ORCID Profile
0000-0002-8146-7424
Current Organisation
University of Wollongong
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Life Histories (Incl. Population Ecology) | Biochemistry And Cell Biology Not Elsewhere Classified | Ecology | Biochemistry and Cell Biology | Environmental Science and Management | Ecological Applications | Microbiology Not Elsewhere Classified | Global Change Biology | Ecology And Evolution Not Elsewhere Classified | Geomatic Engineering | Photogrammetry And Remote Sensing | Natural Resource Management | Biological Oceanography | Environmental Management And Rehabilitation | Pests, Health And Diseases | Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Ecological Impacts of Climate Change | Other Biological Sciences | Landscape Ecology | Fisheries Management | Invertebrate Biology | Marine And Estuarine Ecology (Incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Comparative Physiology | Terrestrial Ecology | Behavioural Ecology |
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Biological sciences | Living resources (flora and fauna) | Physical and chemical conditions | Living resources (flora and fauna) | Control of pests and exotic species | Marine protected areas | Integrated (ecosystem) assessment and management | Rehabilitation of degraded coastal and estuarine areas | Integrated (ecosystem) assessment and management | Climate change | Land and water management | Land and water management | Land and water management | Fisheries—recreational | Fisheries—commercial | Other
Related Links
Publications
Anchors away? The impacts of anchor scour by ocean-going vessels and potential response options
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
UV-Induced Mortality in Encapsulated Intertidal Embryos: Are Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids an Effective Sunscreen?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-2006
DOI: 10.1007/S10886-006-9054-7
Abstract: Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are believed to protect a variety of marine organisms against the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR). However, their role in protecting developing intertidal encapsulated embryos remains untested. In the present study, we focused on the UV protective role of natural concentrations of MAAs for two intertidal gastropod species, Bembicium nanum and Siphonaria denticulata, which lay egg masses in habitats exposed to direct sunlight. We predicted that in both species, a higher concentration of MAAs within the egg mass would increase the likelihood of embryonic survivorship in the presence of UVR. Egg masses from both species were collected along the rocky shores of southeastern New South Wales, and a portion from each was subjected to one of three separate spectral treatments: full spectrum, UV-B block, and UV block. Proportions of surviving embryos were recorded following 72 hr exposure to spectral treatment. In addition, MAAs in each egg mass were quantified. Levels of variation in MAA concentration were striking, with S. denticulata egg masses showing more intraspecific variation than those of B. nanum. Surprisingly, survivorship under all spectral treatments was extremely high for both species, irrespective of MAA concentration. Under full spectrum treatments, B. nanum survivorship and total MAA concentration were significantly and positively correlated however, MAA accounted for just 23.6% (R = 0.486) of the variation in survivorship. In contrast, survivorship in S. denticulata was not correlated with MAA concentration under full spectrum light. We conclude that the dependence on MAAs as photoprotection may be species-specific however, it is likely that both species possess alternative mechanisms that minimize the negative effects of UVR.
Changes in Fish Assemblages following the Establishment of a Network of No-Take Marine Reserves and Partially-Protected Areas
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 15-01-2014
Sponges as sentinels: Patterns of spatial and intra-individual variation in trace metal concentration
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2011.10.020
Abstract: If sponges are to be effective biomonitors we require a better understanding of the spatial scales over which metals vary in these organisms. We determined how concentration of Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Hg and Se varied over four spatial scales for two common estuarine sponge species in the Sydney region. We examined variability with a fully nested s ling design between coastal lakes, within coastal lakes, between sponges and within sponges. Calculation of variance components confirmed that 'within-sponge' variation in Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb and Se concentrations were low (1-14%) relative to the two largest spatial scales (49-98%) examined. In contrast, Hg concentrations exhibited marked variability 'between-sponges' and were below detection at one location. There was little evidence that sponge size was a good predictor of metal concentration. Taken together, these outcomes confirm that fragments of these sponges could be successfully transplanted and therefore show promise as biomonitors of metal contamination.
