Study on the colonization dynamics and successional trajectories of sessile organisms on steel-concrete cubic artificial algal reefs

LI Lu-yao; LI Wen-tao; LI Yan-ping; ZHAO qi; ZHANG Pei-dong

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LI Lu-yao，LI Wen-tao，LI Yan-ping, et al. Study on the colonization dynamics and successional trajectories of sessile organisms on steel-concrete cubic artificial algal reefs[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2026, 48(x)：1–15

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Study on the colonization dynamics and successional trajectories of sessile organisms on steel-concrete cubic artificial algal reefs

The Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, China

Received Date: 2026-02-04
Rev Recd Date: 2026-04-27

Available Online: 2026-05-14

Abstract

Abstract

To address the limited habitat heterogeneity and suboptimal biological attachment capacity of single-material artificial algal reefs in seaweed bed restoration, this study designed a steel-concrete composite artificial algal reef. Twelve replicate reefs were fabricated and deployed in the Mashanli sea area of Rongcheng in August 2021. Attached macroalgae and animals colonizing both materials, as well as key environmental parameters at the reef site, were monitored in November 2021, June 2022, September 2022, May 2023, and August 2023. Results revealed: (1) the two materials differed significant in their macroalgal establishment effects, with the biomass of attached macroalgal on concrete being significantly higher than that attached on steel, reaching 1.7 times that on steel during the entire monitoring period on average (P < 0.05); (2) macroalgal community structure was jointly shaped by seasonality and reef age, progressing from an early Chlorophyta-dominated phase to a late Phaeophyta-dominated phase. Rhodophyta appeared transiently but never established a persistent dominant stage. After 20 months, a stable, top-level community dominated by Undaria pinnatifida emerged (Y = 0.99); (3) the colonization dynamics of attached animals varied significantly between two substrate materials. Specifically the biomass of attached animals on steel substrates was 8.3 times higher than that on concrete substrates (P < 0.05). These results indicate that, within identical reef units, concrete supported greater macroalgal establishment, whereas steel facilitated significantly higher settlement of attached animals. Combining both materials in artificial reef construction yields synergistic benefits: it concurrently promotes macroalgal development and attached animal colonization, thereby achieving functional complementarity, and significantly enhances both the total biomass and taxonomic diversity of sessile organisms. This dual-substrate strategy provides an evidence-based framework for optimizing material selection in artificial algal reef engineering.
- Artificial algal reef,
- Material selection,
- Macroalgae,
- Community succession,
- Attachment effect

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