Brendan Kelaher

Comparing distributions of white, bull, and tiger sharks near and away from the surf break using three tech-based methods

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 12-2020

DOI: 10.1016/J.OCECOAMAN.2020.105366

Lipid-enriched diets reduce the impacts of thermal stress in corals

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 21-06-2017

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12177

Erratum: The acute physiological status of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) exhibits minimal variation after capture on SMART drumlines (Conserv Physiol 7: 1 (coz042) DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz042)

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 2019

DOI: 10.1093/CONPHYS/COZ090

GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLING MULTI-USE AND ECO-FEATURES DURING BREAKWATER UPGRADES

Publisher: Coastal Engineering Research Council

Date: 09-2023

DOI: 10.9753/ICCE.V37.STRUCTURES.86

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

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0085825

Long-term thermal acclimation drives adaptive physiological adjustments of a marine gastropod to reduce sensitivity to climate change

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 06-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2021.145208

Evaluating the effectiveness of drones for quantifying invasive upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea sp.) in Lake Macquarie, Australia

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 19-01-0012

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0262721

Abstract: Upside-down jellyfish ( Cassiopea sp.) are mostly sedentary, benthic jellyfish that have invaded estuarine ecosystems around the world. Monitoring the spread of this invasive jellyfish must contend with high spatial and temporal variability in abundance of in iduals, especially around their invasion front. Here, we evaluated the utility of drones to survey invasive Cassiopea in a coastal lake on the east coast of Australia. To assess the efficacy of a drone-based methodology, we compared the densities and counts of Cassiopea from drone observations to conventional boat-based observations and evaluated cost and time efficiency of these methods. We showed that there was no significant difference in Cassiopea density measured by drones compared to boat-based methods along the same transects. However, abundance estimates of Cassiopea derived from scaling-up transect densities were over-inflated by 319% for drones and 178% for boats, compared to drone-based counts of the whole site. Although conventional boat-based survey techniques were cost-efficient in the short-term, we recommend doing whole-of-site counts using drones. This is because it provides a time-saving and precise technique for long-term monitoring of the spatio-temporally dynamic invasion front of Cassiopea in coastal lakes and other sheltered marine habitats with relatively clear water.

Can invasive corals (Tubastraea spp.) impact native coral recruitment?

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 26-10-2018

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12731

Drones are an effective tool to assess the impact of feral horses in an alpine riparian environment

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 10-01-2023

DOI: 10.1111/AEC.13271

Abstract: Protected areas can be impacted by the presence and proliferation of feral species. Effective management of feral species requires reliable tools to monitor their population size and ecological impacts. Here, we used drone‐based image analysis to assess evidence of feral horses and horse‐specific ecological impacts on alpine riparian habitat. Valleys with low (0), medium (1–16) and high ( ) horse abundances were chosen for drone imagery analysis based on independent aerial counts of horses. Data collection trips were carried out pre‐ and post‐2019/2020 wildfires, which unexpectedly burnt valleys with low horse presence. Drone‐based RGB orthomosaic imagery was sufficient to identify seven indicators of horse presence and determine the severity of feral horse impacts. Despite the impact of fire, drone‐derived classifications were able to accurately detect a gradient of horse impacts, showing a significant difference in indicators from low presence valleys compared with medium and high presence valleys, which did not differ significantly from each other. The significance of differences between valleys reveals that regions routinely inhabited by feral horses will display significant environmental impacts. Our results clearly indicated significant differences between valleys with low horse presence compared with either medium or high horse presence regions (0.01 for differences between both low and medium and low and high horse presence). This was evident both before and after the 2019/2020 fires, suggesting that wildfires did not significantly impact horse populations or distribution in the s led region. Overall, it was evident that feral horses have a clear and definable impact on alpine riparian vegetation, and drone surveying can be used to routinely monitor potential spread and the outcome of management actions.

A meta-analysis of the interspecific relationship between seed size and plant abundance within local communities

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 12-05-2005

DOI: 10.1111/J.0030-1299.2005.13943.X

Ocean temperature, but not acidification, causes sea anemone bleaching under a near-future climate scenario

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 15-02-2021

DOI: 10.1007/S00338-021-02050-9

Climate change does not affect the seafood quality of a commonly targeted fish

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 12-12-2019

DOI: 10.1111/GCB.14513

Abstract: Climate change can affect marine and estuarine fish via alterations to their distributions, abundances, sizes, physiology and ecological interactions, threatening the provision of ecosystem goods and services. While we have an emerging understanding of such ecological impacts to fish, we know little about the potential influence of climate change on the provision of nutritional seafood to sustain human populations. In particular, the quantity, quality and/or taste of seafood may be altered by future environmental changes with implications for the economic viability of fisheries. In an orthogonal mesocosm experiment, we tested the influence of near-future ocean warming and acidification on the growth, health and seafood quality of a recreationally and commercially important fish, yellowfin bream (Acanthopagrus australis). The growth of yellowfin bream significantly increased under near-future temperature conditions (but not acidification), with little change in health (blood glucose and haematocrit) or tissue biochemistry and nutritional properties (fatty acids, lipids, macro- and micronutrients, moisture, ash and total N). Yellowfin bream appear to be highly resilient to predicted near-future ocean climate change, which might be facilitated by their wide spatio-temporal distribution across habitats and broad diet. Moreover, an increase in growth, but little change in tissue quality, suggests that near-future ocean conditions will benefit fisheries and fishers that target yellowfin bream. The data reiterate the inherent resilience of yellowfin bream as an evolutionary consequence of their euryhaline status in often environmentally challenging habitats and imply their sustainable and viable fisheries into the future. We contend that widely distributed species that span large geographic areas and habitats can be "climate winners" by being resilient to the negative direct impacts of near-future oceanic and estuarine climate change.

Variation in the strength of continental boundary currents determines continent-wide connectivity in kelp

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 17-03-2011

DOI: 10.1111/J.1365-2745.2011.01822.X

The influence of plastic pollution and ocean change on detrital decomposition

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 09-2020

DOI: 10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2020.111354

Reliability of marine faunal detections in drone-based monitoring

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 05-2019

DOI: 10.1016/J.OCECOAMAN.2019.03.008

A deep dive into the ecology of Gamay (Botany Bay, Australia): Current knowledge and future priorities for this highly modified coastal waterway

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 19-07-2023

DOI: 10.1071/MF22268

Abstract: Context Gamay is a coastal waterway of immense social, cultural and ecological value. Since European settlement, it has become a hub for industrialisation and human modification. There is growing desire for ecosystem-level management of urban waterways, but such efforts are often challenged by a lack of integrated knowledge. Aim and methods We systematically reviewed published literature and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and consulted scientists to produce a review of Gamay that synthesises published knowledge of Gamay’s aquatic ecosystem to identify knowledge gaps and future research opportunities. Key results We found 577 published resources on Gamay, of which over 70% focused on ecology. Intertidal rocky shores were the most studied habitat, focusing on invertebrate communities. Few studies considered multiple habitats or taxa. Studies investigating cumulative human impacts, long-term trends and habitat connectivity are lacking, and the broader ecological role of artificial substrate as habitat in Gamay is poorly understood. TEK of Gamay remains a significant knowledge gap. Habitat restoration has shown promising results and could provide opportunities to improve affected habitats in the future. Conclusion and implications This review highlights the extensive amount of knowledge that exists for Gamay, but also identifies key gaps that need to be filled for effective management.

Anemonefish facilitate bleaching recovery in a host sea anemone

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 29-10-2020

DOI: 10.1038/S41598-020-75585-6

Abstract: Ocean warming is causing the symbioses between cnidarians and their algal symbionts to breakdown more frequently, resulting in bleaching. For sea anemones, nutritional benefits derived from hosting anemonefishes increase their algal symbiont density. The sea anemone-anemonefish relationship could, therefore, facilitate bleaching recovery. To test this, bleached and unbleached sea anemones, both with and without anemonefish, were monitored in the laboratory. At the start of our experiment, algal symbiont density and colour score were lower in the bleached than unbleached sea anemones, whereas total chlorophyll remained similar. After 106 days, bleached sea anemones with anemonefish had an algal symbiont density and colour score equal to the controls (unbleached sea anemones and without anemonefish), indicating recovery had occurred. Furthermore, total chlorophyll was 66% higher in the bleached sea anemones with anemonefish than the controls. In contrast, recovery did not occur for the bleached sea anemones without anemonefish as they had 78% fewer algal symbionts than the controls, and colour score remained lower. Unbleached sea anemones with anemonefish also showed positive changes in algal symbiont density and total chlorophyll, which increased by 103% and 264%, respectively. Consequently, anemonefishes give their host sea anemones a distinct ecological advantage by enhancing resilience to bleaching, highlighting the benefits of symbioses in a changing climate.

Correction

Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Date: 30-09-2003

DOI: 10.1073/PNAS.2135073100

What does impacted look like? High diversity and abundance of epibiota in modified estuaries

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2015

DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2014.09.017

Abstract: Ecosystems modified by human activities are generally predicted to be biologically impoverished. However, much pollution impact theory stems from laboratory or small-scale field studies, and few studies replicate at the level of estuary. Furthermore, assessments are often based on sediment contamination and infauna, and impacts to epibiota (sessile invertebrates and algae) are seldom considered. We surveyed epibiota in six estuaries in south-east Australia. Half the estuaries were relatively pristine, and half were subject to internationally high levels of contamination, urbanisation, and industrialisation. Contrary to predictions, epibiota in modified estuaries had greater coverage and were similarly erse as those in unmodified estuaries. Change in epibiota community structure was linearly correlated with sediment-bound copper, and the tubeworm Hydroides elegans showed a strong positive correlation with sediment metals. Stressors such as metal contamination can reduce bio ersity and productivity, but others such as nutrient enrichment and resource provision may obscure signals of impact.

The challenge of choosing environmental indicators of anthropogenic impacts in estuaries

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 04-2012

DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2011.12.029

Abstract: Ecological assessments over large spatial scales require that anthropogenic impacts be distinguishable above natural variation, and that monitoring tools are implemented to maximise impact detection and minimise cost. For three heavily modified and four relatively 'pristine' estuaries (disturbance category), chemical indicators (metals and PAHs) of anthropogenic stress were measured in benthic sediments, suspended sediments and deployed oysters, together with other environmental variables. These were compared with infaunal and hard-substrate invertebrate communities. Univariate analyses were useful for comparing contaminant loads between different monitoring tools and identified the strongest relationships between benthic and suspended sediments. However, multivariate analyses were necessary to distinguish ecological response to anthropogenic stressors from environmental "noise" over a large spatial scale and to identify sites that were being impacted by contaminants. These analyses provide evidence that suspended sediments are a useful alternative monitoring tool to detect potential anthropogenic impacts on benthic (infaunal and hard-substrate) communities.

Variation in cownose ray Rhinoptera neglecta abundance and group size on the central east coast of Australia

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 09-12-2019

DOI: 10.1111/JFB.14219

Abstract: Here, we provide baseline information about the relative abundance and group size of the Australian cownose ray Rhinoptera neglecta on the central east coast of Australia. Using drone monitoring over 2 years, we completed 293 transects, each 2 km in length, at four locations distributed along c.100 km of coast. In total, 5979 R. neglecta were observed with overall relative abundance (±SE) of, 20.4 (±3.3) in iduals per transect. The numbers of R. neglecta varied among locations, with the highest density found off the beach adjacent to the river mouth at Evans Head. The number of rays observed also decreased with increasing wind speed. While some of this relationship was probably associated with visibility, R. neglecta may also move offshore during strong winds. We found no evidence that R. neglecta was under significant threat. Additionally, our cost-effective surveys demonstrate the utility of aerial drones in fisheries conservation biology.

