Victorian Subtidal Reef Monitoring Program - Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 28PPB Sanctuaries Subtidal Reef MonitoringCONTENTSEXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................. ICONTENTS............................................................................................................... IIIINDEX OF FIGURES AND TABLES.......................................................................... V1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 11.1 Subtidal Reef Ecosystems Of Northern Port Phillip Bay ...................................................11.2 Subtidal Reef Monitoring Program ....................................................................................41.2.1 Objectives....................................................................................................................................41.2.2 Monitoring Protocols and Locations ............................................................................................61.2.3 Monitoring in Port Phillip Bay Marine Sanctuaries .......................................................................62. METHODS............................................................................................................. 72.1 Site Selection and Survey Times ......................................................................................72.2 Census Method .................................................................................................................82.2.1 Transect Layout...........................................................................................................................82.2.2 Method 1 – Mobile Fishes and Cephalopods..............................................................................92.2.3 Method 2 – Invertebrates and Cryptic Fishes .............................................................................92.2.4 Method 3 – Macroalgae and Sessile Invertebrates.....................................................................92.2.5 Method 4 – Macrocystis ...........................................................................................................102.3 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................112.3.1 Community Structure.................................................................................................................112.3.2 Depiction of Community Differences.........................................................................................112.3.3 Trends in Community Structure.................................................................................................122.3.4 Species Diversity.......................................................................................................................122.3.5 Species Populations..................................................................................................................123. REGIONAL ANALYSIS....................................................................................... 143.1 Biogeography ...................................................................................................................143.2 Macroalgae......................................................................................................................143.3 Invertebrates ....................................................................................................................173.4 Fishes...............................................................................................................................194. POINT COOKE MARINE SANCTUARY............................................................. 214.1 Monitoring Sites................................................................................................................214.2 Macroalgae......................................................................................................................214.4 Invertebrates ...................................................................................................................234.5 Fishes..............................................................................................................................265. JAWBONE MARINE SANCTUARY.................................................................... 285. JAWBONE MARINE SANCTUARY.................................................................... 285.1 Monitoring Sites...............................................................................................................28III