(SERC) (Marraffini et al., 2017), PVC plates with a standardized surface area were deployed
in the two study sites. Two commercially available paints were selected: a traditional BC and
an alternative FR. In total, 48 PCV panels were deployed: 16 plates were coated with BC, 16
with FR and 16 uncoated. Plates were sanded and painted accordingly on one side, attached
to a brick ensuring downward orientation of the coated/sanded side and secured to docks,
submerged at 1 m depth. Half of the plates were periodically cleaned with sponges, simulating
in-water manual cleaning by boat owners; the remaining plates, instead, were left untouched.
The plates were retrieved after 3 and 9 months (T1 and T2, respectively) of submersion and
preserved in ethanol until their analysis in the lab. Presence or absence of organisms was
recorded to obtain values of coverage and species were identified to the lowest taxonomic
level possible.
Results
A total of 52 species were identified, being 43 native and 9 NIS. Regardless of the antifouling
treatment, all plates exhibited at least a few fouling species. The community structure showed
changes in its composition through time and among treatments. So does the coverage, being
control panels and maintenance panels completely covered already in T1, while all BC panels
show significantly lower coverage for that season. However, the coverage increases
significantly in all BC coated panels in T2. FR panels follow a similar trend to those uncoated.
In general, the abundance of NIS present in samples not subjected to maintenance was greater
than in samples that had been periodically cleaned, regardless of the coating.
Discussion and conclusion
This study shows that different antifouling management strategies have different effects
in terms of protection from biofouling and NIS. BC coating confirms effective in
preventing attachment more efficiently in short term, but fails to do so for longer
submersion periods. Although maintenance alone does not reduce biofouling, it does
affect the NIS community, being the only factor that reduced the number of NIS, on long
term as well. Although FR coating showed a similar trend to the uncoated panels, it must
be highlighted that the fouling community was weakly attached and easily removed. We
here identified some species exhibiting resistance to cleaning procedures and BC paint
that facilitate fouling development by providing substrate for secondary colonisers.
Bibliography
FLOERL O., INGLIS G.J., MARSH H.M. (2005) - Selectivity in vector management: an
investigation of the effectiveness of measures used to prevent transport of non-indigenous
species. Biol. Invasions, 7: 459–475.
MARRAFFINI M.L., ASHTON G.V., BROWN C.W., CHANG A.L., RUIZ G.M. (2017) -
Settlement plates as monitoring devices for non-indigenous species in marine fouling
communities. Manag. Biol. Invasions, 8(4): 559–566.
MILLER R.J., ADELEYE A.S., PAGE H.M., KUI L., LENIHAN H.S., KELLER A.A. (2020) -
Nano and traditional copper and zinc antifouling coatings: metal release and impact on marine
sessile invertebrate communities. J. Nanoparticle Res., 22: 129.
ULMAN A., FERRARIO J., FORCADA A., SEEBENS H., ARVANITIDIS C., OCCHIPINTI‐
AMBROGI A., MARCHINI A. (2019) - Alien species spreading via biofouling on recreational
vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. J. Appl. Ecol., 56(12): 2620-2629.
WEZEMBEEK J.M., MOERMOND C.T.A., SMIT C.E. (2018) - Antifouling systems for
pleasure boats: Overview of current systems and exploration of safer alternatives. National
Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Netherlands. RIVM Report 2018-0086.
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
120
in the two study sites. Two commercially available paints were selected: a traditional BC and
an alternative FR. In total, 48 PCV panels were deployed: 16 plates were coated with BC, 16
with FR and 16 uncoated. Plates were sanded and painted accordingly on one side, attached
to a brick ensuring downward orientation of the coated/sanded side and secured to docks,
submerged at 1 m depth. Half of the plates were periodically cleaned with sponges, simulating
in-water manual cleaning by boat owners; the remaining plates, instead, were left untouched.
The plates were retrieved after 3 and 9 months (T1 and T2, respectively) of submersion and
preserved in ethanol until their analysis in the lab. Presence or absence of organisms was
recorded to obtain values of coverage and species were identified to the lowest taxonomic
level possible.
Results
A total of 52 species were identified, being 43 native and 9 NIS. Regardless of the antifouling
treatment, all plates exhibited at least a few fouling species. The community structure showed
changes in its composition through time and among treatments. So does the coverage, being
control panels and maintenance panels completely covered already in T1, while all BC panels
show significantly lower coverage for that season. However, the coverage increases
significantly in all BC coated panels in T2. FR panels follow a similar trend to those uncoated.
In general, the abundance of NIS present in samples not subjected to maintenance was greater
than in samples that had been periodically cleaned, regardless of the coating.
Discussion and conclusion
This study shows that different antifouling management strategies have different effects
in terms of protection from biofouling and NIS. BC coating confirms effective in
preventing attachment more efficiently in short term, but fails to do so for longer
submersion periods. Although maintenance alone does not reduce biofouling, it does
affect the NIS community, being the only factor that reduced the number of NIS, on long
term as well. Although FR coating showed a similar trend to the uncoated panels, it must
be highlighted that the fouling community was weakly attached and easily removed. We
here identified some species exhibiting resistance to cleaning procedures and BC paint
that facilitate fouling development by providing substrate for secondary colonisers.
Bibliography
FLOERL O., INGLIS G.J., MARSH H.M. (2005) - Selectivity in vector management: an
investigation of the effectiveness of measures used to prevent transport of non-indigenous
species. Biol. Invasions, 7: 459–475.
MARRAFFINI M.L., ASHTON G.V., BROWN C.W., CHANG A.L., RUIZ G.M. (2017) -
Settlement plates as monitoring devices for non-indigenous species in marine fouling
communities. Manag. Biol. Invasions, 8(4): 559–566.
MILLER R.J., ADELEYE A.S., PAGE H.M., KUI L., LENIHAN H.S., KELLER A.A. (2020) -
Nano and traditional copper and zinc antifouling coatings: metal release and impact on marine
sessile invertebrate communities. J. Nanoparticle Res., 22: 129.
ULMAN A., FERRARIO J., FORCADA A., SEEBENS H., ARVANITIDIS C., OCCHIPINTI‐
AMBROGI A., MARCHINI A. (2019) - Alien species spreading via biofouling on recreational
vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. J. Appl. Ecol., 56(12): 2620-2629.
WEZEMBEEK J.M., MOERMOND C.T.A., SMIT C.E. (2018) - Antifouling systems for
pleasure boats: Overview of current systems and exploration of safer alternatives. National
Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Netherlands. RIVM Report 2018-0086.
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
120