Movement and size stucture in a poulation of the blue starfish Linckia laevigata (L.) at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef

1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 561 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Thomson ◽  
C Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Deep Water ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Patch Reefs ◽  
Lizard Island ◽  
Translocation Experiments ◽  
Significant Size ◽  
Adjacent Patch ◽  
Linckia Laevigata

On a patch reef surrounded by sand, the movements of L. laevigata conformed to Underwood's random walkmodel in most respects except that animals navigated unidirectional paths across the reef. At the edge of the reef, animals either turned back onto the reef or moved away across the sand, and this behaviour was studied in translocation experiments. When released on sand, L. laevigata navigated randomly distributed unidirectional paths. at speeds 10-20 times faster than on the reef. In this way, animals could migrate between patch reefs inhabited by L. laevigata of different sizes. Larger animals usually lived in deep water (≥ 10 m), but significant size differences were also found between adjacent patch reefs and were tentatively ascribed to variations in availability of food. Mean arm length of 26 animals starved in an aquarium for 1 week decreased from 115.4 to 108.5 mm, indicating that body size may change when L. laevigata migrates between patch reefs.

scholarly journals A unique taphonomic profile for Lower Carboniferous crinoids of western Canada and possible Recent analogs

1992 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 288-288
Author(s):  
Richard E. Terry ◽  
David L. Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Shallow Water ◽  
Deep Water ◽  
High Abundance ◽  
Predatory Fish ◽  
Western Canada ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Visceral Mass ◽  
Lower Carboniferous ◽  
Lizard Island

During diving studies of comatulid crinoids at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, detatched but intact crinoid arms and arm groups were sometimes encountered on the substratum. These arms are thought to originate through autotomy or breakage during attacks of predatory fish that remove the calyx and visceral mass but leave the arms intact. Detached arms remain in a vital condition for several days but soon lose pinnules and fragment as decay ensues.Occurrence of intact, isolated arms and arm groups in the Banff Formation of western Alberta requires a catastrophic disturbance (not necessarily predation) followed closely, if not coincidently, with burial. The loose arms are preserved mostly as short, straight, distal arm segments (1–2 cm long) or sometimes as long, curved arm segments (2–4.5 cm). The arm groups range from complete arm rays to partial arm rays. If originally present, pinnules are still articulated to the arms and cover plates are preserved on most pinnules. Biserial arms with pinnules, uniserial arms and uniserial arms with pinnules occur in a 2:1 ratio to crinoids having that type of arm structure whereas cuneiform arms with pinnules have a 3:1 ratio of preserved loose arms and arm groups to calyces. Loose, single arms and arm groups account for 33% and 11%, respectively, of the identifiable crinoid remains for the western, deep-water Banff Formation crinoid fauna. Overall, this fauna shows an equitable range from complete articulated crinoid crowns with attached stems to loose isolated plates. The preservation of this fauna has both a time-averaged, accumulation component as well as an instantaneous storm deposited component as represented by both completely articulated crinoids and the high abundance (44%) of loose arms and arm groups. The comparatively anomalous abundance of loose arms and arm groups probably originated through breakage or autotomy coincident with the burial event.In comparison, the Gilmore City crinoid fauna of Iowa represents an obrution deposit with over 75% of the crinoid specimens preserved as complete articulated crowns with attached stems whereas the eastern Banff Formation crinoid fauna is preserved as a shallow-water, time-averaged accumulation of mainly isolated crinoid calyx plates (54%) and partial calyces (20%). However, both of these faunas have few preserved loose arms or arm groups (<4% for either fauna).

scholarly journals Blue Carbon stocks of Great Barrier Reef deep-water seagrasses

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 20180529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul H. York ◽  
Peter I. Macreadie ◽  
Michael A. Rasheed
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Shallow Water ◽  
Deep Water ◽  
Inorganic Carbon ◽  
Blue Carbon ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Lizard Island ◽  
Sink Capacity ◽  
Shallow Water Species ◽  
Water Species

