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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Jeremy Thomason
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The aim of this study was to produce a set of tiles for field studies on settlement and biofouling with carefully controlled surface characteristics and practical design, and test them under field conditions. Impressions of precisely defined surface textures were made in silicone. Double sided tiles in epoxy, polyester and silanised epoxy resins were cast from the impressions. Tile characteristics tested were texture (Ra = 0, 0.19, 0.62, 1.1, 2.2mm), surface free energy (60, 52, 24mNm-2), and surface orientation (up, down, into, away). Tiles were deployed in the Red Sea for 4 and 7 months. Measures of community cover, dominance and richness were all significantly affected by each of the factors. The tiles proved durable and robust during the 7 month deployment with no observable changes in surface characteristics and none were lost or broken. These settlement tiles have a wide applicability for both biofouling and ecological studies. The field test demonstrated the complexities of the interactions between just four surface characteristics. This study has also underlined the need for multidimensional analysis of fouling communities for applied and basic research.
Author(s): Thomason JC, Letissier DA, Thomason PO, Field SN
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Biofouling
Year: 2002
Volume: 18
Issue: 4
Pages: 293-304
Print publication date: 01/12/2002
ISSN (print): 0892-7014
ISSN (electronic): 1026-7867
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0892701021000034409
DOI: 10.1080/0892701021000034409
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