Abstract

Artificial reefs serve as fish attractants and may increase production of some species by increasing habitat. In an effort to enhance already established recreational fisheries and to increase numbers of and access to less common structure-associated fishes, Mississippi began building new low profile artificial reefs and augmenting existing ones. Over twenty inshore low profile oyster shell reefs were developed prior to 1995. Subsequent reef development has utilized limestone gravel in conjunction with oyster shell or limestone alone. The creation of limestone gravel and/or oyster shell reefs provided an opportunity to obtain information on the colonization of these different substrates by bentbic invertebrates. Colonization studies were conducted using crates of artificial substrate placed on a gravel/oyster shell reef located approximately 300 meters offshore in central Mississippi Sound. Crates contained crushed limestone gravel or oyster shells. Crates were pulled every three months and all organisms were removed. Invertebrates were identified to the lowest taxonomic level, measured to the nearest 0.1 mm and weighed to the nearest 0.001 g. Dominant invertebrate taxa included representatives of the following groups: Xanthidae (Menippe adina, Eurypanopeus depressus, Panopeus simpsoni), Porcellanidae (Petroüsthes armatus), Alpheidae (Alpheus angulatus, A. heterochaelis), Palaemonidae (Palaemonetes vulgaris), Amphipoda (Melita, Apocorophium), Polychaeta (Neanthes succinea), Bivalvia (Ischadium recurvum), and Gastropoda (Stramonita haemastoma). Observed differences in numbers of individuals and size between summer and winter collections appeared to be related to recruitment. Data are presented on species abundance and size by substrate type and season.

PDF Preview