Serpulid settlement on recruitment tiles in Baffin Bay, Texas from 2020-09-23 to 2023-03-10

Recruitment tile arrays were constructed and placed on the bay bottom at three locations adjacent to existing serpulid reef (within 600 m) in Baffin Bay, Texas. For each array, two 10 cm2 PVC tiles (3 mm thickness) were sanded and affixed with horizontal orientation to a sampling tray (0.45 x 0.30 m, 0.1 m height) using cable ties (= zip ties). On each tray, one tile was caged using a stainless-steel basket lined with 1 cm mesh, and one tile was left exposed. The purpose of the cages was to determine any effects of predation. Recruitment tile arrays were deployed on 23 September 2020 and retrieved and replaced quarterly for 18 months (December 2020 to March 2023). On each retrieval date, one set of caged and open tiles was collected and replaced with clean tiles. Retrieved tiles were preserved in 10% buffered formalin for future assessment of both top and bottom surfaces. The total number of tile replicates analyzed was 120: 2 caged treatments (caged and uncaged) x 2 vertical surfaces (top and bottom) x 3 locations (R1, R2, R3) x 10 dates.

研究人员于德克萨斯州巴芬湾（Baffin Bay）内三处紧邻现存龙介虫礁（serpulid reef，距离不超过600米）的站位，搭建并布设了生物招募瓦片阵列至海湾底床。每个阵列配备两块10平方厘米、厚度3毫米的聚氯乙烯（PVC）瓦片，经打磨处理后以水平朝向通过束线带（即扎带）固定于采样托盘（尺寸为0.45×0.30米，高度0.1米）之上。每个托盘上设置一块瓦片置于孔径1厘米的不锈钢网篮内进行笼养，另一块瓦片则保持暴露状态，该笼养装置的设置目的为探究捕食作用的相关影响。生物招募瓦片阵列于2020年9月23日完成布设，随后每季度进行一次回收与更换，整个实验周期为18个月（2020年12月至2023年3月）。每次回收当日，采集一套笼养与暴露瓦片，并更换为全新洁净瓦片。回收后的瓦片将保存于10%缓冲福尔马林溶液中，以供后续对其上下表面开展评估分析。本实验最终分析的瓦片重复样本总数为120份，计算方式为：2种笼养处理组（笼养与非笼养） × 2个垂直表面（上表面与下表面） × 3个站位（R1、R2、R3） × 10个采样日期。