First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transfer
IntroductionMaritime traffic and coastal urbanisation significantly contribute to the introduction and proliferation of non-indigenous species (NIS). However, the lack of information might prevent effective monitoring in data-limited regions, particularly in areas experiencing demographic growth, wh...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| author | Juan Sempere-Valverde Juan Sempere-Valverde Eva Aylagas Vitaly Syomin Vitaly Syomin Marcos A. L. Teixeira Glafira D. Kolbasova Glafira D. Kolbasova Sofía Ruiz-Velasco Sahar Chebaane Arthur Anker João Curdia Ronald Cadiz Dylan M. Cottrell Andrea Desiderato Luiz F. Andrade Chakkiath Paul Antony Carolina Bocanegra-Castano Matilde Marzucchi Angelo Poliseno Doaa Baker Basmah Alabdulaziz Flor Torres Ameer A. Eweida Ameer A. Eweida Susana Carvalho Susana Carvalho |
| author_facet | Juan Sempere-Valverde Juan Sempere-Valverde Eva Aylagas Vitaly Syomin Vitaly Syomin Marcos A. L. Teixeira Glafira D. Kolbasova Glafira D. Kolbasova Sofía Ruiz-Velasco Sahar Chebaane Arthur Anker João Curdia Ronald Cadiz Dylan M. Cottrell Andrea Desiderato Luiz F. Andrade Chakkiath Paul Antony Carolina Bocanegra-Castano Matilde Marzucchi Angelo Poliseno Doaa Baker Basmah Alabdulaziz Flor Torres Ameer A. Eweida Ameer A. Eweida Susana Carvalho Susana Carvalho |
| author_sort | Juan Sempere-Valverde |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionMaritime traffic and coastal urbanisation significantly contribute to the introduction and proliferation of non-indigenous species (NIS). However, the lack of information might prevent effective monitoring in data-limited regions, particularly in areas experiencing demographic growth, where monitoring biofouling communities could offer crucial insights into the dynamics of NIS invasions. This study represents a baseline characterization of the biofouling communities in the northern Saudi Arabian Red Sea (NEOM region) prior to extensive urban, industrial, and commercial development.MethodsSamples were collected in November 2023 and February 2024 from seven sites within the region. At each site and time, three settlement structures, each with a PVC panel attached to a brick and rope, were sampled after 3-months deployment. Panels were analysed with photo quadrat analysis (PhQd), examined to manually collect sessile macroinvertebrate specimens for taxonomic identification using morphological and DNA barcoding analysis, and scraped for bulk DNA analyses using DNA metabarcoding. Five water samples were also collected for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. The environmental characteristics of each site were obtained by deploying temperature data loggers and through an environmental risk assessment.ResultsCommunity patterns observed from the PhQd and bulk DNA datasets revealed a clear separation of two sites within Sharma lagoon from the remaining sites. The eDNA analysis of seawater confirmed these spatial differences, also detecting a variation between sampling times that was not observed with the other approaches. A total of 20 NIS and 18 cryptogenic species were recorded, from which 12 were identified morphologically and the remaining detected with molecular methods only. The generally low NIS coverage confirms that the NEOM region is less affected by marine biological invasions compared to other anthropized habitats within the Red Sea. However, sites in the Sharma lagoon showed high human pressure levels and comparatively higher coverage of cryptogenic bryozoans on panels.DiscussionThis study provides the first detailed assessment of biofouling communities in NEOM, establishing a baseline and contributing to a regional species reference library for non-indigenous and cryptogenic species. As coastal development spreads, it presents both challenges and opportunities, highlighting the need for sustainable, ecosystem-based approaches to protect valuable natural areas. This baseline is essential for future monitoring of biofouling dynamics as the region develops. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c1feee9460914318a6b8af0dba7a81b2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-c1feee9460914318a6b8af0dba7a81b22025-02-03T15:04:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-02-011210.3389/fmars.2025.15227231522723First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transferJuan Sempere-Valverde0Juan Sempere-Valverde1Eva Aylagas2Vitaly Syomin3Vitaly Syomin4Marcos A. L. Teixeira5Glafira D. Kolbasova6Glafira D. Kolbasova7Sofía Ruiz-Velasco8Sahar Chebaane9Arthur Anker10João Curdia11Ronald Cadiz12Dylan M. Cottrell13Andrea Desiderato14Luiz F. Andrade15Chakkiath Paul Antony16Carolina Bocanegra-Castano17Matilde Marzucchi18Angelo Poliseno19Doaa Baker20Basmah Alabdulaziz21Flor Torres22Ameer A. Eweida23Ameer A. Eweida24Susana Carvalho25Susana Carvalho26Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaLaboratorio de Biología Marina, Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, SpainBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaShirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, RussiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaN.A. Pertsov