Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, CIIMAR/CIMAR, Matosinhos, Portugal.
Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Sci Rep. 2020 Aug 10;10(1):13461. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-70307-4.
Marine biofouling remains an unsolved problem with a serious economic impact on several marine associated industries and constitutes a major vector for the spread of non-indigenous species (NIS). The implementation of biofouling monitoring programs allows for better fouling management and also for the early identification of NIS. However, few monitoring studies have used recent methods, such as metabarcoding, that can significantly enhance the detection of those species. Here, we employed monthly monitoring of biofouling growth on stainless steel plates in the Atlantic Port of Leixões (Northern Portugal), over one year to test the effect of commercial anti-corrosion paint in the communities. Fouling organisms were identified by combining morpho-taxonomy identification with community DNA metabarcoding using multiple markers (16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 23S rRNA, and COI genes). The dominant colonizers found at this location were hard foulers, namely barnacles and mussels, while other groups of organisms such as cnidarians, bryozoans, and ascidians were also abundant. Regarding the temporal dynamics of the fouling communities, there was a progressive increase in the colonization of cyanobacteria, green algae, and red algae during the sampled period with the replacement of less abundant groups. The tested anticorrosion paint demonstrated to have a significant prevention effect against the biofouling community resulting in a biomass reduction. Our study also reports, for the first time, 29 NIS in this port, substantiating the need for the implementation of recurring biofouling monitoring programs in ports and harbours.
海洋生物污损仍然是一个未解决的问题，对多个与海洋相关的行业造成了严重的经济影响，并且是外来物种（NIS）传播的主要载体。实施生物污损监测计划可以更好地进行污损管理，并及早发现 NIS。然而，很少有监测研究使用最近的方法，如代谢组学，这可以显著提高对这些物种的检测能力。在这里，我们在葡萄牙北部莱索恩斯（Leixões）的大西洋港对不锈钢板上的生物污损生长进行了为期一年的每月监测，以测试商业防腐涂料对群落的影响。通过结合形态分类学鉴定和使用多个标记物（16S rRNA、18S rRNA、23S rRNA 和 COI 基因）的群落 DNA 代谢组学，鉴定了污损生物。在该地点发现的主要定殖者是硬污损生物，即藤壶和贻贝，而其他生物群体，如刺胞动物、苔藓动物和海鞘也很丰富。关于污损群落的时间动态，在采样期间，蓝藻、绿藻和红藻的定殖逐渐增加，取代了较少的群体。经测试的防腐涂料对生物污损群落具有显著的预防作用，导致生物量减少。我们的研究还首次在该港口报告了 29 种 NIS，证明了在港口和港口实施定期生物污损监测计划的必要性。
