Barnacle Colonization and Avicennia marina Performance During Mangrove Restoration in the Arabian Gulf
Abstract
Barnacle colonization is widespread in mangrove habitats, but its spatial variability and relationship with restoration performance remain poorly understood in arid coastal environments. This study quantified barnacle colonization across the upper, middle, and lower intertidal zones of a restored Avicennia marina plantation on Abu Ali Island, Arabian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, and examined its spatial association with plant growth performance and natural regeneration. Colonization prevalence was consistently high (94–100%), whereas abundance increased from 27 ± 9 to 124 ± 29 individuals plant⁻¹, and surface-area-standardized density increased approximately 6.5-fold from the upper to the lower zone (0.075–0.485 individuals cm⁻²). Estimated biomass burden showed a similar increase, from 0.037 to 0.243 g cm⁻². Despite the pronounced seaward increase in barnacle burden, three-year-old plants maintained 100% survival, with no significant differences in vegetative growth among zones. Propagules and natural regeneration were observed in the upper and middle zones but were absent from the lower zone, where barnacle burden was highest. Extensive colonization of one-year-old plants at an additional afforestation site further indicated site-level variation in barnacle pressure on Abu Ali Island. Because intertidal position and associated environmental conditions were not experimentally controlled, these patterns should be interpreted as spatial associations rather than direct effects of barnacle colonization. By integrating surface-area-standardized barnacle density and estimated biomass burden with vegetative, reproductive, and recruitment indicators across an intertidal gradient, this study extends biofouling assessment beyond occurrence-based observations and seedling survival. The approach provides a quantitative basis for characterizing spatial variation in barnacle colonization intensity and assessing its ecological relevance to A. marinarestoration under Arabian Gulf conditions.
Keywords: Avicennia marina; barnacle biofouling; intertidal gradient; mangrove restoration; natural regeneration; Arabian Gulf.
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