5-17 



Table 5-4 shows, by year and station, the distribution of char- 

 acteristic species on short- and long-term panels (present at all stations 

 for at least one year and with a total percent occurrence over all 

 panels and years of greater than 3.5%) . The following sjiecies were 

 present for all years at most stations: Balanus eburneus , Obelia 

 longissima, Styllochus ellipticus , Crepidula fornicata , Nereis succinea, 

 Electra crustulenta, and Corophium insidiosum. This consistent occur- 

 rence resulted in high percent-occurrence values irrespective of abso- 

 lute quantity (Table 5-5) . Other species showed a more narrow distri- 

 bution limited to one or two stations. These limited distributions were 

 probably related to pollution tolerance, with more opportunistic species 

 such as Polydora ligni and Corophium insidiosum occurring with greater 

 frequency in the inner harbor (Table 5-5) . Both species are considered 

 to be indicators of organic pollution (Anger, 1977; Wass, 1967; Rosen- 

 berg, 1976; Grassle and Grassle, 1976) . Recent data, in which more 

 careful enumerations of these small organisms were made, showed greater 

 abundances of P. ligni and C. insidiosum at Long Wharf than Harbor 

 Station and Fort Hale. Less tolerant species, such as Mytilus edulis , 

 Teredo navalis and Obelia longissima occured more frequently at Fort 

 Hale and Harbor Station (Table 5-5) . These species may be sensitive to 

 either high levels of organic pollution, low dissolved oxygen, or 

 increased temperatures (Grave, 1933; NAI, 1976; Clapp, 1937) . 



In general. New Haven Harbor supported a diverse fouling 

 community with definite spatial and temporal species distributions. 

 Species richness was generally high at Fort Hale in the outer harbor and 

 decreased at Long Wharf in the inner harbor. Most taxa exhibited sea- 

 sonal fluctuations in abundance related to spawning and settlement. 

 Settlement on short-term panels usually occurred in July, August and 

 September, at the height of the reproductive season. Long-term panels 

 did not show as clear a seasonal pattern; maxima occurred in spring, 

 siommer or fall. Dominant species remained consistent in spatial dis- 

 tribution, with fluctuating abundances. Most displayed a seasonal 

 pattern of abundance. 