Effects of oyster death and shell disarticulation on associated communities of epibiota

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2009

DOI: 10.1016/J.JEMBE.2009.08.006

Aerial drone technology can assist compliance of trap fisheries

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 04-03-2020

DOI: 10.1111/FME.12420

Remotely sensed habitat variables are poor surrogates for functional traits of rocky reef fish assemblages

Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Date: 05-08-2016

DOI: 10.1017/S0376892916000205

Abstract: Conservation planning often relies on measures such as species richness and abundance to prioritize areas for protection. Nonetheless, alternative metrics such as functional traits have recently been shown to be useful complementary measures for detecting biological change. Timely conservation planning often precludes the collection of such detailed biological data relying instead on remotely-sensed habitat mapping as a surrogate for ersity. While there is evidence that habitat maps may predict taxonomic species richness and ersity in some coastal ecosystems, it is unknown whether similar strong relationships exist for functional traits and functional multimetrics. We compared the performance of physical habitat structural complexity obtained from high definition swath mapping in explaining variation in traditional taxonomic metrics as well as functional traits (e.g., maximum length, trophic level, gregariousness) and functional multimetrics (e.g., functional richness, dispersion) of fish assemblages. Reef complexity measures were good surrogates for fish species richness and abundance but not for functional traits or multimetrics, except functional richness at the scale of 1 m. Remotely sensed habitat maps may not be a good surrogate for predicting functional traits and multimetrics of fish assemblages, and must be used with caution when maximizing such aspects of assemblages is a priority for conservation planning.

Optimising DNA extraction from a critically endangered marine alga

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 10-07-2017

DOI: 10.1007/S12686-017-0810-5

Does colonization contribute to spatial patterns of common invertebrates in coralline algal turf?

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 02-2005

DOI: 10.1046/J.1442-9993.2004.01420.X

Optimisation of baited remote underwater video sampling designs for estuarine fish assemblages

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2012

DOI: 10.1016/J.JEMBE.2012.06.013

Intermittent shading can moderate coral bleaching on shallow reefs

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Date: 20-09-2023

DOI: 10.3389/FMARS.2023.1162896

Assessing the trophic ecology of top predators across a recolonisation frontier using DNA metabarcoding of diets

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 21-06-2017

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12165

Fur seal activity moderates the effects of an Australian marine sanctuary on temperate reef fish

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2015

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2014.12.011

Detrital diversity influences estuarine ecosystem performance

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 12-03-2013

DOI: 10.1111/GCB.12162

Abstract: Global losses of seagrasses and mangroves, eutrophication-driven increases in ephemeral algae, and macrophyte invasions have impacted estuarine detrital resources. To understand the implications of these changes on benthic ecosystem processes, we tested the hypotheses that detrital source richness, mix identity, and biomass influence benthic primary production, metabolism, and nutrient fluxes. On an estuarine muddy sandflat, we manipulated the availability of eight detrital sources, including mangrove, seagrass, and invasive and native algal species that have undergone substantial changes in distribution. Mixes of these detrital sources were randomly assigned to one of 12 treatments and dried detrital material was added to seventy-two 0.25 m(2) plots (n = 6 plots). The treatments included combinations of either two or four detrital sources and high (60 g) or low (40 g) levels of enrichments. After 2 months, the dark, light, and net uptake of NH4 (+) , dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and the dark efflux of dissolved organic nitrogen were each significantly influenced by the identity of detrital mixes, rather than detrital source richness or biomass. However, gross and net primary productivity, average oxygen flux, and net NOX and dissolved inorganic phosphorous fluxes were significantly greater in treatments with low than with high detrital source richness. These results demonstrate that changes in detrital source richness and mix identity may be important drivers of estuarine ecosystem performance. Continued impacts to estuarine macrophytes may, therefore, further alter detritus-fueled productivity and processes in estuaries. Specific tests that address predicted future changes to detrital resources are required to determine the consequences of this significant environmental problem.

Ingestion of microplastic has limited impact on a marine larva

Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Date: 13-01-2014

DOI: 10.1021/ES404295E

Abstract: There is increasing concern about the impacts of microplastics (<1 mm) on marine biota. Microplastics may be mistaken for food items and ingested by a wide variety of organisms. While the effects of ingesting microplastic have been explored for some adult organisms, there is poor understanding of the effects of microplastic ingestion on marine larvae. Here, we investigated the ingestion of polyethylene microspheres by larvae of the sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla. Ingestion rates scaled with the concentration of microspheres. Ingestion rates were, however, reduced by biological fouling of microplastic and in the presence of phytoplankton food. T. gratilla larvae were able to egest microspheres from their stomach within hours of ingestion. A microsphere concentration far exceeding those recorded in the marine environment had a small nondose dependent effect on larval growth, but there was no significant effect on survival. In contrast, environmentally realistic concentrations appeared to have little effect. Overall, these results suggest that current levels of microplastic pollution in the oceans only pose a limited threat to T. gratilla and other marine invertebrate larvae, but further research is required on a broad range of species, trophic levels, and polymer types.

Effect of Desalination Discharge on the Abundance and Diversity of Reef Fishes

Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Date: 18-12-2019

DOI: 10.1021/ACS.EST.9B03565

Abstract: Global growth in desalination industries has increased the need for an evidence-based understanding of associated environmental impacts. We completed a seven-year assessment of the responses of fish assemblages to hypersaline discharge from the large Sydney Desalination Plant. At 12 times before, eight times during, and four times following the cessation of discharging hypersaline brine, we s led reef fishes at two outlet sites and two close reference sites, as well as four reference sites that were located from 2-8 km from the outlet. At each site and each time of s ling, five 50 m video transects were used to s le reef fish assemblages. Following the commencement of discharging, there was a 279% increase in the abundance of fish around the outlet, which included substantially greater abundances of pelagic and demersal fish, as well as fishes targeted by recreational and commercial fishers. Following the cessation of discharge, abundances of fishes mostly returned to levels such that there was no longer a significant effect compared to the period prior to the commencement of the desalination plant's operations. Overall, our results demonstrate that well-designed marine infrastructure and processes used to support the growing demand for potable water can also enhance local fish abundances and species richness.

The fox and the beach: Coastal landscape topography and urbanisation predict the distribution of carnivores at the edge of the sea

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 09-2020

DOI: 10.1016/J.GECCO.2020.E01071

Marine heatwaves have minimal influence on the quality of adult Sydney rock oyster flesh

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2021.148846

White shark behaviour altered by stranded whale carcasses: Insights from drones and implications for beach management

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.OCECOAMAN.2020.105477

The role of colonization in determining spatial patterns of Proscoloplos bondi sp. nov. (Orbiniidae: Annelida) in coralline algal turf

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 11-2003

DOI: 10.1007/S00227-003-1143-3

Acute toxicity, accumulation and sublethal effects of four neonicotinoids on juvenile Black Tiger Shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 07-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2021.129918

Climate-driven disparities among ecological interactions threaten kelp forest persistence

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 06-08-2017

DOI: 10.1111/GCB.13414

Abstract: The combination of ocean warming and acidification brings an uncertain future to kelp forests that occupy the warmest parts of their range. These forests are not only subject to the direct negative effects of ocean climate change, but also to a combination of unknown indirect effects associated with changing ecological landscapes. Here, we used mesocosm experiments to test the direct effects of ocean warming and acidification on kelp biomass and photosynthetic health, as well as climate-driven disparities in indirect effects involving key consumers (urchins and rock lobsters) and competitors (algal turf). Elevated water temperature directly reduced kelp biomass, while their turf-forming competitors expanded in response to ocean acidification and declining kelp canopy. Elevated temperatures also increased growth of urchins and, concurrently, the rate at which they thinned kelp canopy. Rock lobsters, which are renowned for keeping urchin populations in check, indirectly intensified negative pressures on kelp by reducing their consumption of urchins in response to elevated temperature. Overall, these results suggest that kelp forests situated towards the low-latitude margins of their distribution will need to adapt to ocean warming in order to persist in the future. What is less certain is how such adaptation in kelps can occur in the face of intensifying consumptive (via ocean warming) and competitive (via ocean acidification) pressures that affect key ecological interactions associated with their persistence. If such indirect effects counter adaptation to changing climate, they may erode the stability of kelp forests and increase the probability of regime shifts from complex habitat-forming species to more simple habitats dominated by algal turfs.

A meta-analysis comparing the toxicity of sediments in the laboratory and in situ

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 04-2006

DOI: 10.1897/05-322R.1

Abstract: Sediment toxicity tests in the laboratory are an important part of ecological risk assessments, yet how they relate to sediment toxicity in situ has rarely been explored. Using meta-analysis, we examined differences in the toxicity of sediment tested in the laboratory and in situ. Data from four published studies were subjected to rigorous statistical analyses. Overall, the toxicity of sediments in laboratory tests was substantially less than their toxicity in situ. Differences between laboratory and in situ toxicity, expressed using the log odds ratio effect size, varied significantly among published studies. Effect size increased significantly with increasing sediment toxicity, showing that the more toxic the sediment, the greater the disparity between laboratory and field toxicities. Our findings may not apply to all laboratory/field comparisons however, we consider that the overlying water in field situations is a significant contributor to this relationship through additional contamination and toxicity. Our findings also have important implications for the use of laboratory tests to assess improvements in sediment quality and remediation, because changes in laboratory toxicity may not reflect the true improvements to sediment quality in situ.

Effect of boardwalks on the semaphore crab Heloecius cordiformis in temperate urban mangrove forests

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 09-1998

DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(97)00276-1

Physiological changes in post-hatchling green turtles (Chelonia mydas) following short-term fasting: Implications for release protocols

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 2019

DOI: 10.1093/CONPHYS/COZ016

ABSENCE OF A LARGE BROWN MACROALGA ON URBANIZED ROCKY REEFS AROUND SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, AND EVIDENCE FOR HISTORICAL DECLINE¹

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 30-07-2008

DOI: 10.1111/J.1529-8817.2008.00541.X

Abstract: Loss of habitat-forming algae is increasingly prevalent in temperate marine ecosystems. Here, we document absence of an important habitat-forming macroalga, Phyllospora comosa (Labill.) C. Agardh, along an urbanized coast in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Dense Phyllospora canopies were common on shallow sublittoral reefs north and south of Sydney. In contrast, we did not find a single in idual along ∼70 km of rocky coastline in the Sydney metropolitan region, despite historical evidence to suggest that it was very common half a century ago. Recolonization of this important habitat-forming alga has not occurred on Sydney reefs despite improved water quality, protection of its habitat, and frequent long-distance dispersal of Phyllospora wrack. While there are obvious limitations, historical information can be useful for identifying potential shifts in community structure to increase our understanding of contemporary ecological patterns.

Impacts of detritus from the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia on a soft sediment community

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 16-12-2010

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS08903

Spatial patterns of wild oysters in the Hawkesbury River, NSW, Australia

Publisher: National Shellfisheries Association

Date: 08-2009

DOI: 10.2983/035.028.0304

Global coral reef ecosystems exhibit declining calcification and increasing primary productivity

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 10-06-2021

DOI: 10.1038/S43247-021-00168-W

Abstract: Long-term coral reef resilience to multiple stressors depends on their ability to maintain positive calcification rates. Estimates of coral ecosystem calcification and organic productivity provide insight into the environmental drivers and temporal changes in reef condition. Here, we analyse global spatiotemporal trends and drivers of coral reef calcification using a meta-analysis of ecosystem-scale case studies. A linear mixed effects regression model was used to test whether ecosystem-scale calcification is related to seasonality, methodology, calcifier cover, year, depth, wave action, latitude, duration of data collection, coral reef state, Ω ar , temperature and organic productivity. Global ecosystem calcification estimated from changes in seawater carbonate chemistry was driven primarily by depth and benthic calcifier cover. Current and future declines in coral cover will significantly affect the global reef carbonate budget, even before considering the effects of sub-lethal stressors on calcification rates. Repeatedly studied reefs exhibited declining calcification of 4.3 ± 1.9% per year ( x̄ = 1.8 ± 0.7 mmol m −2 d −1 yr −1 ), and increasing organic productivity at 3.0 ± 0.8 mmol m −2 d −1 per year since 1970. Therefore, coral reef ecosystems are experiencing a shift in their essential metabolic processes of calcification and photosynthesis, and could become net dissolving worldwide around 2054.

