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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Wounded Kelps: Patterns And Susceptibility To Breakage, Thibaut De Bettignies, Mads Thomsen, Thomas Wernberg
Wounded Kelps: Patterns And Susceptibility To Breakage, Thibaut De Bettignies, Mads Thomsen, Thomas Wernberg
Research outputs 2012
Kelps are highly productive seaweeds predominantly found in wave-exposed environments. Physical and biological processes such as sand abrasion, whiplash and grazing can wound kelp tissue, potentially weakening its ability to withstand wave forces. Despite the ecological importance of kelp tissue loss, few studies have quantified wounding patterns in kelps or how wounding might affect the biomechanical properties of kelps. We quantified the prevalence of wounds on 360 Ecklonia radiata kelps collected across 3 different reef lines (levels of wave exposure) in April (autumn), June (early winter), August (winter) and October (early spring) (i.e. before, during and after peak wave activity). …
Drift Algae, An Invasive Snail And Elevated Temperature Reduce Ecological Performance Of A Warm-Temperate Seagrass, Through Additive Effects, H Hoffle, Thomas Wernberg, Mads Thomsen, M Holmer
Drift Algae, An Invasive Snail And Elevated Temperature Reduce Ecological Performance Of A Warm-Temperate Seagrass, Through Additive Effects, H Hoffle, Thomas Wernberg, Mads Thomsen, M Holmer
Research outputs 2012
Seagrasses are under pressure from multiple concurrent threats, including rising temperatures, invasive species and nutrient-driven algal accumulations. We quantified the abundance of drift algae and the invasive snail Batillaria australis in 3 Halophila ovalis seagrass beds in the Swan River Estuary (Perth, Western Australia), and tested in an aquarium experiment for interactive effects of temperature (21 vs. 27°C), cover of drift algae Chaetomorpha linum (0 vs. 1.4 kg fresh wt m -2) and presence (0 vs. 120 snails m -2) of B. australis on the ecological performance of H. ovalis. The survey showed that drift algae varied considerably between sites …
Fussy Feeders: Phyllosoma Larvae Of The Western Rocklobster (Panulirus Cygnus) Demonstrate Prey Preference, M I Saunders, P A Thompson, A G Jeffs, Christin Sawstrom, N Sachlikidis, L E Beckley, A M Waite
Fussy Feeders: Phyllosoma Larvae Of The Western Rocklobster (Panulirus Cygnus) Demonstrate Prey Preference, M I Saunders, P A Thompson, A G Jeffs, Christin Sawstrom, N Sachlikidis, L E Beckley, A M Waite
Research outputs 2012
The Western Rocklobster (Panulirus cygnus) is the most valuable single species fishery in Australia and the largest single country spiny lobster fishery in the world. In recent years a well-known relationship between oceanographic conditions and lobster recruitment has become uncoupled, with significantly lower recruitment than expected, generating interest in the factors influencing survival and development of the planktonic larval stages. The nutritional requirements and wild prey of the planktotrophic larval stage (phyllosoma) of P. cygnus were previously unknown, hampering both management and aquaculture efforts for this species. Ship-board feeding trials of wild-caught mid-late stage P. cygnus phyllosoma in the eastern …