Temperate zone coastal seascapes: seascape patterning and adjacent seagrass habitat shape the distribution of rocky reef fish assemblages
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-08-2019
Effects of a shark repulsion device on rocky reef fishes: no shocking outcomes
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 03-06-2010
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS08591
Curb anchor scour for green shipping
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-05-2016
DOI: 10.1038/533036A
Non-indigenous macroalga hosts different epiphytic assemblages to conspecific natives in southeast Australia
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-01-2010
Effects of Intertidal Elevation on the Rockpool Ichthyofaunas of Temperate Australia
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-2003
Variation in recruitment of the subtidal colonial ascidian Podoclavella cylindrica (Quoy & Gaimard): the rôle of substratum choice and early survival
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-1987
Structural complexity facilitates accumulation and retention of fragments of the invasive alga, Caulerpa taxifolia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2009
Habitat associated differences in temperate sponge assemblages:
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-1997
Active acoustic tracking suggests that soft sediment fishes can show site attachment: a preliminary assessment of the movement patterns of the blue-spotted flathead (Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-07-2016
Effects of dredging on critical ecological processes for marine invertebrates, seagrasses and macroalgae, and the potential for management with environmental windows using Western Australia as a case study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
Establishment and persistence of species-rich patches in a species-poor landscape: role of a structure-forming subtidal barnacle
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 07-04-2009
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS07905
A quantitative survey of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in intertidal egg masses from temperate rocky shores
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-09-2005
DOI: 10.1007/S10886-005-7110-3
Abstract: Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) have been reported as functional chemical sunscreens in a variety of marine organisms, but their role in development of marine embryos and larvae remains largely unexplored. In this study, we quantified MAAs from intertidal egg masses of 46 species of mollusks, two species of polychaetes, and one species of fish from southeastern Australia. We aimed to elucidate potential patterns of occurrence and variation based on egg mass maturity, adult diet, spawning habitat, phylogeny, and viability. Our analyses revealed that maturity and spawning habitat did not affect MAA composition within egg masses. In contrast, adult diet, phylogeny, and viability affected MAA composition. Herbivores had higher levels of certain MAAs than carnivores similarly, viable egg masses had higher levels of some MAAs than inviable ones. MAA composition varied according to the taxonomic group, with nudibranchs and anaspids showing different MAA composition compared to that of neogastropods, sacoglossans, and polychaetes. Basommatophoran egg masses had more porphyra-334 than the other taxa, and anaspids had more mycosporine-2-glycine than the other groups. MAAs occurred in relatively high concentrations in intertidal molluskan egg masses when compared to adult mollusks and other common intertidal organisms. Despite the complexity of factors affecting MAA composition, the prevalence of MAAs in some species is consistent with protection afforded to offspring against negative effects of UV radiation.
Response of the hairy mussel Trichomya hirsuta to sediment-metal contamination in the presence of a bioturbator
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2014.09.008
Abstract: The accumulation of metals in tissue compartments of bivalve biomonitors is expected to reflect the phases in which metals are most bioavailable. In concurrent field and laboratory experiments we measured Zn, Cd and Pb concentrations in the gills and digestive glands of mussels exposed to sediments from Lake Macquarie in NSW, Australia. Mussels in the laboratory were also exposed to the bioturbating gastropod Batillaria australis. Zn, Cd and Pb concentrations in gills and digestive glands of mussels from both experiments were accumulated in proportion with levels of metal contamination in the sediments. An interaction in the field between site and tissue type was found for Cd and Pb suggesting variation in the phases in which metals are most bioavailable. No effect of bioturbation on metal accumulation in the bivalve was detected and we conclude that it is unlikely to be a significant factor in metal uptake when these species interact.
Effects of variation in initial settlement on distribution and abundance of Podoclavella moluccensis Sluiter
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-1988
Diel and tidal cycles regulate larval dynamics in salt marshes and mangrove forests
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-01-2014
Tyrian purple precursors in the egg masses of the Australian muricid, Dicathais orbita: A possible defensive role
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2100
Temperature, but not pH, compromises sea urchin fertilization and early development under near-future climate change scenarios
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 25-02-2009
Abstract: Global warming is causing ocean warming and acidification. The distribution of Heliocidaris erythrogramma coincides with the eastern Australia climate change hot spot, where disproportionate warming makes marine biota particularly vulnerable to climate change. In keeping with near-future climate change scenarios, we determined the interactive effects of warming and acidification on fertilization and development of this echinoid. Experimental treatments (20–26°C, pH 7.6–8.2) were tested in all combinations for the ‘business-as-usual’ scenario, with 20°C H 8.2 being ambient. Percentage of fertilization was high ( %) across all treatments. There was no difference in percentage of normal development in any pH treatment. In elevated temperature conditions, +4°C reduced cleavage by 40 per cent and +6°C by a further 20 per cent. Normal gastrulation fell below 4 per cent at +6°C. At 26°C, development was impaired. As the first study of interactive effects of temperature and pH on sea urchin development, we confirm the thermotolerance and pH resilience of fertilization and embryogenesis within predicted climate change scenarios, with negative effects at upper limits of ocean warming. Our findings place single stressor studies in context and emphasize the need for experiments that address ocean warming and acidification concurrently. Although ocean acidification research has focused on impaired calcification, embryos may not reach the skeletogenic stage in a warm ocean.
