Ar. Davis et Ga. White, EPIBIOSIS IN A GUILD OF SESSILE SUBTIDAL INVERTEBRATES IN SOUTH-EASTERN AUSTRALIA - A QUANTITATIVE SURVEY, Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology, 177(1), 1994, pp. 1-14
We report the first quantitative survey of the degree to which a guild
of subtidal invertebrates was fouled by macro-organisms. Twenty commo
n invertebrate species from five sites on the exposed rocky coast of s
outh-eastern Australia were included in the survey. The survey focusse
d on representatives from four phyla, namely; ascidians (9), a bryozoa
n (1), coelenterates (2) and sponges (8). An indication of temporal va
riation in fouling was obtained by quantifying the number and cover of
fouling organisms in autumn and spring. Considerable variation in fou
ling was apparent between species. Only 3 species (2 colonial ascidian
s and a coelenterate) competely lacked epibionts, while the highest co
ver of foulers was observed on solitary ascidians; in one instance the
mean cover of epibionts exceeded 98% on Pyura spinifera. Significant
temporal variation in the cover or number of fouling organisms was obs
erved for 7 of the species examined. Significant increases in cover du
ring the spring sampling period were attributable to a greater cover o
f non-calcareous algae, tube-dwelling spionid polychaetes or hydroids.
The quantitative data presented here are in close agreement with publ
ished, qualitative data collected in Bermuda, but reveal some discrepa
ncies with other qualitative data on fouling from the western Meditter
anean.