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<p>The accumulation and colonization of fouling organisms pose significant challenges to submerged structures in the Arabian Sea, leading to economic losses and reduced operational lifespans. Lakshadweep, situated in the southeastern Arabian Sea, harbors diverse marine flora and fauna but remains underexplored for biofouling studies. This study examined macrofouling communities across five islands of Lakshadweep (Kavaratti, Agatti, Minicoy, Bitra, and Andrott) in three habitats, <i>viz.,</i> tetrapod, boat jetty, and rocky intertidal regions between December 2021 and May 2022 using the random quadrat method. Diversity and distribution were analyzed using indices such as Shannon-Weiner (<i>H’</i>), Pielou's evenness (<i>J’</i>), Margalef index (<i>D’</i>), Bray–Curtis similarity, and NMDS. A total of 7 phyla, 40 orders, 59 families, and 99 species of macrofoulers were identified. The highest Shannon-Weiner index (<i>H’</i> = 4.56) and Margalef index (<i>D’</i> = 20.81) were recorded at Kavaratti, while Bitra showed the lowest values (<i>H’</i> = 4.17, <i>D’</i> = 15.33). Among habitats, species was highest in the rocky intertidal region (74 species), followed by the jetty (55 species) and tetrapod (37 species). Hierarchical clustering revealed the highest similarity between Kavaratti and Agatti (94.6%) and the lowest between Minicoy and Bitra (7%). Notably, <i>Bunodosoma</i> cf. <i>goanense</i> was newly recorded from four islands. This study provides the first assessment of macrofouling diversity on artificial structures in the southeastern Arabian Sea, offering valuable insights into biofouling communities in this region.</p>

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Unveiling the Macrofouling Communities of the Lakshadweep Archipelago, Indian Ocean: A Preliminary Study

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年4月12日

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  • Mohammed Siyad P.V.P.,
  • Davood Nihal,
  • Divya Alex M,
  • Prabhakaran M.P

摘要

The accumulation and colonization of fouling organisms pose significant challenges to submerged structures in the Arabian Sea, leading to economic losses and reduced operational lifespans. Lakshadweep, situated in the southeastern Arabian Sea, harbors diverse marine flora and fauna but remains underexplored for biofouling studies. This study examined macrofouling communities across five islands of Lakshadweep (Kavaratti, Agatti, Minicoy, Bitra, and Andrott) in three habitats, viz., tetrapod, boat jetty, and rocky intertidal regions between December 2021 and May 2022 using the random quadrat method. Diversity and distribution were analyzed using indices such as Shannon-Weiner (H’), Pielou's evenness (J’), Margalef index (D’), Bray–Curtis similarity, and NMDS. A total of 7 phyla, 40 orders, 59 families, and 99 species of macrofoulers were identified. The highest Shannon-Weiner index (H’ = 4.56) and Margalef index (D’ = 20.81) were recorded at Kavaratti, while Bitra showed the lowest values (H’ = 4.17, D’ = 15.33). Among habitats, species was highest in the rocky intertidal region (74 species), followed by the jetty (55 species) and tetrapod (37 species). Hierarchical clustering revealed the highest similarity between Kavaratti and Agatti (94.6%) and the lowest between Minicoy and Bitra (7%). Notably, Bunodosoma cf. goanense was newly recorded from four islands. This study provides the first assessment of macrofouling diversity on artificial structures in the southeastern Arabian Sea, offering valuable insights into biofouling communities in this region.