A deep learning algorithm to detect and classify sun glint from high-resolution aerial imagery over shallow marine environments

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.ISPRSJPRS.2021.09.004

Trophic responses to nutrient enrichment in a temperate seagrass food chain

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 08-03-2012

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS09541

Invasion-mediated effects on marine trophic interactions in a changing climate: positive feedbacks favour kelp persistence

Publisher: The Royal Society

Date: 27-03-2019

DOI: 10.1098/RSPB.2018.2866

Abstract: The interactive effects of ocean warming and invasive species are complex and remain a source of uncertainty for projecting future ecological change. Climate-mediated change to trophic interactions can have pervasive ecological consequences, but the role of invasion in mediating trophic effects is largely unstudied. Using manipulative experiments in replicated outdoor mesocosms, we reveal how near-future ocean warming and macrophyte invasion scenarios interactively impact gastropod grazing intensity and preference for consumption of foundation macroalgae ( Ecklonia radiata and Sargassum vestitum ). Elevated water temperature increased the consumption of both macroalgae through greater grazing intensity. Given the documented decline of kelp ( E. radiata ) growth at higher water temperatures, enhanced grazing could contribute to the shift from kelp-dominated to Sargassum -dominated reefs that is occurring at the low-latitude margins of kelp distribution. However, the presence of a native invader ( Caulerpa filiformis ) was related to low consumption by the herbivores on dominant kelp at warmer temperatures. Thus, antagonistic effects between climate change and a range expanding species can favour kelp persistence in a warmer future. Introduction of species should, therefore, not automatically be considered unfavourable under climate change scenarios. Climatic changes are increasing the need for effective management actions to address the interactive effects of multiple stressors and their ecological consequences, rather than single threats in isolation.

Habitat limits the poleward establishment of anemonefishes in a climate change hotspot

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2022

DOI: 10.1016/J.ECSS.2021.107662

Disposable surgical masks affect the decomposition of Zostera muelleri

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 03-2023

DOI: 10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2023.114695

Epiphyte grazing enhances productivity of remnant seagrass patches

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 06-01-2012

DOI: 10.1111/J.1442-9993.2011.02332.X

Paleoreconstruction of estuarine sediments reveal human-induced weakening of coastal carbon sinks

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 23-11-2012

DOI: 10.1111/J.1365-2486.2011.02582.X

The frequency of connection of coastal water bodies to the ocean predicts Carcinus maenas invasion

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 20-06-2014

DOI: 10.4319/LO.2014.59.4.1288

Export of non-native gastropod shells to a coastal lagoon: Alteration of habitat structure has negligible effects on infauna

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 06-2009

DOI: 10.1016/J.JEMBE.2009.04.005

Conservation benefits of a network of marine reserves and partially protected areas

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2013

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2013.08.033

Fifty Years of Sporadic Coral Reef Calcification Estimates at One Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef: Is it Enough to Imply Long Term Trends?

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Date: 04-06-2019

DOI: 10.3389/FMARS.2019.00282

Cross-habitat impacts of species decline

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 10-01-2010

DOI: 10.1007/S00442-009-1555-Y

Abstract: Food webs of many ecosystems are sustained by organic matter from other habitats. Human activities and climatic change are increasingly modifying the quality and supply of these resources, yet for most ecosystems it is unknown how the taxonomic composition of organic matter influences community composition. Along the coastline of Sydney, Australia, the once abundant habitat-forming macroalga, Phyllospora comosa, is now locally extinct. Shallow reefs are now primarily occupied by Sargassum sp. and, to a lesser extent, the kelp Ecklonia radiata. We experimentally manipulated the supply of P. comosa, Sargassum sp. and E. radiata to estuarine sediments to assess responses by macroinvertebrate communities to: (1) changing the identity of the dominant detrital resource and (2) varying the ratio of input of different macrophytes. Estuarine sediments dosed with P. comosa supported greater abundances of macroinvertebrates than sediments receiving Sargassum sp. or the kelp E. radiata. Whereas plots receiving Sargassum sp. or E. radiata had fewer macroinvertebrates than controls, plots receiving a moderate (120 g dry weight per m(2)) loading of P. comosa had more. Mixtures of detritus dominated by P. comosa supported similar macroinvertebrate communities to monocultures of the alga. Communities in sediments receiving detritus comprised of less than one-third P. comosa were, however, distinctly different. Our study provides evidence that the ecological ramifications of species decline can extend to spatially removed ecosystems, subsidized by allochthonous materials. Even prior to extinction of detrital sources, small changes in their provision of organic matter may alter the structure of subsidized communities.

Impact of imidacloprid on the nutritional quality of adult black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 07-2020

DOI: 10.1016/J.ECOENV.2020.110682

The effectiveness of Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time (SMART) drumlines as a tool for catching white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, off coastal New South Wales, Australia

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 07-05-2021

DOI: 10.1111/FME.12489

Abstract: White ( Carcharodon carcharias L.), bull ( Carcharhinus leucas , Müller & Henle) and tiger ( Galeocerdo cuvier , Péron & Lesueur) sharks are the primary species responsible for unprovoked shark bites. Historically, management practices were based on culling “target” shark species (i.e. white, bull and tiger sharks), which resulted in high levels of bycatch and mortality. Shark‐Management‐Alert‐in‐Real‐Time (SMART) drumlines were trialled in New South Wales, Australia, aiming to optimise the capture of target shark species while minimising bycatch and mortality. Target shark species accounted for 70% of the total catch, with white sharks contributing 298 of the 350 sharks that were caught. Four animals died, and bycatch consisted of 13 species including two threatened species. Generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) revealed a significant spatial, temporal, environmental and gear influence on white shark catch rates. SMART drumlines are a useful tool for catching target shark species with low bycatch and mortality relative to historical bather protection methods.

Using compliance data to improve marine protected area management

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2015

DOI: 10.1016/J.MARPOL.2015.06.008

Dispersal of the estuarine gastropod Pyrazus ebeninus is only weakly influenced by pneumatophore density

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2007

DOI: 10.1016/J.JEMBE.2006.08.009

Using multispectral drones to predict water quality in a subtropical estuary

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Date: 22-11-2022

DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2022.2143284

Abstract: Drones are revolutionising earth system observations, and are increasingly used for high resolution monitoring of water quality. The objective of this research was to test whether drone-based multispectral imagery could predict important water quality parameters in an ICOLL (intermittently closed and opened lake or lagoon). Three water quality s ling c aigns were undertaken, measuring temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), chlorophyll (CHL), turbidity, total suspended sediments (TSS), coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM), green algae, crytophyta, diatoms, bluegreen algae and total algal concentrations. DistilM statistical analyses were conducted to reveal the bands accounting for the most variation across all water quality data, then linear correlations between specific band/band ratios and in idual water quality parameters were performed. DistilM analyses revealed the NIR band accounted for most variation in March, the Green band in April and the RE band in May, and showed that the most important contributors varied significantly among c aigns and variables. Significant linear correlations with

Increased shark bite survivability revealed by two centuries of Australian records

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 19-08-2022

DOI: 10.1038/S41598-022-16950-5

Abstract: The perceived and real threat of shark bites have significant direct health and indirect economic impacts. Here we assess the changing odds of surviving an unprovoked shark bite using 200 years of Australian records. Bite survivability rates for bull ( Carcharhinus leucas ), tiger ( Galeocerdo cuvier ) and white ( Carcharodon carcharias ) sharks were assessed relative to environmental and anthropogenic factors. Survivability of unprovoked bull, tiger and white shark bites were 62, 75 and 53% respectively. Bull shark survivability increased over time between 1807 and 2018. Survivability decreased for both tiger and white sharks when the person was doing an in water activity, such as swimming or ing. Not unsurprisingly, a watercraft for protection/floatation increased survivability to 92% from 30%, and 88% from 45%, for tiger and white sharks respectively. We speculate that survival may be related to time between injury and treatment, indicating the importance of rapid and appropriate medical care. Understanding the predictors of unprovoked bites, as well as survivability (year and water activity), may be useful for developing strategies that reduce the number of serious or fatal human-shark interactions without impacting sharks and other marine wildlife.

Ocean FAIR Data Services

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Date: 07-08-2019

DOI: 10.3389/FMARS.2019.00440

Faster, Higher and Stronger? The Pros and Cons of Molecular Faunal Data for Assessing Ecosystem Condition

Publisher: Elsevier

Date: 2014

DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-08-099970-8.00003-8

Quantifying human use of sandy shores with aerial remote sensing technology: The sky is not the limit

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.OCECOAMAN.2021.105750

Ocean acidification and warming impacts the nutritional properties of the predatory whelk, Dicathais orbita

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 08-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.JEMBE.2017.03.006

Building global change resilience: Concrete has the potential to ameliorate the negative effects of climate-driven ocean change on a newly-settled calcifying invertebrate

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2019

DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.07.379

Abstract: Global climate change is driving sea level rise and increasingly frequent storm events, which are negatively impacting rapidly-growing coastal communities. To mitigate these impacts, coastal infrastructure must be further protected by upgrading hard defences. We propose that incorporating pH-buffering materials into these upgrades could safeguard marine organisms from the adverse effects of ocean acidification and ocean warming during the vulnerable transition from planktonic larvae to benthic juveniles. To test this, we examined the effects of ocean warming (24 or 27 °C), ocean acidification (pH 8.1, 7.9, 7.7), and substratum (concrete, greywacke, granite) in all combinations on the settlement success of an ecologically and commercially important sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla. Low pH (7.9, 7.7) generally reduced the quantity and size of juveniles four weeks post-settlement, although this was partially ameliorated by increased temperature (24 vs. 27 °C). In the warmed and acidified treatments, settlement rates were lower on concrete than granite or greywacke, but two weeks post-settlement, juveniles on concrete were larger, and had longer spines and higher survival rates than on greywacke or granite, respectively. The benefits provided by concrete to newly-settled juveniles may be related to alkali chemicals leaching from concrete buffering low pH conditions in surrounding seawater and/or increased availability of bicarbonate in the boundary layers around its surface. Our results highlight the potential for pH-buffering materials to assist marine organisms in coping with the effects of changing ocean conditions, but further research is required to understand the generality and mechanism(s) driving the beneficial effects of concrete and to test pH-buffering materials in the field.

