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

    Time to stop mucking around? Impacts of underwater photography on cryptobenthic fauna found in soft sediment habitats

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    de Brauwer, Maarten
    Saunders, Ben
    Ambo-Rappe, R.
    Jompa, J.
    McIlwain, Jennifer
    Harvey, Euan
    Date
    2018
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    de Brauwer, M. and Saunders, B. and Ambo-Rappe, R. and Jompa, J. and McIlwain, J. and Harvey, E. 2018. Time to stop mucking around? Impacts of underwater photography on cryptobenthic fauna found in soft sediment habitats. Journal of Environmental Management. 218: pp. 14-22.
    Source Title
    Journal of Environmental Management
    DOI
    10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.04.047
    ISSN
    0301-4797
    School
    Department of Environment and Agriculture
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/67953
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Scuba diving tourism is a sustainable source of income for many coastal communities, but can have negative environmental impacts if not managed effectively. Diving on soft sediment habitats, typically referred to as ‘muck diving’ is a growing multi-million dollar industry with a strong focus on photographing cryptobenthic fauna. We assessed how the environmental impacts of scuba divers are affected by the activity they are engaged in while diving and the habitat they dive in. To do this, we observed 66 divers on coral reefs and soft sediment habitats in Indonesia and the Philippines. We found diver activity, specifically interacting with and photographing fauna, causes greater environmental disturbances than effects caused by certification level, gender, dive experience or age. Divers touched the substrate more often while diving on soft sediment habitats than on coral reefs, but this did not result in greater environmental damage on soft sediment sites. Dive rs had a higher impact on the substrate and touch animals more frequently when observing or photographing cryptobenthic fauna. When using dSLR-cameras, divers spent up to five times longer interacting with fauna. With the unknown, long-term impacts on cryptobenthic fauna or soft sediment habitats, and the increasing popularity of underwater photography, we argue for the introduction of a muck diving code of conduct.

    Related items

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

    • Ecology, Value and Threats of Cryptic Marine Benthic Fauna in Southeast Asia
      De Brauwer, Maarten Bernard Yvonne (2018)
      This thesis demonstrated that cryptobenthic fauna on soft sediment habitats in Southeast Asia are economically valuable, have a high species richness and can contribute to the sustainable use of ocean resources through ...
    • High diversity, but low abundance of cryptobenthic fishes on soft sediment habitats in Southeast Asia
      Brauwer, M.; Harvey, E.; Ambo-Rappe, R.; McIlwain, Jennifer; Jompa, J.; Saunders, Ben (2019)
      Cryptobenthic fishes play a crucial role in marine ecosystems as trophic links between the base of the food chain and higher-level consumers. Infralittoral soft sediments are the largest marine habitat, yet little is known ...
    • Recent developments in methods to detect impacts in coastal benthic habitats in Western Australia
      Ogburn, D; Meeuwig, Jessica; McCafferty, P; Grice, Kliti; Waddington, K (2011)
      Benthic habitats are those areas of seabed below the highest astronomical tide that support living organisms and influence the distribution and abundance of benthic primary producers and associated fauna. These habitats ...
    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.