Role of habitat complexity in structuring temperate rockpool ichthyofaunas
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 11-05-2006
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS313227
Increased sensitivity of subantarctic marine invertebrates to copper under a changing climate - Effects of salinity and temperature
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2019.02.016
Abstract: Stressors associated with climate change and contaminants, resulting from the activities of humans, are affecting organisms and ecosystems globally. Previous studies suggest that the unique characteristics of polar biota, such as slower metabolisms and growth, and the generally stable conditions in their natural environment, cause higher susceptibility to contamination and climate change than those in temperate and tropical areas. We investigated the effects of increased temperature and decreased salinity on copper toxicity in four subantarctic marine invertebrates using realistic projected conditions under a future climatic change scenario for this region. We hypothesised that these relatively subtle shifts in environmental stressors would impact the sensitivity of cold-adapted species to copper. The four test species were: a copepod Harpacticus sp. isopod Limnoria stephenseni flatworm Obrimoposthia ohlini and bivalve Gaimardia trapesina. These species occupy a range of ecological niches, spanning intertidal and subtidal nearshore zones. We predicted that species would differ in their tolerance to stressors, depending on where they occurred within this ecological gradient. Organisms were exposed to the multiple stressors in a factorial design in laboratory based toxicity tests. Sensitivity estimates for copper (LC50) were calculated using a novel statistical approach which directly assessed the impacts of the multiple stressors. In three of the four species tested, sensitivity to copper was lified by small increases in temperature (2-4 °C). The effects of salinity were more variable but a decrease of as little as 2 ppt caused a significant effect in one species. This study provides some of the first evidence that high latitude species may be at increased risk from contaminants under projected future climate conditions. This interaction, between contaminants and the abiotic environment, highlights a potential pathway to bio ersity loss under a changing climate.
Cellular responses of encapsulated gastropod embryos to multiple stressors associated with climate change
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2010
The effects of the diel cycle and the density of an invasive predator on predation risk and prey response
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2016
Chemical defense in the egg masses of benthic invertebrates: An assessment of antibacterial activity in 39 mollusks and 4 polychaetes
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2001
Genetic evidence for contrasting patterns of dispersal in solitary and colonial ascidians
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-11-1997
Free fatty acids and sterols in the benthic spawn of aquatic molluscs, and their associated antimicrobial properties
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2005
Examining the phylogeny of the Australasian Lymnaeidae (Heterobranchia: Pulmonata: Gastropoda) using mitochondrial, nuclear and morphological markers
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2009.03.033
Abstract: We examined the species groups relationships of the freshwater snail genus Austropeplea using mitochondrial, nuclear and morphological markers in addition to traditional methods of shell shape analysis. Based primarily on the results of a combined molecular and morphological analysis, s les of the nominal species A. tomentosa form distinct lineages. The New Zealand populations of A. tomentosa are a very distinct lineage from any of the Australian populations attributed to A. tomentosa. Furthermore, within the Australian group, three lineages, south Australia, Tasmania and eastern Australia, appear to have undergone recent and/or rapid speciation events. S les assigned to A. lessoni were resolved as two distinct lineages, representing the eastern and northern Australian populations. Kutikina hispida was resolved within the Australian A. tomentosa clade. Molecular results for A. viridis suggests that it is also composed of at least two distinct lineages that could be treated as species. Incongruence observed between the single mitochondrial, nuclear and morphological topologies highlight the importance of using a number of different datasets in the delimitation of species-group taxa.
Fertilization in a suite of coastal marine invertebrates from SE Australia is robust to near-future ocean warming and acidification
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-05-2010
Experimental manipulation of shade, silt, nutrients and salinity on the temperate reef sponge Cymbastela concentrica
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 24-01-2006
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS307143
Toxicity of copper to three common subantarctic marine gastropods
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.ECOENV.2016.10.025
Abstract: Investigating the impacts of contamination on high latitude ecosystems includes determining the sensitivity of key taxa to contaminants. Unique characteristics, arising from adaption to cold and stable temperatures has likely resulted in marine biota at the poles being particularly sensitive to contamination in comparison to related species at lower latitudes. We aimed to determine the sensitivity of three species of common and ecologically important subantarctic gastropods to copper. This is the first study to investigate the sensitivity of subantarctic marine gastropods to contamination. We determined sensitivity by exposing each species to a range of copper concentrations by establishing mortality and sublethal endpoints. Sensitivity to copper was highly species specific. Laevilittorina caliginosa was relatively tolerant, with no response at Cu concentrations up to 1488µg/L following 7 d of exposure, while two species (Cantharidus capillaceus coruscans and Macquariella hamiltoni) were highly sensitive with 7 d Cu LC50 estimates of 33µg/L and 78µg/L respectively. In a global comparison of gastropod sensitivity data, these two species were highly sensitive to copper, highlighting the vulnerability of polar ecosystems to contamination.
