Effects of organic pollution on the initial development of fouling communities in a tropical bay, Brazil

Transplantation of artificial panels between a polluted and an unpolluted site was used to evaluate eutrophication effects on the development of fouling communities in Ilha Grande Bay, SE Brazil. Organic pollution changed the relative dominance of species in the fouling communities of transplanted panels, although, their richness, evenness, and specific composition did not change. The chlorophyte Ulva sp. occurred only in the polluted site and in panels transplanted to it, whereas the bryozoan Aetea lingulata was found only in the unpolluted site and in panels transplanted to this site. These species are therefore good pollution indicators. The best pollution indicators, however, were amphipods and Spionidae polychaetes which formed mucous tubes. These groups had significantly higher values of percent cover (p < 0.0001) in the polluted site and in panels transferred to it. The dominance shift is the first evidence that more meaningful changes can occur in the structure of fouling communities on a long-term scale. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.