Spatial variability of epibiotic assemblages on marina pontoons in Singapore

Berthing pontoons, one of the most ubiquitous structures in marinas, are known to provide recruitment substrate for a variety of marine biota but little has been reported on their capacity to support epibiotic organisms in tropical marinas, and even less is known about the factors that shape their d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Urban ecosystems 2017-02, Vol.20 (1), p.183-197
Main Authors: Toh, Kok Ben, Ng, Chin Soon Lionel, Wu, Bokai, Toh, Tai Chong, Cheo, Pei Rong, Tun, Karenne, Chou, Loke Ming
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Annelida
Biodiversity
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Coasts
Concrete
Ecology
Ecosystems
Environmental conditions
Environmental Management
Habitats
Human influences
Life Sciences
Marinas
Marine
Marine biology
Nature Conservation
Parasites
Shorelines
Studies
Urban Ecology
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Summary:Berthing pontoons, one of the most ubiquitous structures in marinas, are known to provide recruitment substrate for a variety of marine biota but little has been reported on their capacity to support epibiotic organisms in tropical marinas, and even less is known about the factors that shape their distribution in such environments. We surveyed the epibiotic assemblages on the sides of pontoons in three Singapore marinas and examined the environmental conditions that influenced their distribution. A total of 94 taxa were recorded, with each marina hosting 43–65 taxa. Assemblages among marinas were highly distinct, and, key discriminants included components of biotic (alcyonarians, hexacorallians, bivalves, and annelids), as well as abiotic (sediment, bare area and shell fragments) origin. While the assemblage variation among marinas was influenced by local environmental conditions (e.g. water motion and sedimentation rate) and pontoon material, the variation in distribution within each marina was best explained by the distance of the pontoons from the marina’s entrance (epibiotic diversity and taxa richness were lower away from the marina entrance). Knowledge on the distribution of epibiotic assemblages on pontoons is essential to identify the factors that contribute to spatial variation and encourage the design and construction of ecologically-friendly marinas. Our findings suggest that improvements to pontoon design and layout would help to augment marina biodiversity, enhance the ecology of urbanised coasts, and mitigate development impacts.
ISSN:1083-8155
1573-1642
DOI:10.1007/s11252-016-0589-2