Study on genetic structure, demography and recruitment of several species of marine invertebrates.

In February and June 1983, fishes and benthic fauna were sampled to provide quantitative estimates of densities and volumes of the benthic invertebrate animals and biomass of the seagrass in summer, as well as abundances of the fishes occurring during the day and night and in both summer and winter in Amphibolis seagrass beds and sand flats at Monkey Mia Shark Bay, Western Australia.

Data on the geological evolution of Ningaloo reef.

Fish larvae were sampled along a five-station transect extending from inshore (18m depth) to offshore waters (1000m depth) of the coast of South-Western Australia (see thumbnail). 148 taxa from 93 teleost families were identified. The temporal and spatial structure of the fish assemblages were analysed in relation to the environmental variables. Assemblages were closely correlated to water masses (Capes and Leeuwin Current)

Many studies compare utilization of different marine habitats by fish and decapod crustaceans; few compare multiple vegetated habitats, especially using the same sampling equipment. Fish and invertebrates in seagrass, mangrove, saltmarsh, and nonvegetated habitats were sampled during May–August (Austral winter) and December–January (Austral summer) in the Barker Inlet-Port River estuary, South Australia. Sampling was undertaken using pop nets in all habitats and seine nets in seagrass and nonvegetated areas. A total of 7,895 fish and invertebrates spanning 3 classes, 9 orders, and at least 23 families were collected. Only one fish species, Atherinosoma microstoma, was collected in all 4 habitats, 11 species were found in 3 habitats (mangroves, seagrass, and nonvegetated), and 13 species were only caught in seagrass and nonvegetated habitats. Seagrass generally supported the highest numbers of fish and invertebrates and had the greatest species richness. Saltmarsh was at the other extreme with 29 individuals caught from two species. Mangroves and nonvegetated habitats generally had more fish, invertebrates, and species than saltmarsh, but less than seagrass. Analyses of abundances of individual species generally showed an interaction between habitat and month indicating that the same patterns were not found through time in all habitats. All habitats supported distinct assemblages although seagrass and nonvegetated assemblages were similar in some months. The generality of these patterns requires further investigation at other estuaries. Loss of vegetated habitats, particularly seagrass, could result in loss of species richness and abundance, especially for organisms that were not found in other habitats. Although low abundances were found in saltmarsh and mangroves, species may use these habitats for varying reasons, such as spawning, and such use should not be ignored.

The population dynamics of the infaunal bivalve Soletellina alba were investigated at three sites situated in close proximity to the mouth of the Hopkins River estuary from 1997 to 1999. The distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult S.alba was very variable across all dates, sites and channel elevations (i.e. water depths). An experimental test comparing the recruitment of juveniles at different channel elevations and in sediments of varying particle size was conducted during 1999. The results of these tests showed that recruitment was greatest at the shallowest channel elevation and there was little evidence that sediment particle size influenced recruitment. In contrast to 1999, recruitment during 1997 or 1998 was very low. Growth rates were monitored using tagged individuals held in caged and uncaged plots, which revealed that growth was highly variable among individuals, but not between sites. These tests also revealed that growth was negligible during the colder, winter months, and that the fastest growing individuals were capable of growing 0.2 mm/day. Salinity tolerance experiments showed that bivalves exposed to low salinities (< 6 ppt), exhibited poorer condition and took longer to re-burrow into sediments than those exposed to greater salinities (> 14 ppt), while death of bivalves exposed to salinities < 1 ppt occurred after 8 days of exposure. These tests provide evidence that low salinities are probably the principal cause of mass mortalities that are observed during winter flooding, although the interaction between salinity, temperature and turbidity also deserve consideration in the future. It is hypothesised that the survival of very young juveniles (between 0.5mm and 1mm shell length) and rapid growth rates are important features of the life history of S.alba that explain its successful persistence within the Hopkins River estuary. It is highly likely that this species is capable of completing its entire life cycle within the estuary. The absence of other nearby populations, and periods of mouth closure, are likely to greatly limit the potential contribution made by larvae entering from the surrounding marine environment. This study has added to our knowledge of how an infaunal bivalve copes with life in the intermittently closing estuaries that typify semi-arid coastlines in the Southern Hemisphere.

The data was collected from 2 years of field sampling from the commerical octopus (Octopus pallidus) fishery in NW Tasmania in Bass Strait. The data consists of morphological, reproductive and ageing information.

Metadata record for data expected from ASAC Project 2163 See the link below for public details on this project. Records of observations of kelp rafts passing within 50 m of one side of the vessel over replicated periods of 1 hour. Data collected over subantarctic latitudes only. Records include: size, species, presence/absence of holdfast, latitude and longitude, ship speed.

Ningaloo Reef currents: implications for coral spawn dispersal, zooplankton and whale shark abundance.

In 2002, Oceanwise Environmental scientists initiated a baseline marine ecological survey of Bateman Bay, Ningaloo Reef. Research was conducted in collaboration with Murdoch University. A variety of methods were used including manta tow surveys, video transects and baited videos, random spot dives, intensive transects and incidental sightings or observations. Data were collected on the physical environment, macroalgae, seagrass, plankton, coral, molluscs, fish, the intertidal zone, turtles and marine mammals. Report can be downloaded from this metadata record