Publisher Correction: Reply to: ‘Global predictions of coral reef dissolution in the Anthropocene’ (Communications Earth & Environment, (2022), 3, 1, (41), 10.1038/s43247-022-00364-2)

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 07-03-2022

DOI: 10.1038/S43247-022-00395-9

Spatial variation in molluscan assemblages from coralline turfs of Argentinean Patagonia

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 05-2007

DOI: 10.1093/MOLLUS/EYM008

Assessment of acetylcholinesterase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase as biomarkers for imidacloprid exposure in penaeid shrimp

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2022

DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2021.106050

Abstract: Shrimp aquaculture is a valuable source of quality seafood that can be impacted by exposure to insecticides, such as imidacloprid. Here, adult black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) were used to evaluate the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in abdominal, head, gill, and hepatopancreas tissue as biomarkers for imidacloprid exposure. Adult P. monodon were continuously exposed to imidacloprid in water (5 μgL

Sediment Contaminants and Infauna Associated with Recreational Boating Structures in a Multi-Use Marine Park

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 18-06-2015

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0130537

Spatial and temporal variation in subtidal molluscan diversity amongst temperate estuarine habitats

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 18-04-2017

DOI: 10.1111/MAEC.12428

The influence of gummy sharks, Mustelus antarcticus, on observed fish assemblage structure

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 06-04-2013

DOI: 10.1007/S10641-013-0138-2

Protecting threatened species from coastal infrastructure upgrades: The importance of evidence-based conservation

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.OCECOAMAN.2018.08.028

Rapid loss of genetically based resistance to metals after the cleanup of a Superfund site

Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Date: 06-08-2003

DOI: 10.1073/PNAS.1731446100

Abstract: Over the period 1953–1979, a battery factory on the Hudson River in New York released ≈53 tons of cadmium (Cd) and nickel hydride wastes into Foundry Cove. The most common aquatic benthic species, the oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri , rapidly evolved resistance to Cd. The capacity for detoxification and internal storage of Cd resulted in a strong potential for trophic transfer of Cd through the aquatic food web. As a result of United States Superfund legislation, a major remediation effort in 1994–1995 removed the majority of the Cd, thereby removing the selective force for resistance. The cleanup of this cove resulted in the maintenance of resistant forms but then there ensued a rapid loss of resistance in ≈9–18 generations, showing the potential for ecological restoration to rapidly reduce the potential for trophic transfer of Cd through the ecosystem. This study demonstrates a genetic approach to the study of ecological restoration and connects a genetic indicator of restoration to transfer of toxic metals through ecosystems.

Identifying optimal wavelengths to maximise the detection rates of marine fauna from aerial surveys

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 05-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOCON.2021.109102

Ratio-dependent response of a temperate Australian estuarine system to sustained nitrogen loading

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 15-07-2006

DOI: 10.1007/S00442-006-0481-5

Abstract: Classical resource- and the less studied ratio-dependent models of predator-prey relationships provide ergent predictions as to the sustained ecological effects of bottom-up forcing. While resource-dependent models, which consider only instantaneous prey density in modelling predator responses, predict community responses that are dependent on the number of trophic levels in a system, ratio-dependent models, which consider the number of prey per consumer, predict proportional increase in each level irrespective of chain length. The two models are only subtly different for systems with two or three trophic levels but in the case of four trophic levels, predict opposite effects of enrichment on primary producers. Despite the poor discriminatory power of tests of the models in systems with two or three trophic levels, field tests in estuarine and marine systems with four trophic levels have been notably absent. S ling of phytoplankton, macroinvertebrates, invertebrate-feeding fishes, piscivorous fishes in Kooloonbung Creek, Hastings River estuary, eastern Australia, subject to over 20 years of sewage discharge, revealed increased abundances in all four trophic levels at the disturbed location relative to control sites. Increased abundance of phytoplankton at the disturbed site was counter to the predictions of resource-dependent models, which posit a reduction in the first trophic level in response to enrichment. By contrast, the increase in abundance of this first trophic level and the proportionality of increases in abundances of each of the four trophic groups to nitrogen loading provided strong support for ratio dependency. This first evidence of ratio dependence in an estuarine system with four trophic levels not only demonstrates the applicability of ecological theory which seeks to simplify the complexity of systems, but has implications for management. Although large nutrient inputs frequently induce mortality of invertebrates and fish, we have shown that smaller inputs may in fact enhance biomass of all trophic levels.

Positive responses of a seagrass ecosystem to experimental nutrient enrichment

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 30-07-2013

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS10364

Quantifying and addressing the prevalence and bias of study designs in the environmental and social sciences

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 11-12-2020

DOI: 10.1038/S41467-020-20142-Y

Abstract: Building trust in science and evidence-based decision-making depends heavily on the credibility of studies and their findings. Researchers employ many different study designs that vary in their risk of bias to evaluate the true effect of interventions or impacts. Here, we empirically quantify, on a large scale, the prevalence of different study designs and the magnitude of bias in their estimates. Randomised designs and controlled observational designs with pre-intervention s ling were used by just 23% of intervention studies in bio ersity conservation, and 36% of intervention studies in social science. We demonstrate, through pairwise within-study comparisons across 49 environmental datasets, that these types of designs usually give less biased estimates than simpler observational designs. We propose a model-based approach to combine study estimates that may suffer from different levels of study design bias, discuss the implications for evidence synthesis, and how to facilitate the use of more credible study designs.

Reproductive periodicity of the tropical intertidal chiton Acanthopleura gemmata at One Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef, near its southern latitudinal limit

Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Date: 03-2009

DOI: 10.1017/S0025315408002877

Abstract: Reproduction in the pantropical chiton Acanthopleura gemmata was examined at One Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef, near the southern limit of its distribution, using gonad histology and gonad index (GI). Gonad growth was associated with the onset of gametogenesis in mid-spring. Fully mature gonads were present from early summer until late autumn. During these months gametes at various stages of development were present in the gonads indicating a continuous pattern of gamete development and release over the six month spawning season. Following the maximum GI (March/April) there was a sharp drop in the index marking the end of spawning. In winter, the gonads entered a rest period and remained small in size. The reproductive pattern of A. gemmata at its southern limit is similar and 6 months out of phase to that reported for populations in the Gulf of Suez, at the northern limit of its distribution. This suggests that photoperiod may be an important factor in modulating reproduction. Reproduction of A. gemmata at One Tree Island is also similar to that for populations in the northern Great Barrier Reef.

Drones detect illegal and derelict crab traps in a shallow water estuary

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 27-05-2019

DOI: 10.1111/FME.12350

Connectivity Shapes Functional Diversity and Maintains Complementarity in Surf Zones on Exposed Coasts

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 21-01-2022

DOI: 10.1007/S12237-022-01046-0

Abstract: Habitat complexity and connectivity can influence the number of species and their ersity across a landscape. For the surf zones of ocean-exposed beaches, globally one of the longest habitat interfaces, the assumed low structural complexity, and apparent homogeneity, of the sandy seafloor habitats predicts low taxonomic and functional ersity. Here, we assessed how the configuration of the seascape and the context of different beach structure functional ersity and functional niche space of fish assemblages in surf zones. We expected that beaches that were well connected with highly productive and complex estuarine and reef habitats would support a greater level of functional ersity, and a greater degree of functional complementarity within different niches. We s led surf zones at twenty-five beaches along 50 km of coastline in southeast Queensland, Australia. We calculated functional ersity and functional niche space using variation in the functional traits of fish assemblages. We found that increased proximity with nearby subtidal rocky reefs was the key feature of the coastline shaping functional ersity and functional niche space in surf zone fishes. These effects resulted in increased functional complementarity within a number of fish functional group niches when rocky reefs were nearby. We provide empirical evidence that habitat proximity can structure functional ersity and complementarity in the surf zones of ocean beaches, a system traditionally viewed as having low habitat heterogeneity. Our results highlight the focus management must take in conserving these highly connected ecosystems to avoid negative functional consequences.

Impacts of detrital enrichment on estuarine assemblages: Disentangling effects of frequency and intensity of disturbance

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 2007

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS341025

Ecological enhancement of breakwater upgrades: size and type of rocks used influence benthic communities

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 04-03-2021

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS13620

Abstract: Existing coastal breakwaters are ageing and will need to be upgraded to withstand additional forces associated with rising sea levels and storms. Structural upgrades can affect taxa living on or adjacent to breakwaters. These impacts can be mitigated by ecological engineering of breakwaters, which can enhance habitat quality without losing their primary purpose of protection. A recently upgraded breakwater at Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia was eco-engineered to use boulder fields to mitigate impacts on a critically endangered alga ( Nereia lophocladia ) living on and adjacent to the infrastructure. Over a year, we assessed the effect of different rock sizes (small versus large), types (greywacke versus granite) and orientations (top versus bottom) on the composition and ersity of benthic taxa. N. lophocladia has yet to recruit to the eco-engineered habitat however, we found rock size, type and orientation significantly influenced overall benthic assemblage composition, at least at one of the sites. Furthermore, the bottom of the rocks had a higher taxonomic ersity than the top side, and assemblages on native greywacke rocks were more erse than those on granite, but only at one of the two sites. Overall, the magnitude of differences in benthic assemblage structure and ersity showed substantial temporal and spatial variation, with no clear temporal trends or successional patterns. Our results indicate that the ecological outcomes of coastal protection infrastructure upgrades could be improved by including native rocks of a range of different sizes in multiple patches and layers.

Putative predators of Carcinus maenas in eastern Australia

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 07-10-2015

DOI: 10.1007/S12237-014-9895-1

Listing may not achieve conservation: A call for proactive approaches to threatened species management

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 27-12-2020

DOI: 10.1002/AQC.3256

Implications of macroalgal isolation by distance for networks of marine protected areas

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 26-12-2013

DOI: 10.1111/COBI.12203

Abstract: The global extent of macroalgal forests is declining, greatly affecting marine bio ersity at broad scales through the effects macroalgae have on ecosystem processes, habitat provision, and food web support. Networks of marine protected areas comprise one potential tool that may safeguard gene flow among macroalgal populations in the face of increasing population fragmentation caused by pollution, habitat modification, climate change, algal harvesting, trophic cascades, and other anthropogenic stressors. Optimal design of protected area networks requires knowledge of effective dispersal distances for a range of macroalgae. We conducted a global meta-analysis based on data in the published literature to determine the generality of relation between genetic differentiation and geographic distance among macroalgal populations. We also examined whether spatial genetic variation differed significantly with respect to higher taxon, life history, and habitat characteristics. We found clear evidence of population isolation by distance across a multitude of macroalgal species. Genetic and geographic distance were positively correlated across 49 studies a modal distance of 50-100 km maintained F(ST) < 0.2. This relation was consistent for all algal isions, life cycles, habitats, and molecular marker classes investigated. Incorporating knowledge of the spatial scales of gene flow into the design of marine protected area networks will help moderate anthropogenic increases in population isolation and inbreeding and contribute to the resilience of macroalgal forests.

A potential method for improving coral self‐attachment

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 11-04-2018

DOI: 10.1111/REC.12698

Defining conservation targets for fish and molluscs in the Port Stephens estuary, Australia using species-area relationships

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.OCECOAMAN.2016.12.007

Bioerosion caused by foraging of the tropical chiton Acanthopleura gemmata at One Tree Reef, southern Great Barrier Reef

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 18-03-2008

DOI: 10.1007/S00338-008-0369-4

Moderate ocean warming mitigates, but more extreme warming exacerbates the impacts of zinc from engineered nanoparticles on a marine larva

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 09-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2017.05.033

Abstract: There is growing concern about the combined effects of multiple human-induced stressors on bio ersity. In particular, there are substantial knowledge gaps about the combined effects of existing stressors (e.g. pollution) and predicted environmental stress from climate change (e.g. ocean warming). We investigated the impacts of ocean warming and engineered nanoparticles (nano-zinc oxide, nZnO) on larvae of a cosmopolitan tropical sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla. Larval T. gratilla were exposed to all combinations of three temperatures, 25, 27 and 29 °C (current SST and near-future predicted warming of +2 and + 4 °C) and six concentrations of nZnO (0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg nZnO·L

Shark behaviour and marine faunal assemblage beneath SMART drumlines

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2021

DOI: 10.1016/J.FISHRES.2021.106102

The acute physiological status of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) exhibits minimal variation after capture on SMART drumlines

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 2019

DOI: 10.1093/CONPHYS/COZ042

Abstract: White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are implicated in many bites on people. Subsequently, they have become a target species for shark bite management strategies. SMART drumlines allow fast responses to, and releases of, captured animals. This research shows that white sharks’ immediate physiological response to capture on SMART drumlines is minimal.

