Searching for Bryozoans in the Oslofjord
July is a holiday month for many, and usually relaxation, swimming and enjoying the sun are on the agenda for a lot of people. But it is also a great opportunity to look for bryozoans!
Mali and Terese went on a trip to Nesoddtangen to visit Marinreparatørene. This is an organization that works to improve conditions in the Oslofjord, and is involved in many different activities!
One of the activities that Marinreparatørene are doing is kelp farming. And the presence of kelp usually means the presence of bryozoans! And yes, we found many bryozoan colonies, but the diversity was somewhat one-sided, because we only found Mempranipora membranacea on the kelp (in great quantities).
We also investigated the underside of some buoys to look for bryozoans. There we found large numbers of Electra pilosa!
We also went on a little snorkeling adventure to see if we could find something more than just Membranipora and Electra, and we finally managed to find some Alcyonidium colonies and what may be the invasive species Juxtacribrilina mutabilis. J. mutabilis has been recorded along other parts of the Norwegian coast, but not in the Oslofjord according to Artskart or GBIF, so this may be the first record of this invasive species in the area!