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Gastropod communities associated with different morphologies of the intertidal seaweed Hormosira banksii

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 00:26 authored by Gemelli, F, Craig JohnsonCraig Johnson, Jeffrey WrightJeffrey Wright

Hormosira banksii is an important intertidal habitat-forming seaweed in southern Australia that shows large variation in morphology. We examined the relationship between morphological variation in Hormosira and associated gastropod community structure, abundance and diversity in Tasmania, southern Australia. We sampled both Hormosira and gastropods from sites in two habitats (coast and estuary), two times (February–March and October–November) at two regions (northern and eastern Tasmania). There were distinct Hormosira morphs on the north coast (small individuals), east coast (intermediate sized individuals) and in estuaries (large individuals). Multivariate analysis showed that gastropod communities varied among the different algal morphologies, and suggest an influence of morphological traits, specifically thallus length, vesicle number and size, on the distribution patterns of gastropod species. Despite the finding of distinct gastropod communities associated with the different Hormosira morphs, because the different morphs occur in different locations with different physical conditions, we cannot unequivocally attribute the differences in gastropod communities to seaweed morphology per se. Nonetheless, our results confirm that H. banksii is an important foundation species in the intertidal zone and suggest a habitat-specific effect of algal morphological traits on gastropods.

History

Publication title

Marine and Freshwater Research

Volume

70

Pagination

280-291

ISSN

1323-1650

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

C S I R O Publishing

Place of publication

150 Oxford St, Po Box 1139, Collingwood, Australia, Victoria, 3066

Rights statement

Copyright 2018 the authors.

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Marine biodiversity; Assessment and management of terrestrial ecosystems

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