Abstract:
Recruitment tile arrays were constructed and placed on the bay bottom at three locations adjacent to existing serpulid reef (within 600 m) in Baffin Bay, Texas. For each array, two 10 cm2 PVC tiles (3 mm thickness) were sanded and affixed with horizontal orientation to a sampling tray (0.45 x 0.30 m, 0.1 m height) using cable ties (= zip ties). On each tray, one tile was caged using a stainless-steel basket lined with 1 cm mesh, and one tile was left exposed. The purpose of the cages was to determine any effects of predation. Recruitment tile arrays were deployed on 23 September 2020 and retrieved and replaced quarterly for 18 months (December 2020 to March 2023). On each retrieval date, one set of caged and open tiles was collected and replaced with clean tiles. Retrieved tiles were preserved in 10% buffered formalin for future assessment of both top and bottom surfaces. The total number of tile replicates analyzed was 120: 2 caged treatments (caged and uncaged) x 2 vertical surfaces (top and bottom) x 3 locations (R1, R2, R3) x 10 dates.
Suggested Citation:
Gilmore, J, NJ Breaux, A Avalos, TA Palmer, J Beseres Pollack. 2024. Serpulid settlement on recruitment tiles in Baffin Bay, Texas from 2020-09-23 to 2023-03-10. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n2j1zt25
Data Parameters and Units:
Latitude and Longitude (Decimal degrees), Date (ddMMMyyyy), Time (hh:mm (24 hr)), Sta (Station code), Sample Depth (m), DOCal (Dissolved Oxygen calibration in air, %), Temp (Temperature, degrees C), Cond (Conductivity, mS/cm), DO_pct (Dissolved Oxygen, %), DO_mgl (Dissolved Oxygen, mg/l), Sal (Salinity), pH , Turb (Turbidity, NTU), TotDepth (Total depth, m), Secchi (Secchi disc-derived water clarity, m), REP (Replicate sample number), Percent cover (%), TAXA (Species name), TAXA CODE (Taxonomic group), N (Number of organisms present, n/sample), NM2 (Number of organisms per meter square, n/m^2), Dry Weight (Weight of organisms, mg)
Blank cells indicate no data collected.
Methods:
Settlement of encrusting organisms (dominantly Hydroides dianthus [serpulid polychaete] and Amphibalanus eburneus [barnacle]) were monitored at three locations in Baffin Bay, Texas. At each location, four settlement tiles were affixed with horizontally to the base of an upside-down plastic soda tray (0.45 × 0.30 m, 0.1-m height) using cable ties (= zip ties). The settlement tiles consisted of 10-cm2 PVC (3-mm thickness) that was sanded to increase roughness. Two tiles on each tray were caged using a stainless-steel basket lined with 1-cm mesh. The other two tiles on the tray were not caged. One of the treatment pairs ( one caged and one uncaged tiles) were intended for short-term deployment (3 months), while the other treatment pair was intended for long-term deployment (1 year). The trays with tiles affixed were deployed on the bay bottom using curved reinforcing rods (rebar) so that the tiles were 0.1 m above the bay bottom. After three months, the trays were retrieved and one of each tile types was removed and immediately placed in a buffered 10% formalin. Both cages were cleaned and the removed tiles were replaced with new tiles before redeployment. After one year, both short-term and long-term tiles were retrieved and replaced with new tiles. The last long-term deployment (September 2022) only lasted six months (until March 2023).
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