Colonization of marine foulants at a power plant site

Abstract

Observations were made on the colonization of test panels (8×5 cm) by fouling organisms in the coastal waters and the cooling circuit (forebay) of Madras Atomic Power Station for a year. In coastal waters, hydroids settled as a pioneer species followed by barnacles and ascidians, whereas at the forebay, sea anemones were the important settlers. Species abundance, diversity indices and fouling biomass showed relatively low values at the forebay as compared to coastal waters. Species richness however was more in forebay than in coastal waters. Low species diversity with high species richness indices observed at the forebay could be attributed to species selection under altered environmental factors (chlorine levels, high flow rates and lack of predators).