Shallow-water seagrasses capture and store globally significant quantities of organic carbon (OC), often referred to as ‘Blue Carbon’; however, data are lacking on the importance of deep-water (greater than 15 m) seagrasses as Blue Carbon sinks. We compared OC stocks from deep-, mid- and shallow-water seagrasses at Lizard Island within the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. We found deep-water seagrass ( Halophila species) contained similar levels of OC to shallow-water species (e.g. Halodule uninervis ) (0.64 ± 0.08% and 0.9 ± 0.1 mg C cm −3 , 0.87 ± 0.19% and 1.3 ± 0.3 mg C cm −3 , respectively), despite being much sparser and smaller in stature. Deep-water seagrass sediments contained significantly higher levels (approx. ninefold) of OC than surrounding bare areas. Inorganic carbon (CaCO 3 ) levels were relatively high in deep-water seagrass sediments (8.2 ± 0.4%) and, if precipitated from epiphytes within the meadow, could offset the potential CO 2 -sink capacity of these meadows. The δ 13 C signatures of sediment samples varied among depths and habitats (−10.9 and −17.0), reflecting contributions from autochthonous and allochthonous sources. If the OC stocks reported in this study are similar to deep-water Halophila meadows elsewhere within the GBR lagoon (total area 31 000 km 2 ), then OC bound within this system is roughly estimated at 27.4 million tonnes.

scholarly journals Wandinidae

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2260 (1) ◽  
pp. 927-930
Author(s):  
J. K. LOWRY ◽  
H. E. STODDART
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Living Coral ◽  
Tree Island ◽  
Lizard Island

One species of wandinid amphipod is reported from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Wandin griffini Lowry & Stoddart is known from Lizard Island, One Tree Island and reefs on the Outer Barrier, living among rubble usually at the base of living coral. The species is rare in this habitat.

Two new species of Terebrasabella (Annelida: Sabellidae: Sabellinae) from Australia

Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1434 (1) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNA MURRAY ◽  
GREG W. ROUSE
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
The Other ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Lizard Island ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Coral Rock

Two new species of Terebrasabella Fitzhugh & Rouse, 1999 are described from eastern Australia. Terebrasabella hutchingsae sp. nov., was found from preserved coral rock debris collected in 1977 on the outer Barrier Reef near Lizard Island, Queensland. Terebrasabella fitzhughi sp. nov., was found alive in burrows in and among spirorbin serpulid tubes on intertidal rocks in Tasmania in 1996. Both species were found in mucoid tubes, and brood their young in a manner similar to the only other described species of Terebrasabella, T. heterouncinata Fitzhugh & Rouse, 1999. Terebrasabella hutchingsae sp. nov., is exceptional as it possesses a type of thoracic neurochaetal uncinus different from the other two species, and which is similar to the notochaetal acicular “palmate hook” seen in Caobangia. Descriptions of both species are given, and the diagnosis for Terebrasabella is emended. Larval and chaetal morphology and relationships among of the three known Terebrasabella spp. are discussed.

A new species of Stephanostomum Looss, 1899 (Digenea, Acanthocolpidae) with a bizarre oral sucker: S. adlardi sp. nov. from the common coral trout Plectropomus leopardus (Lacepède, 1802) (Perciformes, Serranidae) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef

2007 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney Bray ◽  
Thomas Cribb ◽  
Andrea Waeschenbach ◽  
D. Littlewood
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Oral Sucker ◽  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Coral Trout ◽  
Lizard Island ◽  
The Common ◽  
Plectropomus Leopardus ◽  
A New Species

AbstractA new species of Acanthocolpidae, Stephanostomum adlardi is described from the serranid Plectropomus leopardus from Lizard Island in the northern Great Barrier Reef. It differs from all previously described acanthocolpids in the structure of the oral sucker which is extended into dorsal and ventral lobes each bearing a row of spines. A phylogenetic tree estimated from combined nuclear small and partial large ribosomal RNA gene sequences shows that, despite the unusual oral sucker structure, the species is a true member of the genus Stephanostomum. The molecular results also suggest that Monostephanostomum nolani is derived from within Stephanostomum.

scholarly journals Coral transplantation on a multilevel substrate of Artificial Patch Reefs: effect of fixing methods on the growth rate of two Acropora species

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Munasik ◽  
AGUS SABDONO ◽  
AZELIA N. ASSYFA ◽  
DIAH PERMATA WIJAYANTI ◽  
SUGIYANTO SUGIYANTO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Concrete Block ◽  
Coral Growth ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Lower Survival Rate ◽  
Shallow Reef ◽  
Patch Reefs ◽  
Central Java

