Marine ecosystems are structured by an array of natural and anthropogenic drivers, their diverse influences varying between different community types and across space. We assessed consistency in variation in composition and richness for three communities (macro- and meio-faunal communities associated with macroalgae, and soft-sediment infaunal communities) across natural and pollution gradients at the subcontinental scale of southeastern Australia. Community structure varied with natural environmental factors (temperature, wave exposure) and, to a lesser extent, pollutant loads (catchment effects, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and nutrients) across 43 sites spanning 2700 km. The community types showed differing sensitivities to pollutants: algal macrofauna was most strongly associated with hydrocarbon pollution and nutrient loading; algal meiofauna with heavy metals and nutrients; and infauna with catchment effects and nutrients. Different taxonomic resolutions were needed to detect significant pollution relationships for the three community types, indicating that monitoring programmes are most effective if pollutant- and fauna-specific.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	macroalgal epifauna, infauna, environmental impact assessment, meiofauna, macrofauna, heavy metal pollution
Research Division:	Environmental Sciences
Research Group:	Pollution and contamination
Research Field:	Pollution and contamination not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Environmental Management
Objective Group:	Terrestrial systems and management
Objective Field:	Assessment and management of terrestrial ecosystems
UTAS Author:	Denis-Roy, L (Ms Lara Denis-Roy)
UTAS Author:	Ling, SD (Dr Scott Ling)
UTAS Author:	Fraser, KM (Miss Kate Fraser)
UTAS Author:	Edgar, GJ (Professor Graham Edgar)
ID Code:	139366
Year Published:	2020
Funding Support:	Australian Research Council (DP170104668)
Web of Science® Times Cited:	1
Deposited By:	Ecology and Biodiversity
Deposited On:	2020-06-12
Last Modified:	2020-12-22
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