Drone-Based Monitoring to Remotely Assess a Beach Nourishment Program on Lord Howe Island

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 25-09-2023

DOI: 10.3390/DRONES7100600

Influence of exercise and fasting on blood parameters in juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas): implications for health assessments

Publisher: Brill

Date: 03-02-2020

DOI: 10.3920/CEP200043

Abstract: This study investigated the influence of exercise and fasting state on haematologic and biochemical parameters in juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Animals were ided into two groups one group was fasted for 72 h and one group was fed 1 h prior to exercise. Exercise was induced by repeated righting reflexes and blood values were measured prior to and post-exercise. Prior to exercise, fasted animals showed significantly decreased levels of urea, pH, P V CO 2 and HCO 3 - and significant increases in Cl - and P V O 2 , compared to fed animals and fasted animals had significantly poorer exercise performance. Following exercise both fasted and fed animals had significant increases in Na + , K + , Cl - , P V CO 2 , P V O 2 , urea and lactate and significant decreases in pH and HCO 3 - . The magnitude of increase in lactate levels was significantly less in fasted animals. Prior to exercise, a significant correlation was calculated in fasted animals between pH and HCO 3 - . Following exercise, significant correlations were calculated in fed animals between pH and HCO 3 - , P V CO 2 and lactate, and between pH and HCO 3 - in fasted animals. These results show that analytical method, fasting state and the physiologic changes induced during the intense exercise can affect haematologic and biochemical analytes and these factors should be considered when interpreting results from health assessment of wild animals.

Comparison of sampling precision for nearshore marine wildlife using unmanned and manned aerial surveys

Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing

Date: 03-2020

DOI: 10.1139/JUVS-2018-0023

Abstract: Aerial surveys of large marine wildlife in nearshore areas can support management actions to ensure conservation of this megafauna. While most aerial surveys of marine wildlife have been carried out using manned aircraft, unmanned aerial systems (commonly known as drones) are being increasingly used. Here, we compare the relative accuracy and precision of marine wildlife surveys from a multirotor drone and a manned helicopter for the first time. At two locations on the east coast of Australia, we simultaneously surveyed sharks (including white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias), dolphins, rays, and sea turtles in nearshore coastal areas using a multirotor drone (DJI Inspire I) and a helicopter (Robinson 44 Clipper II) over 26 separate flights. S ling included the real-time quantification of marine wildlife by an observer in the helicopter and the pilot of the drone. The video feed from the drone was then later re-s led in the laboratory. Of the three methods, post-hoc analysis of drone video footage is likely to provide the most accurate and precise estimates of marine wildlife in nearshore areas. When real-time data are required (e.g., for shark-risk mitigation), manned helicopters (over larger stretches of coast) and drones (across localised beaches) will both be useful.

The Relative Abundance and Occurrence of Sharks off Ocean Beaches of New South Wales, Australia

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 04-10-2022

DOI: 10.3390/BIOLOGY11101456

Abstract: There is still limited information about the ersity, distribution, and abundance of sharks in and around the surf zones of ocean beaches. We used long-term and large-scale drone surveying techniques to test hypotheses about the relative abundance and occurrence of sharks off ocean beaches of New South Wales, Australia. We quantified sharks in 36,384 drone flights across 42 ocean beaches from 2017 to 2021. Overall, there were 347 chondrichthyans recorded, comprising 281 (81.0%) sharks, with observations occurring in % of flights. Whaler sharks (Carcharhinus spp.) had the highest number of observations (n = 158) recorded. There were 34 in iduals observed for both white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) and critically endangered greynurse sharks (Carcharias taurus). Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) and hammerhead species (Sphyrna spp.) recorded 29, eight and three in iduals, respectively. Generalised additive models were used to identify environmental drivers for detection probability of white, bull, greynurse, and whaler sharks. Distances to the nearest estuary, headland, and island, as well as water temperature and wave height, were significant predictors of shark occurrence however, this varied among species. Overall, we provide valuable information for evidence-based species-specific conservation and management strategies for coastal sharks.

Influence of ocean warming and acidification on habitat-forming coralline algae and their associated molluscan assemblages

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 06-2022

DOI: 10.1016/J.GECCO.2022.E02081

Contributions of adult oligochaete emigration and immigration in a dynamic soft-sediment community

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 03-2006

DOI: 10.1016/J.JEMBE.2005.12.028

Ocean warming, but not acidification, accelerates seagrass decomposition under near-future climate scenarios

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 26-10-2018

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12762

First large-scale ecological impact study of desalination outfall reveals trade-offs in effects of hypersalinity and hydrodynamics

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2018.08.071

Abstract: Desalination is an increasingly common method of meeting potable water demands, but the associated ecological risks are not well understood. Seawater desalination plants discharge large volumes of hypersaline brine directly into the ocean, raising concerns about potential impacts to marine life. In order to reduce impacts of brine, newer desalination outfalls are often fitted with high-pressure diffusers that discharge brine at high velocity into the water column, increasing the mixing and dilution of brine with ocean water. However, there are few published studies of marine impacts of desalination brine, and no well replicated before-after designs. Here we report a six-year study testing for impacts and subsequent recovery of sessile marine invertebrate recruitment near a desalination outfall with high-pressure diffusers. We used a Multiple Before-After-Control-Impact (MBACI) design to test for impacts and recovery at two distances (30 m and 100 m) from a 250 ML/day plant outfall, as well as a gradient design to test the strength of impacts relative to distance from the outfall. The diffusers achieved the target of less than 1 psμ salinity difference to surrounding ambient waters within 100 m of the discharge outfall, but sessile invertebrates were nonetheless impacted. Polychaetes, bryozoans and sponges reduced in cover as far as 100 m from the outfall, while barnacles showed the opposite pattern and were more abundant near the discharging outfall. Ecological impacts were disproportionate to the relatively minor change in salinity (∼1 psμ), suggesting a mechanism other than salinity. We propose that impacts were primarily driven by changes in hydrodynamics caused by the diffusers, such as higher near-bed flow away from the outfall. This is consistent with flow preferences of various taxonomic groups, which differ due to differences in settlement and feeding abilities. High-pressure diffusers designed to reduce impacts of hypersalinity may inadvertently cause impacts through hydrodynamics, leading to a trade-off in minimizing combined salinity and hydrodynamic stress. This study provides the first before-after test of ecological impacts of desalination brine on sessile marine communities, and rare insight into mechanisms behind impacts of a growing form of human disturbance.

Combining Drones and Deep Learning to Automate Coral Reef Assessment with RGB Imagery

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 23-04-2023

DOI: 10.3390/RS15092238

Abstract: Coral reefs and their associated marine communities are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic climate change. A key step in the management of climate threats is an efficient and accurate end-to-end system of coral monitoring that can be generally applied to shallow water reefs. Here, we used RGB drone-based imagery and a deep learning algorithm to develop a system of classifying bleached and unbleached corals. Imagery was collected five times across one year, between November 2018 and November 2019, to assess coral bleaching and potential recovery around Lord Howe Island, Australia, using object-based image analysis. This training mask was used to develop a large training dataset, and an mRES-uNet architecture was chosen for automated segmentation. Unbleached coral classifications achieved a precision of 0.96, a recall of 0.92, and a Jaccard index of 0.89, while bleached corals achieved 0.28 precision, 0.58 recall, and a 0.23 Jaccard index score. Subsequently, methods were further refined by creating bleached coral objects ( pixels total) using the neural network classifications of bleached coral pixels, to minimize pixel error and count bleached coral colonies. This method achieved a prediction precision of 0.76 in imagery regions with bleached corals present, and 0.58 when run on an entire orthomosaic image. Bleached corals accounted for the largest percentage of the study area in September 2019 (6.98%), and were also significantly present in March (2.21%). Unbleached corals were the least dominant in March (28.24%), but generally accounted for ~50% of imagery across other months. Overall, we demonstrate that drone-based RGB imagery, combined with artificial intelligence, is an effective method of coral reef monitoring, providing accurate and high-resolution information on shallow reef environments in a cost-effective manner.

Habitat characteristics influence macrofaunal communities in coralline turf more than mesoscale coastal upwelling on the coast of Northern Chile

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 04-2005

DOI: 10.1016/J.ECSS.2004.10.017

Re-discovery of the critically endangered marine brown alga, Nereia lophocladia (Order Sporochnales) at Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 23-09-2017

DOI: 10.1007/S12526-017-0796-Y

The Effects of Shade and Light on Corals in the Context of Coral Bleaching and Shading Technologies

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Date: 12-07-2022

DOI: 10.3389/FMARS.2022.919382

Abstract: The current coral reefs crisis is motivating a number of innovative projects attempting to leverage new mechanisms to avoid coral bleaching, reduce coral mortality and restore damaged reefs. Shading the reef, through seawater atomised fogging, is one tool in development to reduce levels of irradiance and temperature. To evaluate the potential viability of this concept, here we review 91 years (1930–2021) of published research looking at the effects of different levels of shade and light on coral reefs. We summarised the types of studies, places, coral species used, common responses variable measured, and types of shades used among studies. We discuss issues related to reef scale shading applicability, different methods used to measure light, standardisation methods and most importantly the positive and negative effects of shading corals.

The use of echocardiography as a health assessment tool in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 23-11-2021

DOI: 10.1111/AVJ.13039

A coherent, representative, and bioregional marine reserve network shows consistent change in rocky reef fish assemblages

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 04-2021

DOI: 10.1002/ECS2.3447

Abstract: Worldwide, several countries have established coherent, representative, and large‐scale networks of marine reserves to conserve bio ersity. Very few have, however, published systematic assessments of the ecological responses to this network protection, hindering broad understanding of their generality, utility, and efficacy. We present data collected from systematic s ling of rocky reef fish assemblages at sites across a network of 27 no‐take marine reserve areas (NTMR) and 27 partially protected areas (PPA) nested within multiple marine parks (regional networks) across three Australian bioregions spanning km of coastline (7° latitude) to test the generality of ecological change across this network. We also s led 18 reference areas (outside of the marine parks) to provide an independent assessment of potential NTMR effects and also to assess whole marine park effects. Baited remote underwater video (BRUV) was used to s le fishes between depths of 20–40 m over austral winters in four years (2010, 2011, 2015, and 2016). Despite substantial bioregional differences in fish assemblages, large and consistent effects of NTMR protection were detected across all bioregions for a key commercially and recreationally harvested species, Chrysophrys auratus (pink snapper). There were substantial increases in relative abundance of C. auratus in NTMR compared with fished zones through time (effect sizes %). The wider assemblage of targeted fish (excluding C. auratus ) only showed relatively small effects of protection (~11%) with trends observed for site‐attached wrasses (labrids) and planktivores (e.g., commercially fished Scorpis lineolata ) that are recreationally and commercially harvested. Furthermore, the relative abundance of non‐target or by‐catch species generally did not differ among management zones across the bioregional network. These results highlight how NTMR can be used to assess the ecological effects of fishing and wider environmental management, and can be incorporated into ecosystem‐based management for reef species more generally. Importantly, the provision of robust evidence of the performance and generality of NTMR over large‐spatial scales (e.g., bioregions) provides greater confidence in the expected outcomes from marine reserve networks as a conservation management approach.

