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Distribution and diversity of macrofoulers in the coastal areas of Port Blair,

Andaman and Nicobar islands

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Int. J. Environ. Res., 9(4):1315-1324, Autumn 2015
ISSN: 1735-6865

Distribution and Diversity of Macrofoulers in the Coastal Areas of Port Blair,

Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Deepa, S.1*, Sathish, T.1, Vinithkumar, N. V.1, Limna Mol, V.P.2 and Kirubagaran, R.2

1
Andaman and Nicobar Centre for Ocean Science and Technology, Earth System Science
Organisation (ESSO)-National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences,
Government of India, Port Blair 744103, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India
2
ESSO-National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India,
Pallikaranai, Chennai 600100, Tamil Nadu, India

Received 6 May 2014; Revised 28 June 2015; Accepted 30 June 2015

ABSTRACT: Flora and fauna of rocky coastal habitats are versatile in adapting to the prevalent tidal fluctua-
tions. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the diversity of fouling and associated species around the
Port Blair coastal areas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Except TSS, the hydrographical parameters (tempera-
ture, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen) did not significantly vary among the 5 selected stations. Fifty one
species of macrofoulers were recorded belonging to macroalgae (8 species), porifera (1 species), cnidaria (9
species), bryozoa (3 species), polychaete (5 species), crustacea (6 species), mollusca (15 species), echinoderm
(2 species), and tunicate (2 species). The species Balanus amphitrite, Tetraclita squamosa and Saccostrea
cuccullata were dominant in all the stations. The maximum macrofoulers density was observed at Chatham (95
± 0.81 individuals/m2) and the minimum (30 ± 4.49 individuals/m2) at Minnie Bay. Cluster analysis and principal
component analysis indicated that arthropds and molluscs are predominant in the fouling community.

Key words: Macrofoulers, Biofouling, Diversity, Distribution, A & N Islands

INTRODUCTION
Attachment is a way of life for many organisms in health of the coastal ecosystem.
the marine environment. However, when such organ- The Andaman and Nicobar (A & N) archipelago is
isms colonise structures of interest to man, it is referred one of the mega biodiversity hotspots of India with
to as 'biofouling'. The sequence of biofouling includes high endemism. The archipelago consists of 572 is-
a primary microfouling phase, followed by the second- lands, located in the Bay of Bengal, lying between 6°45'-
ary macrofouling assemblage. The key macrofouling or- 13°45' N and 92°12'-93°57' E in the Indo-Burmese
ganisms include algae, ascidians, barnacles, bryozoans, microplate junction. The islands spread over a distance
hydroids, mussels, and serpulids (Salta et al., 2009). of 1120 km with a coast line of about 1962 km, are a
Macrofouling can be categorised as 'soft fouling' or typical example of a tropical ecosystem with high hu-
'hard fouling' depending on the nature of the attached midity (82%) and an annual rainfall of 300 cm. The tem-
organisms. Soft fouling comprises macroalgae and in- perature in the islands ranged between 22 and 32°C.
vertebrates such as soft corals, sponges, anemones, The islands have 106 protected areas which include 96
tunicates and hydroids, while hard foulers are inverte- wildlife sanctuaries, 9 national parks, 1 biosphere re-
brates such as barnacles, mussels and tubeworms. Al- serve and 2 marine national parks (Jeyabaskaran, 1999).
though a lot of research has been carried out on The tropical wet evergreen forest is seen throughout
biofouling organisms, most of the studies were focused the islands on higher altitudes and the moist decidu-
on developing control strategies (Dehmordi et al., 2011). ous forests are found on the slopes. Though these
However, the fouling organisms are an intergral part of islands are submerged mountain peaks, many of the
intertidal rocky ecosystems and their diversity and abun- coastal areas are rocky and provide good habitat for
dance plays an important role in determining the overall numerous sedentary marine organisms.
*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

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 Deepa, S. et al.

