The effects of initiation season on succession patterns of benthic fouling organisms in coastal waters from two regions

Abstract

Biofouling is the accumulation of organisms on artificial surfaces in the marine environment, with considerable ecological and economic effects. Thus, in-depth understanding of community succession is required to predict and combat this issue. However, various environmental factors, including temporal factors, can change the succession pattern. In this study, succession experiments were sequentially initiated during different seasons to verify the impact of initiation timing on the development and succession patterns of the fouling community. The initiation time (i.e., starting season for incubation) did not affect the succession pattern in Gunsan, whereas it did in Yeosu. Early and late succession in Gunsan were dominated by Ciona robusta and Mytilus galloprovincialis, respectively. This result is similar to the classical concept of succession. In contrast, bivalves, barnacles, and solitary ascidians were dominant in early succession and continued to colonize until late succession in Yeosu. Temporal factors had a substantial influence on the succession patterns of fouling organisms, depending on the presence or absence of dominant species. Further understanding of the impact of initiation timings on the succession of fouling organisms can enable prediction and control of community colonization, thereby reducing the ecological and economic impact of biofouling.