Future climate change is predicted to affect the microbiome and condition of habitat-forming kelp

Publisher: The Royal Society

Date: 06-02-2019

DOI: 10.1098/RSPB.2018.1887

Abstract: Climate change is driving global declines of marine habitat-forming species through physiological effects and through changes to ecological interactions, with projected trajectories for ocean warming and acidification likely to exacerbate such impacts in coming decades. Interactions between habitat-formers and their microbiomes are fundamental for host functioning and resilience, but how such relationships will change in future conditions is largely unknown. We investigated independent and interactive effects of warming and acidification on a large brown seaweed, the kelp Ecklonia radiata , and its associated microbiome in experimental mesocosms. Microbial communities were affected by warming and, during the first week, by acidification. During the second week, kelp developed disease-like symptoms previously observed in the field. The tissue of some kelp blistered, bleached and eventually degraded, particularly under the acidification treatments, affecting photosynthetic efficiency. Microbial communities differed between blistered and healthy kelp for all treatments, except for those under future conditions of warming and acidification, which after two weeks resembled assemblages associated with healthy hosts. This indicates that changes in the microbiome were not easily predictable as the severity of future climate scenarios increased. Future ocean conditions can change kelp microbiomes and may lead to host disease, with potentially cascading impacts on associated ecosystems.

Connectivity among fragmented populations of a habitat-forming alga, Phyllospora comosa (Phaeophyceae, Fucales) on an urbanised coast

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 17-04-2009

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS07977

Size-specific predation by dominant consumers maintains a 'trophic cul-de-sac'

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 07-02-2008

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS07219

The duality of ocean acidification as a resource and a stressor

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 05-2018

DOI: 10.1002/ECY.2209

Abstract: Ecologically dominant species often define ecosystem states, but as human disturbances intensify, their subordinate counterparts increasingly displace them. We consider the duality of disturbance by examining how environmental drivers can simultaneously act as a stressor to dominant species and as a resource to subordinates. Using a model ecosystem, we demonstrate that CO

The Joint IOC (of UNESCO) and WMO Collaborative Effort for Met-Ocean Services

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Date: 02-08-2019

DOI: 10.3389/FMARS.2019.00410

Conservation genomics of a critically endangered brown seaweed

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 27-05-2021

DOI: 10.1111/JPY.13177

Abstract: Seaweeds provide valuable ecosystem services, but many are undergoing global decline due to climate and anthropogenic stressors. The brown macroalga, Nereia lophocladia (hereafter called Nereia ), is among only a handful of seaweeds globally to be listed as critically endangered and is only described from two known locations, but there exists little knowledge about this species. Here, we combine field surveys to verify the distribution of Nereia, with cutting‐edge genomics to determine genetic ersity and population structure, and inform ongoing conservation actions. We expand Nereia 's known distribution from one to seven locations along a 70‐km long coastal stretch in New South Wales but reveal small population sizes at some sites (as few as 8 in iduals despite extensive searching). A total of 1,261 genome‐wide SNPs were retained from 70 in iduals after filtering, and 304 outlier loci under putative selection were detected by one of three methods. Populations showed low genetic ersity (mean expected heterozygosity H E = 0.055 ± 0.014) and high levels of inbreeding within populations (mean F IS = 0.721 ± 0.085), along with high genetic differentiation among sites (mean F ST = 0.276), which may increase susceptibility to future environmental change and decrease the species' ability to recover after loss. Given these findings, we recommend the consideration of both in situ and ex situ conservation measures for Nereia , as well as further research into the species' ecology and biology. Nereia remains of conservation concern and its listing as critically endangered is justified until further investigation elucidates the full distribution and adaptive capacity of the species.

Assessing White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) Behavior Along Coastal Beaches for Conservation-Focused Shark Mitigation

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Date: 28-04-2020

DOI: 10.3389/FMARS.2020.00268

Optimizing heterotrophic feeding rates of three commercially important scleractinian corals

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUACULTURE.2017.10.013

Marine infrastructure supports abundant, diverse fish assemblages at the expense of beta diversity

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 16-06-2018

DOI: 10.1007/S00227-018-3369-0

Restoring seaweeds: does the declining fucoid Phyllospora comosa support different biodiversity than other habitats?

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 12-10-2013

DOI: 10.1007/S10811-013-0158-5

Production of dissolved carbon and alkalinity during macroalgal wrack degradation on beaches: a mesocosm experiment with implications for blue carbon

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 09-07-2022

DOI: 10.1007/S10533-022-00946-4

Abstract: Marine macroalgae are a key primary producer in coastal ecosystems, but are often overlooked in blue carbon inventories. Large quantities of macroalgal detritus deposit on beaches, but the fate of wrack carbon (C) is little understood. If most of the wrack carbon is respired back to CO 2 , there would be no net carbon sequestration. However, if most of the wrack carbon is converted to bicarbonate (alkalinity) or refractory DOC, wrack deposition would represent net carbon sequestration if at least part of the metabolic products (e.g., reduced Fe and S) are permanently removed (i.e., long-term burial) and the DOC is not remineralised. To investigate the release of macroalgal C via porewater and its potential to contribute to C sequestration (blue carbon), we monitored the degradation of Ecklonia radiata in flow-through mesocosms simulating tidal flushing on sandy beaches. Over 60 days, 81% of added E. radiata organic matter (OM) decomposed. Per 1 mol of detritus C, the degradation produced 0.48 ± 0.34 mol C of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (59%) and 0.25 ± 0.07 mol C of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) (31%) in porewater, and a small amount of CO 2 (0.3 ± 0.0 mol C ca. 3%) which was emitted to the atmosphere. A significant amount of carbonate alkalinity was found in porewater, equating to 33% (0.27 ± 0.05 mol C) of the total degraded C. The degradation occurred in two phases. In the first phase (days 0–3), 27% of the OM degraded, releasing highly reactive DOC. In the second phase (days 4–60), the labile DOC was converted to DIC. The mechanisms underlying E. radiata degradation were sulphate reduction and ammonification. It is likely that the carbonate alkalinity was primarily produced through sulphate reduction. The formation of carbonate alkalinity and semi-labile or refractory DOC from beach wrack has the potential to play an overlooked role in coastal carbon cycling and contribute to marine carbon sequestration. Graphical abstract

Conceptualizing ecosystem tipping points within a physiological framework

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 28-06-2017

DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.3164

Replacement of native seagrass with invasive algal detritus: Impacts to estuarine sediment communities

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 08-2013

DOI: 10.1007/S10530-012-0267-0

Ecological performance of construction materials subject to ocean climate change

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.MARENVRES.2017.09.011

Abstract: Artificial structures will be increasingly utilized to protect coastal infrastructure from sea-level rise and storms associated with climate change. Although it is well documented that the materials comprising artificial structures influence the composition of organisms that use them as habitat, little is known about how these materials may chemically react with changing seawater conditions, and what effects this will have on associated biota. We investigated the effects of ocean warming, acidification, and type of coastal infrastructure material on algal turfs. Seawater acidification resulted in greater covers of turf, though this effect was counteracted by elevated temperatures. Concrete supported a greater cover of turf than granite or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) under all temperature and pH treatments, with the greatest covers occurring under simulated ocean acidification. Furthermore, photosynthetic efficiency under acidification was greater on concrete substratum compared to all other materials and treatment combinations. These results demonstrate the capacity to maximise ecological benefits whilst still meeting local management objectives when engineering coastal defense structures by selecting materials that are appropriate in an ocean change context. Therefore, mitigation efforts to offset impacts from sea-level rise and storms can also be engineered to alter, or even reduce, the effects of climatic change on biological assemblages.

Using drones to quantify beach users across a range of environmental conditions

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 11-05-2019

DOI: 10.1007/S11852-019-00694-Y

Seventy‐One Important Questions for the Conservation of Marine Biodiversity

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 29-04-2014

DOI: 10.1111/COBI.12303

Climate drives the geography of marine consumption by changing predator communities

Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Date: 26-10-2020

DOI: 10.1073/PNAS.2005255117

Abstract: Consumption transfers energy and materials through food chains and fundamentally influences ecosystem productivity. Therefore, mapping the distribution of consumer feeding intensity is key to understanding how environmental changes influence bio ersity, with consequent effects on trophic transfer and top–down impacts through food webs. Our global comparison of standardized bait consumption in shallow coastal habitats finds a peak in feeding intensity away from the equator that is better explained by the presence of particular consumer families than by latitude or temperature. This study complements recent demonstrations that changes in bio ersity can have similar or larger impacts on ecological processes than those of climate.

Assessing variation in assemblages of large marine fauna off ocean beaches using drones

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2020

DOI: 10.1071/MF18375

Abstract: The turbulent waters off ocean beaches provide habitat for large marine fauna, including dolphins, sharks, rays, turtles and game fish. Although, historically, these assemblages have proven difficult to quantify, we used a new drone-based approach to assess spatial and temporal variation in assemblages of large marine fauna off four exposed beaches in New South Wales, Australia. In total, 4388 in idual large marine animals were identified from 216 drone flights. The most common taxa, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) and Australian cownose rays (Rhinoptera neglecta), occurred in 25.5 and 19.9% of flights respectively. White (Carcharodon carcharias), bull (Carcharhinus leucas) and other whaler (Carcharhinus spp.) sharks were observed in & % of flights. There was significant variation in the structure of assemblages of large fauna among beaches, with those adjacent to riverine estuaries having greater richness and abundance of wildlife. Overall, drone surveys were successful in documenting the spatio-temporal dynamics of an impressive suite of large marine fauna. We contend that emerging drone technology can make a valuable contribution to the ecological information required to ensure the long-term sustainability of sandy-beach ecosystems and associated marine wildlife.

Hematologic and biochemical characteristics of stranded green sea turtles

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Date: 13-02-2018

DOI: 10.1177/1040638718757819

Abstract: To improve understanding of pathophysiologic processes occurring in green sea turtles ( Chelonia mydas) stranded along the east coast of Australia, we retrospectively examined the hematologic and biochemical blood parameters of 127 green turtles admitted to 2 rehabilitation facilities, Dolphin Marine Magic (DMM) and Taronga Zoo (TZ), between 2002 and 2016. The predominant size class presented was small immature animals (SIM), comprising 88% and 69% of admissions to DMM and TZ, respectively. Significant differences in blood profiles were noted between facility, size, and outcome. Elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and heterophils were poor prognostic indicators in animals from TZ, but not DMM. SIM animals at both institutions had lower protein levels than large older (LO) animals. SIM animals at DMM also had lower hematocrit and monocyte concentration SIM animals at TZ had lower heterophil counts. Urea was measured for 27 SIM animals from TZ, but the urea-to-uric acid ratio was not prognostically useful. Strong correlations were seen between AST and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH r = 0.68) and uric acid and bile acids ( r = 0.72) in the 45 SIM animals from DMM in which additional analytes were measured. χ 2 contingency tests showed that the most recently published reference intervals were not prognostically useful. A paired t-test showed that protein levels rose and heterophil numbers fell in the 15 SIM animals from TZ during the rehabilitation process. Our results indicate that further work is required to identify reliable prognostic biomarkers for green turtles.

