Effects of frond length on diverse gastropod assemblages in coralline turf

Kelaher, BP

Effects of frond length on diverse gastropod assemblages in coralline turf

Kelaher, BP

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Publisher:: Cambridge Journals
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2003, 83 (1), pp. 159 - 163
Issue Date:: 2003-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kelaher, BP	en_US
dc.date.issued	2003-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2003, 83 (1), pp. 159 - 163	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0025-3154	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/8698
dc.description.abstract	Habitat mimics were used to investigate the role of coralline algal frond length in determining spatial patterns in diverse gastropod assemblages on a rocky shore near Sydney, Australia. Frond length represents the vertical scale component of habitat structure, which is rarely experimentally manipulated. Length of fronds did not explain differences between gastropod assemblages at different tidal heights or among patches of turf separated by tens of metres in mid-shore areas. In contrast, changes in frond length caused large differences in the structure of gastropod assemblages in low-shore areas. Contrary to previous studies, the total abundance and diversity of gastropods was greater in turf with short fronds than with long fronds. Possible mechanisms for this negative relationship are discussed. Overall, the vertical scale component of habitat structure can have strong effects on associated faunal assemblages, but the magnitude of these effects depend heavily on local environmental conditions (e.g. different tidal heights).	en_US
dc.publisher	Cambridge Journals	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	en_US
dc.title	Effects of frond length on diverse gastropod assemblages in coralline turf	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	83	en_US
utslib.for	0608 Zoology	en_US
utslib.for	0602 Ecology	en_US
utslib.for	0607 Plant Biology	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of the Environment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.consider-herdc	false	en_US
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.volume	83	en_US

Abstract:

Habitat mimics were used to investigate the role of coralline algal frond length in determining spatial patterns in diverse gastropod assemblages on a rocky shore near Sydney, Australia. Frond length represents the vertical scale component of habitat structure, which is rarely experimentally manipulated. Length of fronds did not explain differences between gastropod assemblages at different tidal heights or among patches of turf separated by tens of metres in mid-shore areas. In contrast, changes in frond length caused large differences in the structure of gastropod assemblages in low-shore areas. Contrary to previous studies, the total abundance and diversity of gastropods was greater in turf with short fronds than with long fronds. Possible mechanisms for this negative relationship are discussed. Overall, the vertical scale component of habitat structure can have strong effects on associated faunal assemblages, but the magnitude of these effects depend heavily on local environmental conditions (e.g. different tidal heights).

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/8698