Journal Article

The Abundance and Composition of Biofouling Associates in Subtropical Locations

Herfurth, Annemarie, Braga, Cierra, Hunsucker, Kelli

2024

Overview

Biofouling, the attachment of living organisms to manmade structures, is well-studied and known for its detrimental impacts. However, one of the benefits of biofouling is the formation of a habitat for mobile organisms comprising a range of sizes. The quantification and classification of these fouling associates is not well documented. The purpose of this study was to begin to identify common fouling associates located in a subtropical estuary. Settlement panels immersed at an estuarine location at the Merten's Center in Melbourne Florida and a high saline location at the Port Marina in Port Canaveral, FL were sampled to collect fouling associates from a range of size classes. Data will be used to compile a list of common fouling associates and to compare between locations. This will help to reveal important relationships between attached fouling organisms and the associates.

• Publisher: Florida Academy of Sciences, Inc
• Subject: Biofouling / Brackishwater environment / Estuaries / Estuarine dynamics / Fouling / Fouling organisms / Human-made structures / Organisms