Abstract. Munasik, Sabdono A, Assyfa AN, Wijayanti DP, Sugiyanto, Irwani, Pribadi R. 2020. Coral transplantation on a multilevel substrate of Artificial Patch Reefs: effect of fixing methods on the growth rate of two Acropora species. Biodiversitas 21: 1816-1822. Branching Acropora is generally used in coral transplantation to rehabilitate coral reefs. However, these corals are sensitive to environmental changes. Artificial Patch Reef  (APR) is an artificial structure that provides a multilevel hard substrate. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of the APR structure to facilitate the growth and survival of Acropora branching. Two species Acropora aspera and Acropora copiosa were transplanted vertically and horizontally on a modular concrete block in different levels of APR situated in the shallow reef of Panjang Island, Central Java. The results showed that the coral growth rate varied from 96.7 to 346.9 cm3/month, while survival ranged from 30 to 100% after 8 months. Lower survival rate mostly was found in the upper level of APR. The statistical analyses showed that the growth rate of A. copiosa fragment was significantly higher than that of A. aspera  (p<0.05). Moreover, there were also significant differences in the treatments of transplantation method  (p<0.05) to enhance coral growth. However, multilevel substrates were not significantly influenced by coral growth. This study suggested that A. copiosa which has high-level complexity in branching pattern will be selected to apply in shallow reef rehabilitation with transplanted vertically.

Habitat effects on home range and schooling behaviour in a herbivorous fish (Kyphosus bigibbus) revealed by acoustic tracking

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1454 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Pillans ◽  
R. C. Babcock ◽  
D. P. Thomson ◽  
M. D. E. Haywood ◽  
R. A. Downie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Herbivorous Fish ◽  
Ecological Role ◽  
Patch Reefs ◽  
Poor Understanding ◽  
Schooling Behaviour ◽  
Acoustic Tags

Large mobile herbivorous fish that specialise in browsing large brown algae are particularly important on coral reefs because their activities mediate algal–coral competition. Despite this important ecological role, we have a poor understanding of the movement patterns of such large herbivorous fish, including Kyphosus bigibbus. Nineteen K. bigibbus captured near adjacent but distinct patch reefs were tagged with internal acoustic tags and their movements monitored for up to 20 months by an array of 60 acoustic receivers. Home-range estimates showed that movements of individuals from each patch reef encompassed different spatial extents and resulted in differences in habitat used by the two groups of fish. The average 50 and 95% kernel utilisation distribution for long-term resident fish was 0.27±0.03 and 1.61±0.30km2 respectively, ranges that represent the largest values for a herbivorous coral reef fish recorded to date. There was a significantly higher degree of fidelity among fish from the same school, and to particular patch reefs, despite the proximity of the reefs and substantial overlap between schools of conspecifics. A coefficient of sociality was used on pairs of fish and showed that there was no evidence that individuals were consistently detected together when they were detected by receivers away from their home reef. The variability of movement patterns among individuals of K. bigibbus results in an increased niche footprint for this important browser, potentially increasing reef resilience.

Habitat use and coexistence of three territorial herbivorous damselfish on different-size patch reefs

2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (8) ◽  
pp. 2265-2272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihisa Hattori ◽  
Takuro Shibuno
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Back Reef ◽  
Intraspecific Interactions ◽  
Reef Area ◽  
Patch Reefs ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Random Placement

In local reef fish communities, species richness increases with increasing reef area. At Ishigaki Island, Japan, species richness is much lower on large reefs in the shallow back reef than that expected from random placement model simulations (RPMS). As three aggressive territorial herbivorous damselfish, Stegastes nigricans, Stegastes lividus and Hemiglyphidodon plagiometopon, coexist only on such large reefs, we focused on these species and examined patterns of their distribution and abundance on 84 patch reefs of various sizes (area and height). We also examined their aggressive intra- and interspecific behavioural interactions and habitat use on the two large reefs (the largest complex patch reef and the large flat patch reef) among the 84 patch reefs. While the abundance of both S. lividus and H. plagiometopon was highly correlated with patch reef area, that of S. nigricans was closely correlated with patch reef height. For S. nigricans and S. lividus, interspecific interactions occurred significantly more frequently than intraspecific interactions on the large flat patch reef. However, there was no significant difference in frequencies of the two interaction types on the largest complex patch reef, where they three-dimensionally segregated conspecific territories. This study suggested that reef height as well as reef area influence the distribution and abundance of these territorial herbivorous damselfish in the shallow back reef. As large patch reefs cannot be tall allometrically in shallow back reefs, relatively flat patch reefs may not have the high species richness expected from RPMS based on reef area.

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