the reef biota at point addis marine national park - Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 83
Point Addis Subtidal Reef Monitoring
Contents
1 Introduction ........................................................................................................1
1.1 Subtidal Reef Ecosystems of Victoria........................................................... 1
1.2 Subtidal Reef Monitoring Program ............................................................... 6
1.2.1 Objectives ............................................................................................. 6
1.2.2 Monitoring Protocols and Locations ...................................................... 8
1.3 Subtidal Reef Monitoring at Point Addis ....................................................... 8
2 Methods...............................................................................................................9
2.1 Site Selection and Survey Times ................................................................. 9
2.2 Census Method .......................................................................................... 11
2.2.1 Underwater Visual Census Approach ................................................. 11
2.2.2 Survey Design..................................................................................... 12
2.2.3 Method 1 – Mobile Fishes and Cephalopods...................................... 13
2.2.4 Method 2 – Invertebrates and Cryptic Fishes...................................... 13
2.2.5 Method 3 – Macroalgae ...................................................................... 14
2.2.6 Method 4 – Macrocystis ...................................................................... 14
2.2.7 Method 5 – Fish Stereo Video............................................................. 15
2.3 Data Analysis – Condition indicators.......................................................... 19
2.3.1 Approach............................................................................................. 19
2.3.2 Biodiversity.......................................................................................... 20
2.3.3 Ecosystem Functional Components.................................................... 22
2.3.4 Introduced Species ............................................................................. 23
2.3.5 Climate Change .................................................................................. 23
2.3.6 Fishing ................................................................................................ 25
3 Results ..............................................................................................................27
3.1 Macroalgae ................................................................................................ 27
3.1.1 Macroalgal Community Structure ........................................................ 27
3.1.2 Macroalgal Species Richness and Diversity ....................................... 27
3.1.3 Common Algal Species....................................................................... 30
3.2 Invertebrates .............................................................................................. 34
3.2.1 Invertebrate Community Structure ...................................................... 34
3.2.2 Invertebrate Species Richness and Diversity...................................... 34
3.2.3 Common Invertebrate Species............................................................ 37
3.3 Fishes......................................................................................................... 42
3.3.1 Fish Community Structure................................................................... 42
3.3.2 Fish Species Richness and Diversity .................................................. 42
3.3.3 Common Fish Species ........................................................................ 45
3.4 Ecosystem Components ............................................................................ 48
3.4.1 Habitat and Production........................................................................ 48
3.4.2 Invertebrate Groups ............................................................................ 48
3.4.3 Fish Groups......................................................................................... 48
3.4.4 Sediment Cover .................................................................................. 48
3.5 Introduced Species..................................................................................... 48
3.6 Climate Change.......................................................................................... 54
3.6.1 Algal Bioregional Affinities................................................................... 54
3.6.2 Invertebrate Bioregional Affinities........................................................ 54
3.6.3 Fish Bioregional Affinities.................................................................... 54
3.6.4 Macrocystis pyrifera ............................................................................ 54
3.6.5 Centrostephanus rodgersii .................................................................. 54
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