A precise and accurate technique for the manufacture of complex three‐dimensional surfaces

Abstract

A highly precise technique for manufacturing tiles with complex naturalistic three‐dimensional surfaces for macrofaunal settlement studies is described. The tiles are cast in filled polyester resin from polyvinylsiloxane impressions of model surfaces. Comparison of settlement of barnacle cypris larvae (Semibalanus balanoides) between one week and one year old tiles showed that there was no toxic effect of the resin on settlement or recruitment. Analysis of the surfaces using a laser profilometer demonstrated that the mean difference between two tiles cast from the same mould was 1.9 μm. The tiles are very strong, stable in both freshwater and seawater, can be made in most colours and can be used to replicate biotic and abiotic substrata. They have been tested in a variety of settlement studies at various sites around the world.

Key words:

• larval settlement
• artificial substrata
• surface texture and roughness
• barnacle
• Semibalanus balanoides

Notes

Corresponding author. Present address: Department of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE1 7RU, UK; fax: [phone]; e‐mail: [email protected]