Fouling communities on neighboring artificial and natural reefs in Zhu Island, Pearl River estuary

We investigated the fouling communities on neighboring artificial and natural reefs in Zhu Island in September, 2011 by situ diving. A total of 68 species of fouling organisms were identified, which are mostly tropical-subtropical warm-water species, and Balanus reticulatus, Hydroides elegans and Pinctada martensi are the dominant species. The number of species and biomass of fouling organisms on the artificial reefs which had been placed for 6 months is significantly different from that on the natural reefs, while the difference between the artificial and natural reefs placed for one year diminished with no significant difference in biomass. The Cluster analysis show that Zhu Island has 2 fouling communities: one is the artificial and natural reefs placed for one year, and the other is the fouling organisms on the artificial reefs placed for 6 months. Community succession of fouling organisms had changed the surface construction of artificial reefs and increased the spatial heterogeneity, so the fouling communities deposited on artificial reefs in the past may gradually be deposited on natural reefs.