Desalination Discharge Influences the Composition of Reef Invertebrate and Fish Assemblages

Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Date: 26-07-2022

DOI: 10.1021/ACS.EST.2C00723

Abstract: Large-scale desalination is used increasingly to address growing freshwater demands and climate uncertainty. Discharge of hypersaline brine from desalination operations has the potential to impact marine ecosystems. Here, we used a 7-year Multiple-Before-After-Control-Impact experiment to test the hypothesis that hypersaline discharge from reverse osmosis desalination alters temperate reef communities. Using replicated, video-based, timed searches at eight sites, we s led fish and invertebrate assemblages before, during, and after the discharge of hypersaline brine. We found that the composition of fish assemblages was significantly altered out to 55 m while the composition of invertebrate assemblages was altered out to 125 m from the outlet during hypersaline discharge. Fish richness and functional ersity increased around the outlet, while the invertebrate assemblages were no less erse than those on reference reefs. Differences in faunal assemblages between outlet and reference sites during discharging included changes in the frequency of occurrence of both common and rare reef biota. Overall, we found the influence of hypersaline discharge on temperate reef biota to be spatially localized, with the reefs around the outlet continuing to support rich and erse faunal communities. In some cases, therefore, the marine environmental consequences of large-scale, well-designed, desalination operations may be appropriately balanced against the positive benefits of improved water security.

Wetland methane emissions dominated by plant-mediated fluxes: Contrasting emissions pathways and seasons within a shallow freshwater subtropical wetland

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 13-03-2019

DOI: 10.1002/LNO.11158

Diversity surrogates for estuarine fish assemblages in a temperate estuary in New South Wales, Australia

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 09-2016

DOI: 10.1016/J.RSMA.2016.05.009

Characterisation of microsatellite loci in the subtidal habitat-forming alga, Phyllospora comosa (Phaeophyceae, Fucales)

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 28-10-2007

DOI: 10.1007/S10592-007-9437-5

Foraging by the mud snail, Ilyanassa obsoleta (Say), modulates spatial variation in benthic community structure

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 08-2003

DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(03)00183-7

Using meta‐omics of contaminated sediments to monitor changes in pathways relevant to climate regulation

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 13-12-2018

DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14470

Abstract: Microbially mediated biogeochemical processes are crucial for climate regulation and may be disrupted by anthropogenic contaminants. To better manage contaminants, we need tools that make real-time causal links between stressors and altered microbial functions, and the potential consequences for ecosystem services such as climate regulation. In a manipulative field experiment, we used metatranscriptomics to investigate the impact of excess organic enrichment and metal contamination on the gene expression of nitrogen and sulfur metabolisms in coastal sediments. Our gene expression data suggest that excess organic enrichment results in (i) higher transcript levels of genes involved in the production of toxic ammonia and hydrogen sulfide and (ii) lower transcript levels associated with the degradation of a greenhouse gas (nitrous oxide). However, metal contamination did not have any significant impact on gene expression. We reveal the genetic mechanisms that may lead to altered productivity and greenhouse gas production in coastal sediments due to anthropogenic contaminants. Our data highlight the applicability of metatranscriptomics as a management tool that provides an immense breadth of information and can identify potentially impacted process measurements that need further investigation.

Persistence of seaweed forests in the anthropocene will depend on warming and marine heatwave profiles

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 22-12-2021

DOI: 10.1111/JPY.13222

Abstract: Marine heatwaves (MHWs), discrete periods of extreme warm water temperatures superimposed onto persistent ocean warming, have increased in frequency and significantly disrupted marine ecosystems. While field observations on the ecological consequences of MHWs are growing, a mechanistic understanding of their direct effects is rare. We conducted an outdoor tank experiment testing how different thermal stressor profiles impacted the ecophysiological performance of three dominant forest‐forming seaweeds. Four thermal scenarios were tested: contemporary summer temperature (22°C), low persistent warming (24°C), a discrete MHW (22–27°C), and temperature variability followed by a MHW (22–24°C, 22–27°C). The physiological performance of seaweeds was strongly related to thermal profile and varied among species, with the highest temperature not always having the strongest effect. MHWs were highly detrimental for the fucoid Phyllospora comosa , whereas the laminarian kelp Ecklonia radiata showed sensitivity to extended thermal stress and demonstrated a cumulative temperature threshold. The fucoid Sargassum linearifolium showed resilience, albeit with signs of decline with bleached and degraded fronds, under all conditions, with stronger decline under stable control and warming conditions. The varying responses of these three co‐occurring forest‐forming seaweeds under different temperature scenarios suggests that the impact of ocean warming on near shore ecosystems may be complex and will depend on the specific thermal profile of rising water temperatures relative to the vulnerability of different species.

Resilience of a harvested gastropod, Turbo militaris, to marine heatwaves

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2019

DOI: 10.1016/J.MARENVRES.2019.104769

Abstract: Marine heatwaves (MHW) are predicted to occur with increased frequency, duration and intensity in a changing climate, with pervasive ecological and socioeconomic consequences. While there is a growing understanding of the ecological impacts of warming and marine heatwaves, much less is known about how they influence the underlying physiology and health of species, and the nutritional properties of tissue. We evaluated the effects of different heatwave scenarios and ocean warming on the nutritional properties and immune health of the harvested gastropod Turbo militaris. Neither heatwave scenarios nor elevated temperatures had significant impacts on morphometrics, proximate composition or inorganic content of T. militaris. However, an increased moisture content and non-significant trends, such as elevated amount of lipids, and an increased number of hemocytes in the blood of T. militaris in the heatwave treatments were suggestive of mild stress. Overall, our study suggests that T. militaris is resilient to marine heatwaves and warming, although delayed, additive or synergistic stress responses cannot be ruled out. Understanding the possible effects of ocean warming and heatwaves on fisheries species could improve management actions to avoid species impacts, socioeconomic losses and negative effects to ecosystem service provision in a changing climate.

Cyclonic entrainment? The ichthyoplankton attributes of three major water mass types generated by the separation of the East Australian Current

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 16-04-2014

DOI: 10.1093/ICESJMS/FSU062

Abstract: The relationship between larval fish assemblages and coastal oceanography is the basis for much of our understanding of connectivity and productivity of fish populations. Larval fish assemblages were s led from the upper mixed layer ( m depth) at three prominent circulation features [separation of the East Australian Current (EAC), anticyclonic eddy, and cyclonic eddy] off the southeast Australian coast across three bathymetric zones (shelf, slope and ocean) for each feature. The separation of the EAC from the coast at ∼32°S was characterized by warmer, less saline water compared with the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies further to the south (∼34 and ∼35°S, respectively), which were both characterized by cooler Tasman Sea water and greater fluorescence. The anticyclonic eddy had separated from the EAC three months prior to s ling, which facilitated the movement of a cyclonic eddy from the Tasman Sea westwards to the shelf at ∼34°S. The larval assemblage in the EAC had high numbers of fish of the families Labridae and Stomiidae. The cyclonic eddy was characterized by larval clupeids, carangids, scombrids and bothids, indicating recent entrainment of shelf waters and proximity to major spawning regions. In contrast, the anticyclonic eddy had fewer larval fish, with little evidence for entrainment of shelf assemblages into the near-surface waters. Myctophids were found in high abundance across all oceanographic features and bathymetric zones. The evidence of selective entrainment of coastal larval fish into the near-surface waters of a cyclonic eddy compared with a similar anticyclonic eddy indicates a potential offshore nursery ground.

Context-specific effects of the identity of detrital mixtures on invertebrate communities

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 17-09-2013

DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.775

Polychaete Richness and Abundance Enhanced in Anthropogenically Modified Estuaries Despite High Concentrations of Toxic Contaminants

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 30-09-2013

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0077018

A new technique to increase polyp production in stony coral aquaculture using waste fragments without polyps

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUACULTURE.2017.09.021

Opposing organizing forces of deposit-feeding marine communities

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 03-2004

DOI: 10.1016/J.JEMBE.2003.12.008

Upgrades of coastal protective infrastructure affect benthic communities

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 26-08-2021

DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13736

Abstract: Sea‐level rise, storm surges, ageing and wear are forcing upgrades to breakwaters and sea walls to protect coastal areas from erosion and inundation. Such upgrades involve the introduction of new material which may consequently act as an ecological disturbance that can alter established marine communities and ecosystem function. Mitigating ecological impacts requires an understanding of how species assemblages are affected by such works. Here, we use the major upgrade of a regularly wave‐overtopped breakwater as a case study to evaluate the impacts of upgrades to hard coastal protective infrastructure on benthic rocky reef communities. An asymmetrical Before‐After Control‐Impact (BACI) experimental design was used to test interactive effects of the infrastructure upgrades on benthic communities. While benthic assemblages were not significantly different from controls prior to the upgrade, improving the defensive capacity of the breakwater significantly changed community structure. Notably, most taxonomic groups showed higher cover at the control sites than at the impacted site post‐upgrade, with articulated calcareous algae (e.g. Corallina officinalis and Amphiroa anceps ) showing an opposite trend. Synthesis and applications . Ecological implications and structural limitations make regular upgrading of existing infrastructure unsuitable as a long‐term management strategy. More sustainable alternatives need to be considered, such as decommissioning of structures and retreat from flood‐prone areas. This transition, however, will take time and requires a change of mindset and policies. Where upgrades are urgent, eco‐engineering techniques can mitigate impacts to habitats and associated taxa.

The potential for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to conduct marine fauna surveys in place of manned aircraft

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 07-06-2017

DOI: 10.1093/ICESJMS/FSX100

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly used in marine wildlife research. As technological developments rapidly advance the versatility and functionality of affordable UAVs, their potential as a marine aerial survey tool is quickly gaining attention. Currently, there is significant interest in whether cost-effective UAVs can outperform manned aircraft in aerial surveys of marine fauna at sea, although few empirical studies have compared relative s ling efficiency, accuracy and precision. Civil aviation restrictions, and subsequent available civilian technologies, make it unlikely that UAVs will currently be more effective than manned aircraft for large area marine surveys. UAVs do, however, have the capacity to fill a niche for intensive smaller spatial scale s ling and for undertaking aerial surveys in isolated locations. Improvements in UAV sensor resolutions and alternative sensor types, such as multispectral cameras, may increase area coverage, reduce perception error, and increase water penetration for sightability. Additionally, the further development of auto-detection software will rapidly improve image processing and further reduce human observer error inherent in manned aerial surveys. As UAV technologies and associated methodology is further developed and becomes more affordable, these aircraft will be increasingly adopted as a marine aerial survey tool in place of traditional methods using manned aircraft.

Trophic cul-de-sac, Pyrazus ebeninus, limits trophic transfer through an estuarine detritus-based food web

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 08-01-2007

DOI: 10.1111/J.2006.0030-1299.15557.X

Non-additive, identity-dependent effects of detrital species mixing on soft-sediment communities

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 19-03-2008

DOI: 10.1111/J.0030-1299.2008.16418.X

Responses of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) to small drones

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 07-10-2020

DOI: 10.1002/AQC.3440

How ocean acidification can benefit calcifiers

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.CUB.2016.12.004

Abstract: Reduction in seawater pH due to rising levels of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO

Condition-specific competition allows coexistence of competitively superior exotic oysters with native oysters

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 24-10-2008

DOI: 10.1111/J.1365-2656.2007.01316.X

Abstract: 1. Trade-offs between competitive ability and tolerance of abiotic stress are widespread in the literature. Thus, condition-specific competition may explain spatial variability in the success of some biological invaders and why, in environments where there is small-scale environmental variability, competitively inferior and superior species can coexist. 2. We tested the hypothesis that differences in abiotic stress alter the outcome of competitive interactions between the native Sydney rock oysters Saccostrea glomerata and exotic Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas by experimentally testing patterns of intra- and interspecific competition across a tidal elevation gradient of abiotic stress at three sites on the east coast of Australia. 3. At low and mid-intertidal heights, exotic C. gigas were able to rapidly overgrow and smother native S. glomerata, which grew at c. 60% of the exotic's rate. In high intertidal areas, where C. gigas displayed about 80% mortality but similar growth rates to S. glomerata, the native oyster was not affected by the presence of the exotic species. 4. Asymmetrical effects of the exotic species on the native could not be replicated by manipulating densities of conspecifics, confirming that effects at low and mid-intertidal heights were due to interspecific competition. 5. Our results suggest that the more rapid growth of C. gigas than S. glomerata comes at the cost of higher mortality under conditions of abiotic stress. Thus, although C. gigas may rapidly overgrow S. glomerata at low and mid tidal heights, the native oyster will not be competitively excluded by the exotic due to release from competition at high intertidal elevations. 6. The success of trade-offs in explaining spatial variation in the outcome of competitive interactions between C. gigas and S. glomerata strengthen the claim that these may be a useful tool in the quest to produce general predictive models of invasion success.

