The effect of wood species on the initial settlement by surface fouling organisms in marine environments was investigated by exposing heartwood panels of Douglas-fir ((Mirb.) Franco), western redcedar (Donn.), and Oregon white oak (Dougl. ex. Hooke) in an estuary located on the coast of Oregon. The oak and western redcedar panels were sparsely colonized over the first 39 days of exposure, while the Douglas-fir panels were rapidly colonized by an unknown wood burrowing organism which had characteristics typical of a Bryozoan. While Bryzoans have been reported previously from wood exposed in marine environments, they are have usually been associated with decayed wood and are typically not considered to be capable of wood damage. The implications for the presence of these organisms on subsequent colonization by Teredinids and Limnorans are considered.

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