BACKGROUND: Ports and naval bases play a significant role in understanding marine macrofouling and the associated transport of species across boundaries. Structures on ports and piers become habitats of foulers, whether indigenous or non-indigenous. There is a paucity of literature on species composition of foulers in ports in the Philippines. Naval Base Heracleo Alano in Cavite City, formerly known as Sangley Point, is a potential habitat for non-indigenous species.

METHODS: The study assessed benthic biofoulers at four areas in close proximity at Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Cavite City, using artificial collectors. Fouler collector design was adapted from the North Pacific Marine Sciences
Organization (PICES). Fouler collectors were deployed in 4 sampling points from November 2015 and retrieved in February 2016. Collected fouling organisms were identified using taxonomic keys. Species diversity (H) through Shannon Wiener Index, Species Evenness (H'/H'max), and Simpson's Index were determined.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 6203 organisms belonging to 20 families was collected. Common macrofoulers were bivalves, polychaetes, decapods, amphipods, and barnacles. Shannon-Wiener index values as well as species evenness were relatively consistent. Values of the Simpson's index indicated the presence of dominant species, Balanus sp. The macrofouling community contained 7 non-indigenous species, namely, Mytella charruana, Brachidontes, Mytilopsis sallei, Hydroides, Stylochus, Sabella, and Membranipora membranacea. The macrofouling organisms present in the area may pose problems in submerged equipment and cause some financial loss to the facility; the non-indigenous could be potential threats to the local ecosystem. All seven non-indigenous species are potentially invasive, although their abundance suggests otherwise.

CONCLUSION: A baseline listing of species was generated and showed various species of foulers in the naval base, with Balanus being the dominant species, which is the same as other studies in the Asian region. Seven nonindigenous
species were detected. There is a need to monitor the non-indigenous species, as Mytilopsis sallei (origin: Carribean) has been reported to in huge numbers in the Indo West Pacific region, particularly in Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand, India, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Japan, and Australia; Brachidontes (Origin: Indo- Pacific) has spread to the Mediterranean and Red Sea.

BACKGROUND

Ports are susceptible to the arrival of non-indigenous species (NIS) which can subsequently become invasive through maritime traffic. In the Philippines, few studies have been conducted about macrofouling communities in marine vessel-frequented areas. Batangas Port is an international port serving the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon, and docks vessels from areas around the globe. Baseline information of fouling communities in this area is essential as this can allow detection of NIS and alert the community about their presence. It can serve as basis for crafting of guidelines and mitigation measures for possible scenarios regarding the NIS' invasive potential.

METHODOLOGY

Three sampling sites in close proximity to Batangas Port in Brgy. Sta. Clara, Batangas City were studied using biofouling collectors. Fouler collector design was adapted from the North Pacific Marine Sciences Organization (PICES) design. Collectors were deployed in an unused pier, aquaculture pond and mangrove area from November 2014 to January 2015. Retrieved biofoulers were identified using taxonomic keys, and diversity indices were computed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A total of 1044 individuals were collected in the plates submerged at the sampling sites. These organisms belonged to six phyla and at least nine classes. The community included bivalves, gastropods, polychaetes, and tunicates. A nonindigenous polychaete, Eumida sanguinea, was detected in the retrieval. Values of biodiversity indices indicate low biodiversity, and species evenness values are low as well.

CONCLUSION

The study generated a baseline listing of organisms in the port area and showed a roster of indigenous invertebrates. However, a NIS has been detected. The list is essential as it can be used to alert communities surrounding the port about the presence of NIS so that ecological, economic, and health impacts can be minimized, and monitoring be done regularly.

Animals ; Biofouling ; Invasive Species ; Introduced Species