BIOFOULING COMMUNITIES AS TOOLS IN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT - A STUDY AT VISAKHAPATNAM HARBOUR, EAST COAST OF INDIAM. BALAJP AND K. SATYANARAYANA RAOAbstract Result of analysis of fouling communities at three test sites located along a gradient of pollution at Viskhapatnam harbour, east coast of India are detailed in this paper. Biodiversity and evenness increased towards cleaner waters and index of dominance towards polluted waters. The fouling complex as reported in 1958, when the harbour was relatively clean, comprised of 54 species whereas the same now has a mono- specific dominance of a dreissinid bivalve, Mytilopsis sallei. It is suggested that biofouling communities may be employed as tools in environmental impact assessment if the communities are monitored over a long period.
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