The present study was undertaken to explore the et al., 1984) and temperature by mercury thermometer.
distribution and diversity of macrofoulers along the The TSS was estimated by filtration of 1L of sea
coastal areas of Port Blair, South Andaman, A & N Is- water in dried and pre-weighed Millipore Glass Fibre
lands, India. Macrofoulers being a prominent commu- prefilters. After filtration the papers were dried and the
nity in rocky coasts, the influence of environmental TSS was calculated based on the difference in initial
parameters on the prevailing species was also explored. and final weight and expressed in mg/l.
Cluster analysis (CA) and principal component
MATERIALS & METHODS
analyses (PCA) were employed to assess the distribu-
Minnie Bay (11°38'38.89'' N ; 92°42'26.85'' E),
tion and diversity of fouling community in the study
Chatham (11°40'59.49'' N ; 92°43'26.59'' E), Phoenix Bay
area. The hierarchical agglomerative CA was performed
(11°40'33.83'' N; 92°43'51.59'' E), Science centre
on the normalized data set by means of the Ward's
(11°39'15.76'' N ; 92°45'25.96'' E) and Corbyn's Cove
method, using squared Euclidean distances as a mea-
(11°38'28.65'' N ; 92°44'48.93'' E) around Port Blair were
sure of similarity (Simeonov et al., 2003; Boyacioglu,
the five areas selected for the study (Fig. 1) during the
2008 and Mendiguchia et al., 2007). To analyse the cor-
post-monsoon period of November 2012.
relation among the stations as well as biofoulers in the
Rocky areas as well as man-made surfaces were study sites, a principal component analysis was em-
evaluated and the marine macrofoulers were counted ployed. In this method the original variables would be
by quadrate method (100 cm x 100 cm, 3 replicates). The transformed into new; uncorrelated variables (axes)
fouling organisms were collected and preserved in for- called the principal components, which are linear com-
malin (5%) for identification. The collected organisms binations of the original variables. The principal com-
were identified based on the keys and species recorded ponent (PC) can be expressed as
by Tikader et al. (1985, 1986), Dance (1992), Fernando
(2006) and Franklin and Laladhas (2014). The water
quality parameters such as pH, salinity, dissolved oxy-
gen (DO), temperature and total suspended solids (TSS) Where Z = component score, pc= component loading,
were analysed. The pH was determined by digital pH x = measured value of the variable, i = component num-
probe (Cyberscan PCD 5500), salinity by refractometer, ber, j = sample number and m = total number of vari-
dissolved oxygen (DO) by Winkler's method (Parsons ables (Singh et al., 2005).

Fig. 1. Map showing the study stations: Minnie Bay, Chatham, Phoenix Bay, Science center and Corbyn's Cove

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 Int. J. Environ. Res., 9(4):1315-1324, Autumn 2015