Connectivity within and among a network of temperate marine reserves

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 23-05-2011

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0020168

Beyond coastal protection: A robust approach to enhance environmental and social outcomes of coastal adaptation

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2022

DOI: 10.1016/J.OCECOAMAN.2021.106007

Strengthened enforcement enhances marine sanctuary performance

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2015

DOI: 10.1016/J.GECCO.2015.02.002

Anticipating changes to future connectivity within a network of marine protected areas

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 28-02-2017

DOI: 10.1111/GCB.13634

Genetic diversity and kelp forest vulnerability to climatic stress

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 30-01-2018

DOI: 10.1038/S41598-018-20009-9

Abstract: Genetic ersity confers adaptive capacity to populations under changing conditions but its role in mediating impacts of climate change remains unresolved for most ecosystems. This lack of knowledge is particularly acute for foundation species, where impacts may cascade throughout entire ecosystems. We combined population genetics with eco-physiological and ecological field experiments to explore relationships among latitudinal patterns in genetic ersity, physiology and resilience of a kelp ecosystem to climate stress. A subsequent ‘natural experiment’ illustrated the possible influence of latitudinal patterns of genetic ersity on ecosystem vulnerability to an extreme climatic perturbation (marine heatwave). There were strong relationships between physiological versatility, ecological resilience and genetic ersity of kelp forests across latitudes, and genetic ersity consistently outperformed other explanatory variables in contributing to the response of kelp forests to the marine heatwave. Population performance and vulnerability to a severe climatic event were thus strongly related to latitudinal patterns in genetic ersity, with the heatwave extirpating forests with low genetic ersity. Where foundation species control ecological structure and function, impacts of climatic stress can cascade through the ecosystem and, consequently, genetic ersity could contribute to ecosystem vulnerability to climate change.

The risk of neonicotinoid exposure to shrimp aquaculture

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2019

DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2018.10.197

Abstract: Widespread agricultural use of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides has resulted in the unintended contamination of aquatic environments. Water quality surveys regularly detect neonicotinoids in rivers and waterways at concentrations that could impact aquaculture stock. The toxicity of neonicotinoids to non-target aquatic insect and crustacean species has been recognised, however, there is a paucity of information on their effect on commercial shrimp aquaculture. Here, we show that commercially produced shrimp are likely to be exposed to dietary, sediment and waterborne sources of neonicotinoids increasing the risks of disease and accidental human consumption. This review examines indicators of sublethal neonicotinoid exposure in non-target species and analyses their potential usefulness for ecotoxicology assessment in shrimp. The identification of rapid, reliable responses to neonicotinoid exposure in shrimp will result in better decision making in aquaculture management.

Using modelling to predict impacts of sea level rise and increased turbidity on seagrass distributions in estuarine embayments

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 11-2016

DOI: 10.1016/J.ECSS.2016.09.005

Ocean Warming and CO2-Induced Acidification Impact the Lipid Content of a Marine Predatory Gastropod

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 24-09-2015

DOI: 10.3390/MD13106019

Drone-Based Assessment of Marine Megafauna off Wave-Exposed Sandy Beaches

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 14-08-2023

DOI: 10.3390/RS15164018

Abstract: The wave-impacted waters off exposed sandy beaches support marine megafauna, including dolphins, whales, sharks, rays and turtles. To characterise variation in megafaunal assemblages in this challenging habitat, we used drone-based remote sensing to survey marine megafauna off 23 beaches along 1050 km of the New South Wales (NSW, Australia) coast from 2017 to 2020. The surveys occurred from September to May and included 17,085 drone flights, with megafaunal abundances standardised by flight hours. In total, we identified 3838 in idual animals from 16 taxa, although no megafauna was observed off 5 of the 23 beaches surveyed. Bottlenose dolphins were the most commonly sighted taxa and accounted for 82.3% of total megafaunal abundance. Cownose (6.7%) and eagle (3.4%) rays were the next most abundant taxa, with potentially dangerous sharks being rarely sighted ( % of total megafauna). The megafaunal assemblages off wave-exposed beaches in northern NSW significantly differed from those in the central region, whereas the assemblages off the central region and southern NSW did not differ significantly. Wave exposure and water temperature were the best predictors of megafaunal assemblage structure. The richness of marine megafauna off ocean beaches was significantly greater in northern than southern NSW, and turtles were only observed off beaches in the northern region. However, variation in megafaunal richness, as well as the abundances of total megafauna, dolphins, rays, sharks and turtles were not significantly explained by water temperature, wave height, distance to estuary, or proximity to the nearest reef. Overall, drone-based surveys determined that megafaunal assemblages off wave-exposed beaches are characterised by sparse in iduals or small groups of sharks, turtles and rays, punctuated by occasional large aggregations of dolphins, cownose rays and schooling sharks. The exception to this pattern was bottlenose dolphins, which routinely patrolled some beaches in northern NSW.

Facilitation of molluscan assemblages in mangroves by the fucalean alga Hormosira banksii

Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center

Date: 19-10-2009

DOI: 10.3354/MEPS08247

Interactive effects of multiple stressors revealed by sequencing total (DNA) and active (RNA) components of experimental sediment microbial communities

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.05.065

Abstract: Coastal waterways are increasingly exposed to multiple stressors, e.g. contaminants that can be delivered via pulse or press exposures. Therefore, it is crucial that ecological impacts can be differentiated among stressors to manage ecosystem threats. We investigated microbial community development in sediments exposed to press and pulse stressors. Press exposures were created with in situ mesocosm sediments containing a range of 'metal' concentrations (sediment contaminated with multiple metal(loid)s) and organic enrichment (fertiliser), while the pulse exposure was simulated by a single dose of organic fertiliser. All treatments and exposure concentrations were crossed in a fully factorial field experiment. We used licon sequencing to compare the sensitivity of the 1) total (DNA) and active (RNA) component of 2) bacterial (16S rRNA) and eukaryotic (18S rRNA) communities to contaminant exposures. Overall microbial community change was greater when exposed to press than pulse stressors, with the bacterial community responding more strongly than the eukaryotes. The total bacterial community represents a more time-integrated measure of change and proved to be more sensitive to multiple stressors than the active community. Metals and organic enrichment treatments interacted such that the effect of metals was weaker when the sediment was organically enriched. Taxa-level analyses revealed that press enrichment resulted in potential functional changes, mainly involving nitrogen cycling. Furthermore, enrichment generally reduced the abundance of active eukaryotes in the sediment. As well as demonstrating interactive impacts of metals and organic enrichment, this study highlights the sensitivity of next-generation sequencing for ecosystem biomonitoring of interacting stressors and identifies opportunities for more targeted application.

Changes in benthic assemblages near boardwalks in temperate urban mangrove forests

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-1998

DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(98)00036-7

Functional traits reveal early responses in marine reserves following protection from fishing

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 16-02-2015

DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12309

Variation in abundance and size-structure of populations of the small chiton, Acanthochitona retrojecta

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 05-2005

DOI: 10.1093/MOLLUS/EYI017

Effects of a chelating resin on metal bioavailability and toxicity to estuarine invertebrates: Divergent results of field and laboratory tests

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 05-2010

DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2010.01.027

Abstract: Benthic invertebrates can uptake metals through diffusion of free ion solutes, or ingestion of sediment-bound forms. This study investigated the efficacy of the metal chelating resin SIR 300 in adsorbing porewater metals and isolating pathways of metal exposure. A field experiment (Botany Bay, Sydney, Australia) and a laboratory toxicity test each manipulated the availability of porewater metals within contaminated and uncontaminated sediments. It was predicted that within contaminated sediments, the resin would adsorb porewater metals and reduce toxicity to invertebrates, but in uncontaminated sediments, the resin would not significantly affect these variables. Whereas in the laboratory, the resin produced the predicted results, in the field the resin increased porewater metal concentrations of contaminated sediments for at least 34 days and decreased abundances of four macroinvertebrate groups, and richness in all sediments. These contrasting findings highlight the limits of extrapolating the results of laboratory experiments to the field environment.

Assessing the viability of small aerial drones to quantify recreational fishers

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 11-08-2020

DOI: 10.1111/FME.12452

Ocean warming and acidification affect the nutritional quality of the commercially-harvested turbinid snail Turbo militaris

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2018

DOI: 10.1016/J.MARENVRES.2018.08.009

Abstract: Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are driving ocean warming and acidification. This could cause stress resulting in decreases in nutritional quality of marine species for human consumption, if environmental changes go beyond the optimal range for harvested species. To evaluate this, we used ambient and near-future elevated temperatures and pCO

Experimental transplantations of coralline algal turf to demonstrate causes of differences in macrofauna at different tidal heights

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 2003

DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(02)00443-4

Genetic differentiation between estuarine and open coast ecotypes of a dominant ecosystem engineer

Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Date: 2019

DOI: 10.1071/MF17392

Abstract: Temperate intertidal shores globally are often dominated by habitat-forming seaweeds, but our knowledge of these systems is heavily biased towards northern hemisphere species. Rocky intertidal shores throughout Australia and New Zealand are dominated by a single monotypic species, Hormosira banksii. This species plays a key role in facilitating bio ersity on both rocky shores and estuarine habitats, yet we know little about the processes that structure populations. Herein we characterise the genetic ersity and structure of Hormosira and demonstrate strong restrictions to gene flow over small spatial scales, as well as between estuarine and open coast populations. Estuarine ecotypes were often genetically unique from nearby open coast populations, possibly due to extant reduced gene flow between habitats, founder effects and coastal geomorphology. Deviations from random mating in many locations suggest complex demographic processes are at play within shores, including clonality in estuarine populations. Strong isolation by distance in Hormosira suggests that spatial management of intertidal habitats will necessitate a network of broad-scale protection. Understanding patterns of genetic ersity and gene flow in this important ecosystem engineer will enhance the ability to manage, conserve and restore this key species into the future.

IFREMER

Location: France

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Southern Cross University

Location: Australia

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Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP150104263

Start Date: 2015

End Date: 12-2019

Amount: $363,300.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP0558122

Start Date: 03-2005

End Date: 07-2008

Amount: $185,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775739

Start Date: 2007

End Date: 12-2007

Amount: $135,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP230100408

Start Date: 2023

End Date: 12-2025

Amount: $395,375.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP0559770

Start Date: 03-2005

End Date: 06-2008

Amount: $220,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP120100228

Start Date: 08-2012

End Date: 07-2017

Amount: $217,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP0990568

Start Date: 2010

End Date: 06-2014

Amount: $125,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP0990640

Start Date: 10-2009

End Date: 10-2013

Amount: $695,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100007

Start Date: 2017

End Date: 12-2017

Amount: $552,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100083

Start Date: 04-2020

End Date: 12-2022

Amount: $310,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668039

Start Date: 2006

End Date: 12-2006

Amount: $160,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council