilibra, Ectopleura crocea, Anthopleura nigrescens, Stylochus ijimai, Spirobranchus kraussii, Crassostrea angulata, Perna viridis, Jassa falcata, Stenothoe valida, Sphaerozius nitidus, and Biflustra grandicella. The individuals in the fouling community showed a mutual dependence or constraint relationship due to competition for settlement space and food, and they exhibited a particular spatiotemporal distribution in accordance with adaptation to environmental factors. Temperature was the most important environmental factor determining the geographic distribution of fouling organisms. The temperature characteristics of species essentially reflect the differences in the fouling community composition in various climate zones. The species number, settlement stage, and settlement rate of fouling organisms are closely related to water temperature. Local natural environmental conditions (salinity, water currents, light, etc.) as well as human activity (such as aquaculture production) are all important factors affecting the settlement of fouling organisms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Muhanna K, Habib K. 2016. Marine bio-fouling of different alloys exposed to continuous flowing fresh seawater by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society, 20(4): 391–396
Cai Ruxing, Huang Zongguo. 1988. Studies on the orientation of cirripedes: II. Orientation on hosts and natural habitats. Oceanologia et Limnologia Sinica (in Chinese), 19(4): 321–328
Callow M E. 1990. Ship fouling: problems and solutions. Chemistry & Industry, 5: 123–127
Cao Wenhao, Yan Tao, Li Zufu, et al. 2013. Fouling acorn barnacles in China—a review. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 31(4): 699–711
Greene J K, Grizzle R E. 2007. Successional development of fouling communities on open ocean aquaculture fish cages in the western Gulf of Maine, USA. Aquaculture, 262(2–4): 289–301
Huang Zongguo. 2008. Marine Fouling and Its Prevention (II) (in Chinese). Bei**g: China Ocean Press, 79–186
Huang Zongguo, Cai Ruxing. 1984. Marine Fouling and Its Prevention (I) (in Chinese). Bei**g: China Ocean Press, 61–352
Jumars P A, Dorgan K M, Lindsay S M. 2015. Diet of worms emended: an update of Polychaete feeding guilds. Annual Review of Marine Science, 7: 497–520
Lee S Y. 1988. The reproductive cycle and sexuality of the green mussel Perna viridis (L.) (Bivalvia: Mytilacea) in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 54(3): 317–323
Li **g, Yan Tao, Cao Wenhao, et al. 2010. Advances in research of marine fouling in offshore areas. Marine Science Bulletin (in Chinese), 29(1): 113–119
Lin Heshan, Wang Jianjun, Zheng Chengxing, et al. 2012. Ecological research of marine fouling in Dongshan Bay, China. Haiyang Xuebao (in Chinese), 34(6): 160–169
Lin Heshan, Wang Jianjun, Zheng Chengxing, et al. 2014. Marine fouling in Quanzhou Bay, China. Haiyang Xuebao (in Chinese), 36(4): 100–109
Macdonald T A, Burd B J, Macdonald V I, et al. 2010. Taxonomic and feeding guild classification for the marine benthic macroinvertebrates of the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. In: Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 69
Maruzzo D, Conlan S, Aldred N, et al. 2011. Video observation of surface exploration in cyprids of Balanus amphitrite: the movements of antennular sensory setae. Biofouling, 27(2): 225–239
Nair K K C, Anger K. 1979. Experimental studies on the life cycle of Jassa falcata (Crustacea, Amphipoda). Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen, 32(4): 444–452
Oricchio F T, Flores A A V, Dias G M. 2016. The importance of predation and predator size on the development and structure of a subtropical fouling community. Hydrobiologia, 776(1): 209–219
Pinkas L, Oliphant M S, Iverson I L K. 1971. Food habits of albacore, Bluefin tuna, and bonito in California waters. Fish Bulletin, 152: 1–105
Pradhan N N, Gohad N V, Orihuela B, et al. 2011. Development of an automated algorithm for tracking and quantifying barnacle cyprid settlement behavior. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 410: 21–28
Qvarfordt S, Kautsky H, Malm T. 2006. Development of fouling communities on vertical structures in the Baltic Sea. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 67(4): 618–628
Sammarco P W, Atchison A D, Boland G S. 2004. Expansion of coral communities within the northern Gulf of Mexico via offshore oil and gas platforms. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 280: 129–143
Tasso M, Conlan S L, Clare A S, et al. 2012. Active enzyme nanocoatings affect settlement of Balanus amphitrite barnacle cyprids. Advanced Functional Materials, 22(1): 39–47
Third Institute of Oceanography State Oceanic Administration. 1990. Collections of Papers on Marine Ecology in the Daya Bay (II) (in Chinese). Bei**g: China Ocean Press, 478–488
Wetzel M A, Scholle J, Teschke K. 2014. Artificial structures in sediment-dominated estuaries and their possible influences on the ecosystem. Marine Environmental Research, 99: 125–135
Yan Tao, Li Zufu, Hu Yufeng, et al. 2012. A review on the balanomorph barnacles in the coastal waters of China. Acta Ecologica Sinica (in Chinese), 32(16): 5230–5241
Yan Tao, Yan Wenxia. 2003. Fouling of offshore structures in China—a review. Biofouling, 19(S1): 133–138
Yan T, Yan W X, Dong Y, et al. 2009. Marine fouling on floating installations west of Dongsha Islands, the northern South China Sea. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 63(8): 1079–1087
Yan T, Yan W X, Dong Y, et al. 2006. Marine fouling of offshore installations in the northern Beibu Gulf of China. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 58(2): 99–105
Yang Dazhang, Liu Jianhua, **aoxue E, et al. 2016. Experimental study of composition and influence factors on fouling of stainless steel and copper in seawater. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 94: 767–772
Zhang Hui, Cao Wenhao, Wu Zewen, et al. 2015. Biofouling on deepsea submersible buoy systems off **sha and Dongsha Islands in the northern South China Sea. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 104: 92–96
Zhang Yifan, Wang Guangchao, Ying Xu, et al. 2011. The effect of butenolide on behavioral and morphological changes in two marine fouling species, the barnacle Balanus amphitrite and the bryozoan Bugula neritina. Biofouling, 27(5): 467–475
Zubikarai M, Borja A, Muxika I. 2014. Assessment of benthic hard substratum communities responses to changes in the management of anthropogenic pressures in the Basque coast. Revista de Investigación Marina, 21(3): 40–88
Acknowledgements
The authors extend our appreciation to Zeng Zhi for the evaluation of hydrological parameters and to Kuang Weiming and Huo Yunlong for the turbidity data.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41176102 and 41306116.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lin, H., Wang, J., Liu, W. et al. Fouling community characteristics in subtropical coastal waters of the southwestern East China Sea. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 36, 70–78 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-017-1007-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-017-1007-1