Comparison of biomass and percentage cover of sessile epibiota on the Poole bay artificial reef

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Abstract

The Poole Bay Artificial Reef (deployed June 1989) was the first artificial reef made of concrete and stabilised coal-waste blocks in the UK. In this study, percentage cover (determined by a laboratory-based random point method) and biomass lash-free dry weight) of sessile epibiota on reef blocks were recorded every 5-7 weeks from April to November, in 1990 and 1991. Biomass, w, was compared with percentage cover, L, for five categories of sessile epibiota on the 400 x 200 mm faces of the reef blocks. This resulted in the following regression equations (all p < 0.01): w = 1.70 (arcsin root L/100)(1.91), r(2) = 0.47 for ascidians; w = 7.94 (arcsin root L/100)(2.10), r(2) = 0.88 for eggs; w = 2.09 (arcsin root L/100)(3.26) r(2) = 0.71 for erect organisms; and w = 3.02 (arcsin root L/100)(2.65) r(2) = 0.60 for sponges. The slopes of these regression lines were not significantly different, however, the elevation for the eggs was significantly different to the other elevations. Thus a general relationship could not be derived. A significant regression could not be derived for encrusting organisms (barnacles, tube worms, molluscs and encrusting bryozoans).
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)55-62
JournalOphelia
Volume47
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 1997

Keywords

  • Community-development
  • artificial reef
  • biomass
  • epibenthic

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