White Sea Biological Station, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, RussiaLaboratorio de Biología Marina, Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, SpainBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Lodz, PolandDepartment of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Lodz, PolandBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaOcean Sciences and Solutions Applied Research Institute (OSSARI), NEOM, Saudi ArabiaBiodiversity and Ecosystems, NEOM, Saudi ArabiaRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United StatesBiological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaMarine Science Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaIntroductionMaritime traffic and coastal urbanisation significantly contribute to the introduction and proliferation of non-indigenous species (NIS). However, the lack of information might prevent effective monitoring in data-limited regions, particularly in areas experiencing demographic growth, where monitoring biofouling communities could offer crucial insights into the dynamics of NIS invasions. This study represents a baseline characterization of the biofouling communities in the northern Saudi Arabian Red Sea (NEOM region) prior to extensive urban, industrial, and commercial development.MethodsSamples were collected in November 2023 and February 2024 from seven sites within the region. At each site and time, three settlement structures, each with a PVC panel attached to a brick and rope, were sampled after 3-months deployment. Panels were analysed with photo quadrat analysis (PhQd), examined to manually collect sessile macroinvertebrate specimens for taxonomic identification using morphological and DNA barcoding analysis, and scraped for bulk DNA analyses using DNA metabarcoding. Five water samples were also collected for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. The environmental characteristics of each site were obtained by deploying temperature data loggers and through an environmental risk assessment.ResultsCommunity patterns observed from the PhQd and bulk DNA datasets revealed a clear separation of two sites within Sharma lagoon from the remaining sites. The eDNA analysis of seawater confirmed these spatial differences, also detecting a variation between sampling times that was not observed with the other approaches. A total of 20 NIS and 18 cryptogenic species were recorded, from which 12 were identified morphologically and the remaining detected with molecular methods only. The generally low NIS coverage confirms that the NEOM region is less affected by marine biological invasions compared to other anthropized habitats within the Red Sea. However, sites in the Sharma lagoon showed high human pressure levels and comparatively higher coverage of cryptogenic bryozoans on panels.DiscussionThis study provides the first detailed assessment of biofouling communities in NEOM, establishing a baseline and contributing to a regional species reference library for non-indigenous and cryptogenic species. As coastal development spreads, it presents both challenges and opportunities, highlighting the need for sustainable, ecosystem-based approaches to protect valuable natural areas. This baseline is essential for future monitoring of biofouling dynamics as the region develops.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1522723/fullmarine bioinvasionscoastal sprawlbiofoulingsettlement panelsbarcodingmetabarcoding |
| spellingShingle | Juan Sempere-Valverde Juan Sempere-Valverde Eva Aylagas Vitaly Syomin Vitaly Syomin Marcos A. L. Teixeira Glafira D. Kolbasova Glafira D. Kolbasova Sofía Ruiz-Velasco Sahar Chebaane Arthur Anker João Curdia Ronald Cadiz Dylan M. Cottrell Andrea Desiderato Luiz F. Andrade Chakkiath Paul Antony Carolina Bocanegra-Castano Matilde Marzucchi Angelo Poliseno Doaa Baker Basmah Alabdulaziz Flor Torres Ameer A. Eweida Ameer A. Eweida Susana Carvalho Susana Carvalho First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transfer Frontiers in Marine Science marine bioinvasions coastal sprawl biofouling settlement panels barcoding metabarcoding |
| title | First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transfer |
| title_full | First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transfer |
| title_fullStr | First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transfer |
| title_full_unstemmed | First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transfer |
| title_short | First assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern Red Sea, an important region for marine non-indigenous species transfer |
| title_sort | first assessment of biofouling assemblages in the northern red sea an important region for marine non indigenous species transfer |
| topic | marine bioinvasions coastal sprawl biofouling settlement panels barcoding metabarcoding |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1522723/full |
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