caulerpa taxifolia in moreton bay - Centre for Marine Science ...

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. ABSTRACT ............................................................ 1
2. INTRODUCTION.................................................... 2
2.1 GENERAL BIOLOGY .................................................................................4
2.2 CAULERPA TAXIFOLIA IN QUEENSLAND.......................................................4
2.3 ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF CAULERPA TAXIFOLIA PROLIFERATION.....................5
2.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT STUDY ...........................................................6
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................... 7
3.1 STUDY AREA ..........................................................................................7
3.2 BENTHIC SURVEYS...................................................................................9
Jane Thomas
3.2.1 Selection of sites.........................................................................9
3.2.2 Survey technique and analyses...................................................9
3.3 RECIPROCAL TRANSPLANTS.....................................................................11
3.3.1 Site description.........................................................................11
3.3.2 Experimental design, measurements and analyses.....................11
3.4 SEAGRASS AQUARIA EXPERIMENTS............................................................12
3.4.1 Effect of Caulerpa taxifolia extract on three seagrass species .....12
3.4.2 Experimental design .................................................................15
3.4.3 Effect of Caulerpa taxifolia extract on Zostera capricorni ..........15
3.4.4 PAM fluorometry......................................................................16
3.4.5 Pigment analysis and biomass measurements ...........................16
3.4.6 Statistical analyses....................................................................17
4. RESULTS ..............................................................18
4.1 BENTHIC SURVEYS.................................................................................18
4.1.1 Overall in Moreton Bay............................................................18
4.1.2 Western Moreton Bay...............................................................21
4.1.2.1 Caulerpa taxifolia distribution in 2003....................................21
4.1.2.2 Change in Caulerpa distribution 1998-2003............................22
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