Development and Succession of Non-Indigenous and Cryptogenic Species over Two Different Substrates in the Port of Alicante (Western Mediterranean)

Artificial structures act as points of entry for non-indigenous species (NIS) in port areas and may support higher abundance and richness of them. The studies about NIS are increasing, but studies focusing on the variations in temporal recruitment and ecological mechanisms are still scarce. Thus, th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of marine science and engineering 2024-07, Vol.12 (7), p.1188
Main Authors: Carmona-Rodríguez, Alejandro, Antón, Carlos, Climent, Miguel-Ángel, Garcés, Pedro, Montiel, Vicente, Arroyo-Martínez, Elisa, Ramos-Esplá, Alfonso A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
alien species
Biodiversity
Biofouling
carbonated structures
Carbonation
Habitats
Harbors
Immersion
Indigenous species
Introduced species
Native organisms
Native species
New records
Ports
sessile invertebrate
Species richness
Steel
Submerging
Substrates
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Summary:Artificial structures act as points of entry for non-indigenous species (NIS) in port areas and may support higher abundance and richness of them. The studies about NIS are increasing, but studies focusing on the variations in temporal recruitment and ecological mechanisms are still scarce. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the colonization and development of non-indigenous sessile fouling species over two types of substrates (electrolytic carbonated and steel) during 12 months of immersion in the Alicante harbor. The biofouling communities of both substrates were analyzed in terms of abundance and species richness by status (native, cryptogenic, and NIS), and NIS assemblages of both substrates were studied by means of multivariate analyses. In total, 53 different species were identified, 38 in steel (six NIS and six cryptogenic) and 50 in the carbonated substrate (six NIS and 10 cryptogenic). Most NIS were more abundant and diverse after 9 months of immersion and had a preference for carbonated substrates. Furthermore, most of them were positively correlated in both substrates (mainly in steel) and it is noted that the number of NIS in the port of Alicante is increasing as new records have been detected.
ISSN:2077-1312
2077-1312
DOI:10.3390/jmse12071188