Reproduction of the turban shell Turbo torquatus Gmelin 1791 (Mollusca : Gastropoda), in New South Wales, Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2002
DOI: 10.1071/MF00066
Abstract: The Sydney turban shell Turbo torquatus is the focus of a small-scale commercial fishery in New South Wales. Effective management requires knowledge of the reproductive biology, yet this is lacking for NSW waters. The reproductive cycle was investigated at three localities on the southern New South Wales coast. S les of T. torquatus were collected monthly at Wollongong, Ulladulla and Eden from February 1996 until August or December 1997. The reproductive cycle was investigated by three methods: monthly determination of a gonadosomatic index, estimation of oocyte size-frequency distributions and classification of female gonads into developmental stages following histological sectioning. Males and females within a population underwent synchronous gonad development and spawning. Spawning events were often protracted over a period of several months with females in various stages of gonadal development. Two spawning events occurred each year, with a spawning event in autumn–winter and another in spring–summer. These events were asynchronous among the three localities, and partial spawning appeared to be a common occurrence. Owing to variation in the timing of spawning between populations separated by a distance as small as 15 km, seasonal closures to protect spawning stocks are unlikely to be effective.
Sensitivity of six subantarctic marine invertebrates to common metal contaminants
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-05-2016
DOI: 10.1002/ETC.3382
Abstract: A long history of anthropogenic activities in the relatively pristine subantarctic has resulted in areas of accumulated waste and contaminants. Sensitivities to metals of subantarctic and Antarctic species may contrast with related species from temperate and tropical areas because of the unique characteristics of polar biota. In addition, response to contaminants may be delayed, and hence longer exposure periods may be required in toxicity tests with polar species. In the present study, the sensitivity of 6 common subantarctic marine invertebrates to copper, zinc, and cadmium contaminants was determined. Large variations in sensitivities, both between species and between metals within species, were found. The bivalve Gaimardia trapesina and the copepod Harpacticus sp. were the most sensitive to copper, with 7-d median lethal concentration (LC50) values for both species ranging between 28 μg/L and 62 μg/L, whereas the copepod Tigriopus angulatus was the most tolerant of copper (7-d Cu LC50 1560 μg/L). Sensitivity to zinc varied by approximately 1 order of magnitude between species (7-d LC50: 329-3057 μg/L). Sensitivity to cadmium also varied considerably between species, with 7-d LC50 values ranging from 1612 μg/L to >4383 μg/L. The present study is the first to report the sensitivity of subantarctic marine invertebrate to metals, and contributes significantly to the understanding of latitudinal gradients in the sensitivity of biota to metals. Although sensitivity is highly variable between species, in a global comparison of copepod data, it appears that species from higher latitudes may be more sensitive to copper. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016 :2245-2251. © 2016 SETAC.
