Algal fouling in the North Sea

Abstract

From the Abstract: “This chapter explains the methods of data analysis adopted to provide such information to meet engineering requirements and describes the distribution of algae on offshore structures in the North Sea. The offshore algal communities are compared with the algal fouling on navigation buoys from inshore waters in the Inner Moray Firth in north-east Scotland. The fouling on offshore installations in the North Sea has necessitated a regular monitoring of the species composition, extent of cover and marine growth thickness. The thickness measurements are particularly important for estimating the effects of marine growth on hydrodynamic loading. Horizontal banding of algae on floating structures has been reported previously. Six different algal zones extending upward from the waterline were recognized on structures in Langstone and Portsmouth harbors.”