Biofouling is an important factor that affects bivalve farming industry. Fouling organisms may reduce growth and survival rate of the cultured species. Fouler are often filter feeders, so they are potential competitors for food resource with the cultured species. The present study was conducted to measure the impact of fouling on food uptake and nutrient release in April, 2006 in Daya Bay near Guangzhou, China. Results showed that fouling organisms had significant effect on food uptake and nutrient release. The chlorophyll a uptake rate of fouled scallops was 7.53 / Lh ±1.416 / Lh in April, significantly higher than those of cleaned scallops, Le., 4.23 / Lh±2.744 / Lh. The consumption of total particulate matter by fouled scallops in April was 5.52 / Lh± 0.818 / Lh; the corresponding results for cleaned scallops are 2.49 / Lh ±0.614 / Lh Fouling increased ammonia release significantly. The ammonia release rate of fouled scallops was 33.81/Lh ±7.699 / Lh in April, while cleaned scallops released 2.46 / Lh ±0.511 / Lh ammonia. Phosphate uptake of fouled scallops was 2.01± 0.699 / Lh and cleaned scallops released phosphate 6.01 / Lh ＋ 0.876 / Lh in April. There was not significant difference in nitrate consumption between fouled and cleaned scallops. According to the phytoplankton classification of input and output water samples, fouled scallops filtered more phytoplankton species than cleaned scallops. Therefore, this study showed that fouling contributed much to phytoplankton depletion and concentration increase of ammonia in water.