Rules of attraction: enticing pelagic fish to mid-water remote underwater video systems (RUVS)
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 08-06-2015
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS11274
Complex Responses of Intertidal Molluscan Embryos to a Warming and Acidifying Ocean in the Presence of UV Radiation
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 06-02-2013
Anchors aweigh: Fragment generation of invasive Caulerpa taxifolia by boat anchors and its resistance to desiccation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2007
Epibiosis in a guild of sessile subtidal invertebrates in south-eastern Australia: a quantitative survey
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-1994
Biogeographic conundrum: Why so few stream nerite species (Gastropoda: Neritidae) in Australia?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-09-2019
DOI: 10.1111/FWB.13396
Reproduction and early development in haliotis coccoradiata (vetigastropoda: Haliotidae)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-2010
Under the radar: Sessile epifaunal invertebrates in the seagrassPosidonia australis
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 13-08-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S0025315415000612
Abstract: Despite the current global decline in seagrass, sessile epifaunal invertebrates inhabiting seagrass ecosystems, particularly sponges and ascidians, have been poorly studied due to their taxonomic complexity. Understanding patterns of distribution of sessile epifaunal communities in seagrass meadows is an important precursor to determining the processes driving their distribution and species interactions. This study (1) identified the sponge and ascidian assemblage associated with Posidonia australis meadows and (2) determined distributional patterns of these invertebrates at a hierarchy of spatial scales in Jervis Bay, Australia. We used a fully nested design with transects distributed in the seagrass (10s m apart), two sites (100s m apart), and six locations (km apart). Within these transects, we recorded the abundance, volume, ersity and substratum used for attachment by sponges and ascidians. We encountered 20 sponge species and eight ascidian species they were sporadically distributed in the seagrass meadows with high variability among the transects, sites and locations. A few sponge and ascidian species dominated the assemblage and were widespread across the largest spatial scale s led. The remaining species were mostly rare and sparsely distributed. Sponges attached to a variety of substrata but most notably shells, P. australis and polychaete tubes. No obligate seagrass species were recorded although three species predominantly used P. australis as a substratum. These sponge species relying heavily on seagrass for their attachment are likely prone to disturbances impacting their host habitat. Examining the response of sessile epifauna to the degradation of their seagrass habitat remains a key challenge for the future.
Seagrass canopies and the performance of acoustic telemetry: implications for the interpretation of fish movements
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-03-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S40317-020-00197-W
Abstract: Acoustic telemetry has been used with great success to quantify the movements of marine fishes in open habitats, however research has begun to focus on patterns of movement and habitat usage within more structurally complex habitats. To date, there has been no detailed assessment of the performance of acoustic telemetry within seagrass, which forms a crucial nursery and foraging habitat for many fish species globally. Information on the detection range of acoustic receivers within seagrass is essential to guide receiver array design, particularly positioning systems. Here, we compare detection ranges for transmitters (Vemco V7) within and above the seagrass to determine impacts on the performance of a Vemco Positioning System (VPS). We also investigate the influence of environmental conditions (i.e. wind, time of day, background noise, atmospheric pressure and depth) on detection probability. The performance of the VPS declined dramatically when the transmitters were positioned within the seagrass (positional accuracy = 2.69 m, precision = 0.9 m, system efficiency (i.e. the proportion of successful positions) = 5.9%) compared to above the canopy (positional accuracy = 2.21 m, precision = 0.45 m, system efficiency = 30.9%). The reduction in VPS efficiency when transmitters were within seagrass was caused by a decline in the detection range of receivers (range of 50% detections) from 85 to 40 m, as this limited the ability of the three receivers to simultaneously detect transmissions. Additionally, no detections were recorded for the transmitters within seagrass at a distance greater than 150 m from the receiver. Increasing wind speed from 0 to 50 km h −1 correlated with a 15% reduction in detections while detection probability decreased from 0.8 during the day to 0.55 at night, due to higher in-band noise (69 kHz). Our findings demonstrate that tagged fish ensconced within seagrass are unlikely to be detected by receivers or positioned by a VPS. Further, we demonstrate that wind conditions and the time of day create temporal variation in detection probability. These findings highlight the need for telemetry studies to perform in situ range testing and consider how fish use vegetated habitats such as seagrasses when positioning receivers and interpreting data.
Inhibition of larval settlement by natural products from the ascidian,Eudistoma olivaceum (Van Name)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-1990
DOI: 10.1007/BF01021031
Identifying hotspots of molluscan species richness on rocky intertidal reefs
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2002
Responses of common SE Australian herbivores to three suspected invasive Caulerpa spp.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-01-2005
Alkaloids and ascidian chemical defense: Evidence for the ecological role of natural products fromEudistoma olivaceum
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-1991
DOI: 10.1007/BF01319409
Seascape connectivity of temperate fishes between estuarine nursery areas and open coastal reefs
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-03-2022
Abstract: While estuaries are considered valuable nurseries for many harvested fish species, little quantitative data exist about the spatial scales over which estuaries supply in iduals to coastal reefs and how this influences coastal metapopulations. Quantifying this connectivity between estuaries and coastal reefs will assist the sustainable management of fisheries and key fish habitat. This information is particularly pertinent considering estuaries world‐wide are experiencing degradation and habitat loss. We examine how the relative abundance and body length of three exploited fishes ( Chrysophrys auratus , Pseudocaranx georgianus and Nemadactylus douglasii ) varied in relation to the proximity and size of the nearest estuary, predicting that estuarine dependent species (i.e. C. auratus ) would be smaller and more abundant on reefs close to large estuaries. As a network of ‘no‐take’ marine reserves exist across the study area, we also assessed for reserve effects and if these were influenced by the proximity and size of estuaries. Fish assemblages were surveyed using baited remote underwater video systems deployed on 629 rocky reefs across 417 km of coastline in south‐eastern Australia. As predicted, C. auratus were smaller and more abundant on reefs adjacent to estuaries ( .5 km), which is consistent with the species being heavily reliant on estuaries as nursery habitats. Neither the length nor abundance of N. douglasii and P. georgianus were influenced by the proximity or size of estuaries. Marine reserves consistently had higher abundances and larger C. auratus , regardless of their proximity to estuaries. However, reserve effects were more variable for both N. douglasii and P. georgianus . Synthesis and applications . Our results suggest that the dispersal of subadult Chrysophrys auratus from estuarine nurseries to coastal reefs occurs across relatively small spatial scales, highlighting that conserving the ecological functioning of estuaries is paramount to sustaining recruitment to nearby coastal fisheries. Estuary size and proximity had little influence on populations of both Nemadactylus douglasii and Pseudocaranx georgianus as these species are not greatly dependent on estuaries. We also found that the proximity to estuaries did not enhance reserve effects, instead these effects were consistent across the study area.
