Importance of Test Coupons in the Assessment of Marine Biofouling Community Development in Coastal Waters of Bombay, India

Abstract

Recruitment of one or more members of bryozoans, balanids, polychaetes and hydrozoans occurred almost simultaneously on all the 3 coupons (substrates) tested within first 15 d exposure. The species composition all through 60 d immersion, on all the substrates, remained generally the same. The emergence of a dominant community did not occur through a process of succession but was entirely dependent on the preponderance of 1 or 2 species endemic to the station. Hydroides norvegica showed no preference to any particular area. Balanus amphitrite preferred a larger coupon to smaller one and hydroids very conclusively preferred smaller coupon to larger one. The study clearly brought out that if not the recruitment of the larvae, the sustained adhesion and growth of the fouling organisms depended on the nature of the substratum. It is suggested that a uniform choice of coupon material as well as uniform criteria of assessment will permit the comparison of biofouling data generated even at distantly located marine sites.