Biofouling

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/biofouling

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the ecological succession?Starts with a conditioning film, followed by microbial colonization, and then macrofouling
2. Why does biofouling make boats slower?The creatures build a thick layer that makes the boat’s surface rougher and heavier, so the water pushes harder against it.
3. How do scientists stop biofouling on ships?They use special paints or coatings that keep the surface slippery or release chemicals that are less harmful to the ocean.

Conditioning Film: The initial layer of adsorbed organic molecules on a submerged surface.
Macrofoulers: Larger marine organisms like barnacles and mussels that attach to surfaces.
Biocides: Chemical substances that are toxic to or inhibit the growth of living organisms.