In Tahiti (Fig. 3a), the ropes were characterized by an accumulation
of organic material trapped between shells and along the ropes,
especially fromNovember 2012, after a rain event. The fewmacroscopic
epibiont species recorded during the study were observed as soon as
3 months after immersion. Dominant classes were Bivalvia, Ascidiacea,
Calcarea and Demospongia and Polychaeta, observed in at least 75% of
the monthly sampling. In a few cases, non-attached organisms belonging
to Malacostracea (50%), Gastropoda (50%) and Echinoidea (21%)
were found, especially after 10 months of colonization. Gastropoda
and Malacostracea were observed with a frequency of 80% and 60% in
2012 against 44% and 30% in 2011. This revealed the progressive
creation of a complex multispecific compartment along the cultivated
ropes, with the accumulation of organic matter.