Biofouling community composition and biomass on a tropical oyster culture in an Amazon estuary, Para state, northern Brazil

Biofouling affects global aquaculture with significant impacts on productivity and profitability, especially in marine shellfish culture, where both the target culture species and/or infrastructure are exposed to a diverse array of fouling organisms. In oyster culture, fouling of stock causes physical damage, mechanical interference, biological competition and environmental modification, with infrastructure also colonized. The present study describes the composition of the biofouling community inhabiting the surface of the mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae, cultivated in an Amazon estuary, in the state of Pará, northern Brazil. In total, 6,124 macroinvertebrates were collected during July, August, October and December 2013. Collected epifauna was represented by 5 groups (Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Polychaeta, Crustacea and Anthozoa), 20 families and 37 species. Bivalvia was the most abundant class, with the mussel Mytella charruana by far the most dominant species with 5,183 individuals. Knowledge about the composition of biofouling as well as identifying the main species that cause direct impacts allows more tailored and strategic management options, minimizing the often-significant costs associated with biofouling control (antifouling).

生物污损（Biofouling）对全球水产养殖影响显著，严重制约生产力与经济效益，尤其在海洋贝类养殖中——目标养殖物种及/或养殖设施均暴露于多样的污损生物环境中。在牡蛎养殖中，养殖个体的污损会导致物理损伤、机械干扰、生物竞争及环境改变，养殖设施亦会被污损生物附着。本研究描述了栖息于巴西北部帕拉州亚马逊河口养殖的红树牡蛎（Crassostrea rhizophorae）表面的生物污损群落组成。2013年7月、8月、10月及12月期间，共采集到6124个大型无脊椎动物个体。采集的底上动物（epifauna）分属5个类群——双壳纲（Bivalvia）、腹足纲（Gastropoda）、多毛纲（Polychaeta）、甲壳纲（Crustacea）及珊瑚纲（Anthozoa），涵盖20科37种。双壳纲为最优势类群，其中贻贝Mytella charruana数量最多，达5183个个体，是绝对优势种。了解生物污损群落组成及识别直接造成影响的主要物种，有助于制定更具针对性的策略性管理方案，从而降低生物污损控制（防污，antifouling）相关的高额成本。