Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Outcropping reef ledges drive patterns of epibenthic assemblage diversity on cross-shelf habitats

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Monk, J.
    Barrett, N.
    Hill, N.
    Lucieer, V.
    Nichol, S.
    Siwabessy, Justy
    Williams, S.
    Date
    2016
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Monk, J. and Barrett, N. and Hill, N. and Lucieer, V. and Nichol, S. and Siwabessy, J. and Williams, S. 2016. Outcropping reef ledges drive patterns of epibenthic assemblage diversity on cross-shelf habitats. Biodiversity and Conservation. 25 (3): pp. 485-502.
    Source Title
    Biodiversity and Conservation
    DOI
    10.1007/s10531-016-1058-1
    ISSN
    0960-3115
    School
    Centre for Marine Science and Technology
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/52222
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Seafloor habitats on continental shelf margins are increasingly being the subject of worldwide conservation efforts to protect them from human activities due to their biological and economic value. Quantitative data on the epibenthic taxa which contributes to the biodiversity value of these continental shelf margins is vital for the effectiveness of these efforts, especially at the spatial resolution required to effectively manage these ecosystems. We quantified the diversity of morphotype classes on an outcropping reef system characteristic of the continental shelf margin in the Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve, southeastern Australia. The system is uniquely characterized by long linear outcropping ledge features in sedimentary bedrock that differ markedly from the surrounding low-profile, sand-inundated reefs. We characterize a reef system harboring rich morphotype classes, with a total of 55 morphotype classes identified from the still images captured by an autonomous underwater vehicle. The morphotype class Cnidaria/Bryzoa/Hydroid matrix dominated the assemblages recorded. Both a and ß diversity declined sharply with distance from nearest outcropping reef ledge feature. Patterns of the morphotype classes were characterized by (1) morphotype turnover at scales of 5 to 10s m from nearest outcropping reef ledge feature, (2) 30 % of morphotype classes were recorded only once (i.e. singletons), and (3) generally low levels of abundance (proportion cover) of the component morphotype class. This suggests that the assemblages in this region contain a considerable number of locally rare morphotype classes. This study highlights the particular importance of outcropping reef ledge features in this region, as they provide a refuge against sediment scouring and inundation common on the low profile reef that characterizes this region. As outcropping reef features, they represent a small fraction of overall reef habitat yet contain much of the epibenthic faunal diversity. This study has relevance to conservation planning for continental shelf habitats, as protecting a single, or few, areas of reef is unlikely to accurately represent the geomorphic diversity of cross-shelf habitats and the morphotype diversity that is associated with these features. Equally, when designing monitoring programs these spatially-discrete, but biologically rich outcropping reef ledge features should be considered as distinct components in stratified sampling designs.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Habitat specialization in tropical continental shelf demersal fish assemblages
      Fitzpatrick, B; Harvey, Euan; Heyward, Andrew; Twiggs, Emily; Colquhoun, Jamie (2012)
      The implications of shallow water impacts such as fishing and climate change on fish assemblages are generally considered in isolation from the distribution and abundance of these fish assemblages in adjacent deeper waters. ...
    • Seasonal changes in a deep-water fish assemblage in response to monsoon-generated upwelling events
      McIlwain, Jennifer; Harvey, Euan; Grove, S.; Shiell, G.; Al Oufi, H.; Al Jardani, N. (2011)
      The coastal shelf of the Gulf of Oman experiences periodic upwelling events during the summer months that are driven by the southwest monsoon. It is unclear what role these events play in the spatial and temporal distribution ...
    • Evaluating Geomorphic Features as Surrogates for Benthic Biodiversity on Australia's Western Continental Margin
      Althaus, F.; Williams, A.; Kloser, Rudy; Seiler, J.; Bax, N. (2012)
      Australia's western continental margin extends over~2,000 km, from subtropical to temperate latitudes (~18-35. oS). The regional oceanography overlying the deep continental shelf and slope area (~100-1,000 m depths) is ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.