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Scale-dependent relationships between benthic habitat characteristics and abundances of blacklip abalone, Haliotis rubra (Leach)
Citation
Strain, EMA and Johnson, CR, Scale-dependent relationships between benthic habitat characteristics and abundances of blacklip abalone, Haliotis rubra (Leach), Marine and Freshwater Research, 61, (11) pp. 1227-1236. ISSN 1323-1650 (2010) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2010 CSIRO
Official URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MF09211.htm
DOI: doi:10.1071/MF09211
Abstract
Habitat characteristics can influence marine herbivore densities at a range of spatial scales. We examined the
relationship between benthic habitat characteristics and adult blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) densities across local
scales (0.0625–16 m2), at 2 depths, 4 sites and 2 locations, in Tasmania, Australia. Biotic characteristics that were highly
correlated with abalone densities included cover of non-calcareous encrusting red algae (NERA), non-geniculate coralline
algae (NCA), a matrix of filamentous algae and sediment, sessile invertebrates, and foliose red algae. The precision of
relationships varied with spatial scale. At smaller scales (0.0625–0.25 m2), there was a positive relationship between
NERA and ERA, and negative relationships between sediment matrix, sessile invertebrates and abalone densities. At the
largest scale (16 m2), there was a positive relationship between NERA and abalone densities. Thus, for some biotic
characteristics, the relationship between NERA and abalone densities may be scalable. There was very little variability
between depths and sites; however, the optimal spatial scale differed between locations. Our results suggest a dynamic
interplay between the behavioural responses of H. rubra to microhabitat and/or to abalone maintaining NERA free of
algae, sediment, and sessile invertebrates. This approach could be used to describe the relationship between habitat
characteristics and species densities at the optimal spatial scales.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | correlation, H. rubra, percentage cover, quantile regression, scale-dependent. |
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Ecology |
| Research Field: | Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) |
| Objective Division: | Environment |
| Objective Group: | Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
| Objective Field: | Marine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
| Author: | Strain, EMA (Dr Beth Strain) |
| Author: | Johnson, CR (Professor Craig Johnson) |
| ID Code: | 65932 |
| Year Published: | 2010 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 6 |
| Deposited By: | Zoology |
| Deposited On: | 2010-12-09 |
| Last Modified: | 2011-05-10 |
| Downloads: | 1 View Download Statistics |
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