Increased algal fouling on mussels with barnacle epibionts: a fouling cascade

•Algal fouling on mussels with barnacle epibionts exceeds that of mussels without them.•The prevalence of algal-barnacle co-occurrence differs from the expected by chance.•A fouling cascade – epibiont facilitation of other epibionts – is postulated here.

If the external surfaces of epibionts are more suitable to other fouling species than those of their basibionts, a ‘fouling cascade’ might occur where epibionts facilitate secondary colonization by other epibionts. Here we evaluate whether the presence of epibiotic barnalces (Balanus glandula) influences the probability of mussel (Brachidontes rodriguezii) fouling by ephemeral red algae (Porphyra sp.) in a Southwestern Atlantic rocky shore. Mussels with barnacle epibionts showed a higher prevalence of Porphyra sp. fouling (32–40% depending on sampling date) than mussels without them (3–7%). Two lines of evidence indicate that barnacles facilitate Porphyra sp. fouling. First, most Porphyra sp. thalli in mussels with barnacle epibionts were attached to barnacle shells (75–92% of cases). Secondly, Porphyra sp. associated with mussels with barnacle epibionts in a proportion that significantly exceeded that expected under random co-occurrence. These results suggest the occurrence of a fouling cascade where barnacle epibiosis on mussels facilitates subsequent algal fouling. Recognizing the occurrence of such fouling cascades is important because they might explain the non-random aggregation of multiple epibiotic species onto a proportionally few individuals of the host species.