RESULTS & DISCUSSION The dominant species was Balanus amphitrite followed
The biodiversity of an ecosystem is always influ- by Tetraclita squamosa and Saccostrea cuccullata.
enced by its environmental and geographical factors These species also displayed similar pattern in other
and the A & N Islands are an unique ecosystem with stations. The molluscs and arthropods were the major
rich marine diversity, especially the coastal areas. The foulers in all the stations (Fig. 3).
rocky coasts found in the A & N Islands harbour a rich
The station, Minnie Bay with low species density
diversity of flora and fauna, most of which are fouling
(30 ± 4.49 individuals/m2) and relatively high TSS (28.7
(sedentary) in nature. A lot of motile forms like crabs
mg/l) in water, indicates that the water quality influ-
and amphipods are also found in concurrence with the
ences the fouling assemblage of a given site. Similarly,
fouling species. The biodiversity of biofoulers varies
it was observed that the muddy shore nature of Minnie
according to the environmental conditions (light, nu-
Bay is not supporting the succession of diversity of
trients, temperature, salinity, flow rates) and geographi-
macrofoulers. The stations Chatham and Science cen-
cal locations. Tropical and sub-tropical areas are sub-
tre were abundant in fouling dwellers due to the rocky
jected to minor variation of water temperature and level
coast. The relatively low TSS content could also have
of lights and thus have been reported to face a high
supported the settlers. Chatham had the highest spe-
pressure of fouling due to the continuous reproduc-
cies density (95 ± 0.81 individuals/m2) while Science
tion period of macroalgae and invertebrates (Hellio,
centre had the highest species diversity (total 42 spe-
2010). The present study showed no significant varia-
cies). The high species density in Chatham was due to
tion in the physiochemical parameters of the selected
the high incidence of gastropods on this extensively
stations around Port Blair. The physiochemical param-
rocky site, while the rich diversity in Science centre can
eters such as water temperature, salinity, pH, DO and
be attributed to the occurrence of varied species of
TSS ranged between 29.0 and 29.7°C, 32.19 and 32.80
anthozoans and bryozoans in this area (Table 2). The
PSU, 8.12 and 8.19, 6.10 and 6.75 mg/l and 25.65 and
presence of dominant species such as Balanus
28.7 mg/l, respectively, in the five stations (Table 1).
amphitrite, Tetraclita squamosa and Saccostrea
Except TSS, which showed minor variation, all other cuccullata in all the stations indicated the develop-
parameters exhibited a similar trend in the different study ment of a climax community of hard foulers in the eco-
sites. system. This observation is in accordance with earlier
studies wherein barnacles have been reported to be
A total of 51 species were recorded (Table 2) dur-
the most important component of macrofouling assem-
ing the current study, pertaining to the heterogeneous
blage (Nair, 1965; Satpathy, 1996; Sahu et al., 2011).The
group of macrofoulers, including macroalgae (8 spe-
CA dendrogram shows the group similarity between
cies), porifera (1 species), cnidarians (9 species), bryo-
different stations (Fig. 4). It was observed that Phoenix
zoans (3 species), polychaetes (5 species), crustaceans
Bay and Minnie Bay stations are one group and all the
(6 species), molluscans (15 species), echinoderms (2
other stations are different from each other. The spatial
species) and tunicates (2 species). The maximum spe-
similarity dendrogram grouped the biofoulers (Fig. 5)
cies diversity was recorded at Science centre with 42
into two with significant difference between the clus-
species and the minimum at Minnie bay with 15 spe-
ters.
cies.
The maximum species density (95 ± 0.81 individu- Arthropods and molluscs were grouped as one and
als/m2) was recorded in the Chatham and the minimum the remaining organisms formed another group. Hierar-
(30 ± 4.49 individuals/m2) was in Minnie Bay (Fig. 2). chical agglomerative clustering is the most common

Table 1. Hydrographical parameters of selected sites of Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Hydrogr aphical STA TIONS

par amet er s
M innie Bay Chat ham Phoe nix Bay Science Centre Corbyn’s
Cove
Temperature (°C) 29.50 29 .10 29.20 29.00 29 .70
Salinity (PSU) 32.19 32 .50 32.20 32.80 32 .40
pH 8.17 8.19 8.12 8.13 8.18
DO ( mg/l) 6.10 6.72 6.74 6.75 6.25

TSS (mg/l) 28.7 25 .65 26.12 25.82 27 .50

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 Diversity of Macrofoulers

Table 2. Macrofoulers of Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Sl. Minnie Phoenix Science Corbyn

BIOFOULERS Chatham
No Bay Bay Centre ‘s Cove

MACROALGAE
PHAEOPHYCEAE
Family DICTYOTACEAE
1 Dictyota dichotoma (Hudson) + + + +

2 Padina pavonica (Linnaeus) + +

3 Padina tetrastromatica Hauck. + + +

Family SARGASSACEA
4 Sargassum duplicatum J.Agardh + +

5 Sargassum cinereum J.Agardh +

Sargassum ilicifolium (Turner) C.
6 + + + +
Agardh 1820
RHODOPHYCEAE
Family GALAXAURACEAE
Actinotrichia fargilis (Forsskal)
7 + +
Boergesen
Family RHZOPHYLLIDACEAE
Portieria hornemannii (Lyngbye) P.
8 +
Silva
PHYLUM PORIFERA