Abiotic surrogates for temperate rocky reef biodiversity: implications for marine protected areas
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-09-2013
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12134
Diet and feeding periodicity of Cox’s gudgeon Gobiomorphus coxii (Krefft) in a south‐eastern Australian stream
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2007
Living on the edge: Early life history phases as determinants of distribution in Pyura praeputialis (Heller, 1878), a rocky shore ecosystem engineer
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.MARENVRES.2018.09.019
Abstract: The distribution of intertidal organisms can depend on processes operating early in their life history. The ascidian Pyura praeputialis, a mid- to low-intertidal habitat-forming ecosystem engineer, was strongly associated with specific types of habitat (biogenic vs. bare rock). We examined field patterns and performed laboratory and field experiments to assess the nature of this association. Recruits were frequently found on the tunics of conspecifics and clumps of turfing coralline algae. Larvae preferred these same habitats in a series of laboratory settlement assays. Laboratory-reared juveniles (20- & 50-days-old) survived poorly on bare rock in the laboratory, while those on rugose surfaces - the tunic of adults and turfing corallines - showed high survivorship. Field-collected juveniles (<2 cm) affixed to these rugose habitats also exhibited high survivorship in the field. We conclude that both pre and post-settlement processes determine spatial pattern in this important habitat-forming taxon. The acute sensitivity of juveniles to desiccating conditions was unexpected in an intertidal organism.
Heart of glass: spicule armament and physical defense in temperate reef sponges
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 09-12-2008
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS07680
The importance of spatial scale for conservation of tidal flat macrobenthos: an example from New South Wales, Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2007
UV effects that come and go: a global comparison of marine benthic community level impacts
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2004
Gastropod egg mass deposition on a temperate, wave-exposed coastline in New South Wales, Australia: Implications for intertidal conservation
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-2004
DOI: 10.1002/AQC.604
Bait type affects fish assemblages and feeding guilds observed at baited remote underwater video stations
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 12-03-2013
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS10137
Colony regeneration following damage and size-dependent mortality in the Australian ascidian Podoclavella moluccensis Sluiter
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-1988
Differences in soft-sediment macrobenthic assemblages invaded by Caulerpa taxifolia compared to uninvaded habitats
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 07-04-2009
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS07926
The role of recreational activities in creating fragments of invasive Caulerpa taxifolia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2009
Isolation and NMR spectroscopic clarification of the alkaloid 1,3,7-trimethylguanine from the ascidianEudistoma maculosum
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-05-2006
DOI: 10.1080/14786410500463270
Abstract: The alkaloid 1,3,7-trimethylguanine was isolated from the ascidian Eudistoma maculosum, and differences in the NMR spectroscopic data for this compound compared with data in the literature are due to ammonium salt formation.
