Fouling Community Characteristics in Sea Cage Farms in Leizhou Bay, China

From January to December 2022, a study on biofouling was conducted in the southeast wharf of Leizhou Bay. Over a year, a total of 44 species were recorded, belonging to 10 phyla. The dominant species in the community were coastal warm-water organisms typical of subtropical inner bay environments. The peak settlement period occurred between April and September, with the highest adhesion strength observed in summer. Among the dominant and representative species, Perna viridis stood out, followed by Podocerus brasiliensis, Crassostrea ariakensis, Musculus senhousei, Dreissena polymorphia, Caprella equilibra, Gammaropsis digitata, Stenothoe gallensis, Parhyale hawaiensis, Amphibalanus reticulatus, EnteromorpHa prolifera, Gracilaria bailinae, and Pennaria disticha. Due to competition for settlement space and food, individuals in the biofouling community exhibited mutual dependence or restraint and displayed a specific spatiotemporal distribution pattern adapted to environmental factors. Temperature was the most crucial environmental factor determining the geographic distribution of biofouling species, reflecting the differences in community composition across various climate zones. The number of species, settlement stage, and settlement rate of biofouling organisms were closely tied to water temperature. Additionally, local natural conditions such as salinity, dissolved oxygen, and light, as well as human activities such as aquaculture production, played significant roles in the settlement of biofouling organisms.