Alexander, Timothy J. (2013). Cryptic invertebrates on subtidal rocky reefs vary with microhabitat structure and protection from fishing. Marine ecology progress series, 481, pp. 93-104. Inter-Research 10.3354/meps10263
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The deployment of flat concrete blocks on subtidal rocky reefs can replicate natural reef microhabitats and provides a means for standardized sampling of cryptic invertebrates. The shape of the cavity beneath the block is related to reef topography and may influence the invertebrate community by affecting the amount of space for cryptic fauna to colonise and influencing the effectiveness of their predator-defence mechanisms. To determine the effect of sub-block reef structure and different levels of external predators on cryptic molluscs and echinoderms, I deployed concrete blocks at locations inside and outside the Maria Island marine reserve in eastern Tasmania, Australia. Relationships between sub-block reef structure and the cryptic invertebrate assemblage were evident between locations, whereas only a small but significant proportion of variation of assemblages between blocks within location was explained by reef surface area. No clear association with external predation pressure was evident in multivariate analyses of variation in assemblage structure. Juvenile abalone Haliotis rubra were not influenced by micro-habitat structure but were significantly less abundant at protected locations, the only species to exhibit such a response. This result follows a decline of emergent adult abalone in the marine reserve and raises the possibility of recruitment failure of abalone at some fully protected locations in the longer term.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) 08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Aquatic Ecology |
UniBE Contributor: |
Alexander, Timothy |
Subjects: |
500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology 500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology) |
ISSN: |
0171-8630 |
Publisher: |
Inter-Research |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Marcel Häsler |
Date Deposited: |
28 Apr 2014 12:03 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 14:29 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.3354/meps10263 |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.44149 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/44149 |
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