Interspecific differences in fouling of two congeneric ascidians (Eudistoma olivaceum and E. capsulatum): is surface acidity an effective defense?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 1989
DOI: 10.1007/BF00438350
Sponges as sentinels: Metal accumulation using transplanted sponges across a metal gradient
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-10-2014
DOI: 10.1002/ETC.2747
Abstract: To be effective sentinels, organisms must be able to be readily translocated to contamination hotspots. The authors sought to assess metal accumulation in genetically identical explants of a relatively common estuarine sponge, Suberites cf. ersicolor. Explants were transplanted to 7 locations across a metal contamination gradient in a large coastal estuary in southeastern Australia to establish, first, that explants of this species could be successfully translocated second, that explants accumulated metals (cadmium, copper, lead, selenium, and zinc) sufficiently rapidly to be effective sentinels third, that rates of metal accumulation in explants were in agreement with metal concentrations within sediments (<63-µm fraction) at each of the transplant locations and finally, that changes in explant biomass correlated with overall metal load. Suberites were readily transplanted, with no mortality observed for the 2 mo of transplantation. Metal accumulation for lead, cadmium, and zinc was in close agreement with sediment metal concentrations, and explants showed dramatic increases in these metals in the heavily contaminated northern sections of the estuarine lake. No striking patterns were apparent for copper and selenium. Finally, growth was negatively correlated with total metal load and standardized total metal load in our explants. Taken together, these outcomes confirm that explants of this sponge are amenable to translocation and show considerable promise as biomonitors.
Biotic consequences of a shift in invertebrate ecosystem engineers: Invasion of New Zealand rocky shores by a zone‐forming ascidian
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2018
DOI: 10.1111/MAEC.12502
Miniature baited remote underwater video (mini-BRUV) reveals the response of cryptic fishes to seagrass cover
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-10-2018
Sea urchin fertilization in a warm, acidified and high pCO2 ocean across a range of sperm densities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.MARENVRES.2009.10.014
Abstract: Marine invertebrate gametes are being spawned into an ocean simultaneously warming, acidifying and increasing in pCO(2). Decreased pH/increased pCO(2) narcotizes sperm indicating that acidification may impair fertilization, exacerbating problems of sperm limitation, with dire implications for marine life. In contrast, increased temperature may have a stimulatory effect, enhancing fertilization. We investigated effects of ocean change on sea urchin fertilization across a range of sperm densities. We address two predictions: (1) low pH/increased pCO(2) reduces fertilization at low sperm density and (2) increased temperature enhances fertilization, buffering negative effects of acidification and increased pCO(2). Neither prediction was supported. Fertilization was only affected by sperm density. Increased acidification and pCO(2) did not reduce fertilization even at low sperm density and increased temperature did not enhance fertilization. It is important to identify where vulnerabilities lie across life histories and our results indicate that sea urchin fertilization is robust to climate change stressors. However, developmental stages may be vulnerable to ocean change.
Does habitat complexity and prior residency influence aggression between invasive and native freshwater crayfish?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-03-2022
DOI: 10.1111/ETH.13278
Abstract: Aggressive encounters between invasive and native species are considered a key threat associated with the spread of invasive species. Extrinsic factors such as habitat complexity can profoundly influence the outcome of aggressive interactions between conspecifics, and this may also be the case in invasive‐native species interactions. This study used invasive and native freshwater crayfish species in Australia as a model system to investigate the influence of habitat complexity on aggression in both intraspecific and interspecific contests. Paired contests between the native Euastacus spinifer and the invasive Cherax destructor were conducted in the laboratory under high and low habitat complexity conditions. Furthermore, the influence of prior residency was examined, with one in idual assigned the resident and the other as the intruder. In intraspecific contests, the number of interactions and aggression score were significantly reduced under high complexity conditions however, complexity had no effect on the time spent interacting and contest outcome. Instead, the two crayfish species differed in terms of time spent interacting. In interspecific contests, complexity had no effect on any of the aggression metrics. Alarmingly, however, we demonstrate that when C . destructor was a resident the likelihood that E . spinifer won a contest fell to a mere 8% compared to 31% when E . spinifer was resident. This study suggests that while habitat complexity plays a role in shaping aggressive behaviour in intraspecific interactions, invasive species are competitively dominant if they are already established i.e. resident in a location and even as intruders. Therefore, preserving habitat complexity in freshwater systems may not be sufficient to sustain populations of native species, and other measures that mitigate the potential for range overlap between the species would also be needed to prevent the further spread of invasive species such as C . destructor within freshwater ecosystems.