Class Demospongiae

9 Haliclona cribricutis (Dendy,1922) +

PHYLUM CNIDARIA

Class Hydrozoa

10 Clytia noliformis (McCrady, 1859) + +

11 Obelia longissima (Pallas, 1766) + + + + +

Class Anthozoa

12 Metridium sp. + + + +

13 Hydratinia sp. + +

14 Porites lobata Dana, 1846 +

15 Porites sp. +
Favites abdita (Ellis & Solander,
16 +
1786)
17 Favia sp. +
Sarcophyton trocheliophorum Von
18 +
Marenzeller, 1886

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 Int. J. Environ. Res., 9(4):1315-1324, Autumn 2015

Table 2. Macrofoulers of Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

PHYLUM ANNELIDA
Class Polychaeta
19 Chaetopterus variopedatus Renier, 1804 + +
20 Syllid sp. + +
21 Tomopteris sp. + + + + +
22 Eunice sp. +
23 Nereis sp. +
PHYLUM ARTHROPODA
Class Crustacea
24 Balanus amphitrite Darwin, 1854 + + + + +
25 Balanus reticulatus Utinomi, 1967 + + + +
26 Tetraclita squamosa (Gmelin, 1790) + + + + +
27 Dardanus deformis (H. Milne Edwards, 1836) + + + + +
28 Dardanus sp. + + + + +
29 Dotilla sp. + +
PHYLUM MOLLUSCS
Class Gastropoda
30 Littorina scabra (Linnaeus, 1758) + + + + +
31 Nerita polita Linnaeus, 1758 + +
32 Nerita albicilla Linnaeus, 1758 + + +
33 Nerita chamaeleon Linnaeus, 1758 + +
34 Nerita sp. + + + + +
35 Nerita costata Gmelin, 1791 + + + +
36 Natica didyma (Roding, 1798) +
37 Natica sp. + + + +
38 Cellana radiata (Born, 1778) + + + + +
39 Patella saccharina Linnaeus, 1758. +
40 Latirus belcheri. (Reeve, L.A., 1847) +
41 Latirus sp. +
42 Umbonium vestiarium (L.) + + +
Class Bivalvia
43 Pinctada radiata (Leach, 1814) +
44 Saccostrea cucullata (Born, 1778) + + + + +
PHYLUM ECTOPROCTA (BRYOZOA)
45 Membranipora Sp. + +
46 Bugula neritina (Linnaeus, 1758) + + +
47 Bugula stolonifera Ryland, 1960 +
PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA
48 Ophiocoma scolopendrina (Lamarck, 1816) +
49 Ophiocoma sp. +
PHYLUM CHORDATA
SUBPHYLUM TUNICATA
Class Ascidiacea
50 Lissoclinum fragile (Van Name, 1902) + +
51 Didemnum sp.

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 Deepa, S. et al.

Fig. 2. Macrofoulers density in the coastal regions areas around Port Blair

Fig. 3. Percentage of macrofoulers of different study sites around Port Bair

approach and provides intuitive similarity relationships a dramatic reduction in the dimensionality of the origi-
between any one sample and the entire data set (Iscen nal data.
et al., 2008). The dendrogram, thus confirms the rela- Due to the complexity of the relationships between
tive dominance of arthropods and molluscs in the the stations and biofoulers, it was difficult to draw
macrofouling community. The dendrogram also pro- clear conclusions directly. However, principal compo-
vides a visual summary of clustering processes, pre- nent analysis could extract the latent information and
senting a picture of the groups and their proximity, with explain the structure of the data on biofouling commu-

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 Int. J. Environ. Res., 9(4):1315-1324, Autumn 2015

Fig. 4. Cluster analysis dendrogram showing similarities between five stations

Fig. 5. Cluster analysis dendrogram showing various groups of biofoulers around Port Blair

1321
 Diversity of Macrofoulers

Fig. 6. The loading plot of five coastal sites Port Blair

Fig. 7. The scores plot of various groups of biofoulers around the stations

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 Int. J. Environ. Res., 9(4):1315-1324, Autumn 2015

nity in detail. Correlations among the stations as well this research work.
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