Research Project Summaries 2002-2009 - Marine Parks Authority ...

habitats outside the estuaries of the marine park were also mapped as part of a largerstatewide swath acoustic mapping program.The acoustic mapping revealed extensive subtidal rocky reefs throughout the marinepark, and while many reefs are adjacent to the mainland and offshore islands, othersare discrete subtidal features. A comprehensive description of the distribution, extentand structure of seabed habitats in the Solitary Islands Marine Park is provided in NSWMPA (2010a).Outside the estuaries, subtidal habitats are categorised into consolidated (reef) andunconsolidated (primarily sand dominated) areas, within three depth zones: shallow(0–25 m), intermediate (25–60 m) and deep (more than 60 m). The above informationwas combined to provide a map of known distribution of seabed habitats in the SolitaryIslands Marine Park (Figure 1).More recent assessment of the patterns of reef fish assemblages indicates threedistinct assemblages occurred on reefs 50 m supporting theneed for a habitat classification scheme based on these three depth categories. Inaddition, habitats have also been separated into subgroups based on their distanceoffshore: inshore (less than 1.5 km offshore), mid-shelf (1.5–6 km), and offshore (morethan 6 km offshore) (Malcolm et al 2010). For the purposes of reviewing the extent ofspecific habitats in each zone type these revised habitat classes have been used.Intertidal work on boulder habitat has shown them to be a relic habitat of higherHolocene sea-levels. Two types of boulder habitat were identified: boulder pockets andthe less common boulder beaches (Wilkes 2009).2.1.2 Biodiversity assessmentA number of broad biodiversity studies have been conducted within the Solitary IslandsMarine Park over the past two decades on algae (Millar 1990, 1998), corals (Smith andSimpson 1991, Veron 1993, Harriott et al 1994, Wilson 1998, Smith and Edgar 1999),fishes (Malcolm et al 2010; Malcolm et al in press; Malcolm et al in review b) and softsedimentassemblages (Smith and Rowland 1999). Mammals, reptiles and birds arealso distinct fauna – permanent residents, seasonal visitors or individuals passingthrough. A summary of the marine biodiversity in the NSW north coast region ispresented in Rule et al (2007).Building on previous research, surveys since 2002 have examined the biologicaldiversity of particular habitats, communities or taxonomic groups. Many of these alsodescribe spatial and temporal patterns of diversity, abundance and communitycomposition.Further details of the flora and fauna associated with defined habitats in the marinepark are in Natural Values of the Solitary Islands Marine Park (NSW MPA 2008a). Asummary is presented below.Solitary Island and Jervis Bay Marine Parks Research Projects Summaries 2002–2009 5