The influence of gummy sharks, Mustelus antarcticus, on observed fish assemblage structure
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-04-2013
Analysis and interpretation of the recruit-settler relationship
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 1989
Does spawning behavior minimize exposure to environmental stressors for encapsulated gastropod embryos on rocky shores?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-07-2007
Biodiversity in saline coastal lagoons: patterns of distribution and human impacts on sponge and ascidian assemblages
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-06-2013
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12108
A comparison of the impact of ‘seagrass-friendly’ boat mooring systems on Posidonia australis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.MARENVRES.2012.10.010
Abstract: Permanent boat moorings have contributed to the decline of seagrasses worldwide, prompting the development of 'seagrass-friendly' moorings. We contrasted seagrass cover and density (predominantly Posidonia australis) in the vicinity of three mooring types and nearby reference areas lacking moorings in Jervis Bay, Australia. We examined two types of 'seagrass-friendly' mooring and a conventional 'swing' mooring. 'Swing' moorings produced significant seagrass scour, denuding patches of ~9 m radius. Seagrass-friendly 'cyclone' moorings produced extensive denuded patches (average radius of ~18 m). Seagrass-friendly 'screw' moorings, conversely, had similar seagrass cover to nearby reference areas. Our findings reinforce previous work highlighting the negative effects of 'swing' and 'cyclone' moorings. In contrast, the previously unstudied 'screw' moorings were highly effective. We conclude that regular maintenance of moorings and the monitoring of surrounding seagrass are required to ensure that 'seagrass-friendly' moorings are operating effectively. This is important, as following damage Posidonia will take many decades to recover.
Synergistic effects associated with climate change and the development of rocky shore molluscs
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2005
Molluscs on acid: gastropod shell repair and strength in acidifying oceans
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 27-08-2014
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS10887
Assessing trap bias in the endemic Australian genus of freshwater crayfish,
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 26-10-2021
DOI: 10.1071/MF21241
Abstract: Freshwater crayfish are among the most endangered animal groups in the world. Appropriate management requires an understanding of s ling bias when assessing their distribution and abundance. We evaluated the effectiveness of a variety of s ling methods for detecting freshwater crayfish (genus Euastacus) in situ and potential biases towards in idual-level traits associated with these methods. We also experimentally manipulated the presence of crayfish within opera house traps to determine the effects of trap residency on capture rate and the characteristics of crayfish approaching the traps. Baited hoop nets and baited remote underwater video surveys (BRUVS) detected significantly more crayfish than did unbaited video surveys (RUVS). Crayfish captured in baited hoop nets were significantly larger than were crayfish measured in the BRUV and RUV surveys, suggesting that hoop nets were biased to capturing larger animals. The experiment demonstrated that a greater number of crayfish entered empty rather than occupied traps however, there were no differences in their body sizes. We highlight the importance of optimising s ling for freshwater crayfish to ensure reliable and robust population estimates. This is of critical importance as many have highly restricted ranges and face numerous threats. We contend that this will assist in informing conservation strategies to protect aquatic species at risk.
Phylogeny of the families Pyuridae and Styelidae (Stolidobranchiata, Ascidiacea) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2008.11.014
Abstract: The Order Stolidobranchiata comprises the families Pyuridae, Styelidae and Molgulidae. Early molecular data was consistent with monophyly of the Stolidobranchiata and also the Molgulidae. Internal phylogeny and relationships between Styelidae and Pyuridae were inconclusive however. In order to clarify these points we used mitochondrial and nuclear sequences from 31 species of Styelidae and 25 of Pyuridae. Phylogenetic trees recovered the Pyuridae as a monophyletic clade, and their genera appeared as monophyletic with the exception of Pyura. The Styelidae, on the other hand, appeared as a paraphyletic group split into several clades. One of them was formed by solitary oviparous species, of which the Pyuridae were a sister group. A second clade included the colonial genera Botryllus, Botrylloides and Symplegma. The remaining colonial and solitary genera formed several poorly resolved clades. One of the more species genus, Polycarpa, was shown to be polyphyletic, and the species Styela plicata grouped into two genetically distant clades suggesting the existence of two cryptic species. The internal phylogeny of Styelidae has bearings on the origin of coloniality in this family. We suggest to abandon the traditional ision of colonial forms into social and compound species and use instead the categories of aggregated colonies that do not have common vascular systems, and integrated colonies, that do possess such systems. Our molecular results indicate that there have been several independent acquisitions of coloniality in the Styelidae, and that viviparity may be a pre-adaptation for a colonial life-style.
Structure and dynamics of sponge-dominated assemblages on exposed and sheltered temperate reefs
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 08-09-2006
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS321019
Direct observations of larval dispersal in the colonial ascidian Podoclavella moluccensis Sluiter: evidence for closed populations
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-1989
Ecological response to MPA zoning following cessation of bait harvesting in an estuarine tidal flat
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 15-12-2014
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS11052
Temporal stability in a protected and isolated fish community within marine parks surrounding Lord Howe Island
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2021
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