5-6 



mation relevant to a thermal impact study and the most useful compara- 

 tive information relative to greater Long Island Sound. This type of 

 program yields information concerning time and length of larval recruit- 

 ment periods and "climax community" compositions. The short-term panels 

 provide a good indication of times of reproductive activity in panel 

 assemblage members, which is usually dependent upon water temperature 

 (Cory and Nauman, 1969; Osmann, 1977) . Information on temporal pro- 

 gression of the community is not available through the study design. 



Data are presented as recorded but may not always consistently 

 reflect the actual situation due to personnel changes in May 1975 and 

 July 1976. After May 1975 attempts were made to improve the accuracy of 

 the data; estimation techniques for percent cover of hydroids changed in 

 May 1976, along with the addition of a verified reference collection. 

 Greater emphasis was placed on the identification and enumeration of 

 smaller organisms. In some cases the use of absolute numbers replaced 

 percent cover estimations; all animals are currently enumerated except 

 for colonial liydroids, tunicatos and bryozoans. To ensure no loss of data 

 comparability due to the contractor change in 1976, efforts were made to 

 improve the level of identification to the species level. In 1976, 

 specific, generic and familial level identifications were reported. 

 Seventeen of the higher taxa were replaced in 1977 by more precise 

 nomenclature. For example, in 1976, mudworm tubes, Polydora spp. and 

 P. ligni were recorded, but in 1977 more careful identification esta- 

 blished that only P. ligni was present. Because species richness is 

 strongly influenced by this type of change, its usefulness in the study 

 is limited. The emphasis in determining the nature of the fouling panel 

 community is more reliably directed to a consideration of the species 

 which occur frequently or abundantly in the harbor. 



Similar sampling methods were used on other fouling-panel 

 studies conducted in the Long Island Sound area (Niantic Bay and Stam- 

 ford Harbor; Battelle, 1978 and NAI, 1974c respectively). Studies in 

 Bridgeport Harbor (NAI, 1973b) utilized different techniques: 3" x 3" 

 glass panels that were fixed in one percent formalin immediately after 



