Fouling assemblages associated with estuarine artificial reefs in new South Wales, Australia

Abstract

A B S T R A C TPrevious studies examining the dynamics of succession on artificial reefs have predominantly focussed on fish communities and largely ignored the role of fouling assemblages in explaining the patterns of community structure associated with artificial reefs. The objective of this study was to record the development of epibiotic assemblages on three "design specific" (Reef Ball ® ) estuarine artificial reefs systems located in Lake Macquarie, Botany Bay and St Georges Basin in New South Wales, Australia. Recruitment to the artificial reefs was relatively rapid with the majority of taxa identified over the two-year study period observed within the first year post-deployment. The artificial reefs in Lake Macquarie and St Georges Basin were characterised by low diversity with four and nine taxa recorded respectively in contrast to the sixteen taxa observed on the Botany Bay reefs. Results indicated no significant differences in percentage cover of taxa among reefs in either St Georges Basin or Lake Macquarie. In contrast, comparisons between individual Botany Bay reefs identified significant differences in the percentage cover of species between artificial reefs. Analysis of assemblage structure with reef age indicated discrete patterns among estuaries with an overall reduction in the percentage cover of filamentous turfing algae (FTA) identified for all reef systems with an increase in reef age. Variations in environmental and physical conditions (turbidity, water flow, wave action and proximity to naturally occurring reef) may have contributed to the observed differences in fouling assemblages between estuaries and between artificial reefs within Botany Bay. R E S U M OEstudos prévios que examinaram a dinâmica de sucessão em recifes artificiais foram focalizados nas comunidades de peixes, e sempre ignoraram o papel exercido pelos organismos incrustantes sobre a estruturação das comunidades associadas aos recifes artificiais. O presente estudo tem por objetivo registrar o desenvolvimento das assembléias epibióticas em três sistemas de recifes artificiais estuarinos com desenho específico (Reef Ball ® ) localizados em Macquarie Lake, Botany Bay e Bacia de St Georges em New South Wales, Australia. O recrutamento nos recifes artificiais foi relativamente rápido e a maioria dos táxons identificados durante o período dos dois anos de estudo já pode ser observada no primeiro ano. Os recifes de Macquarie Lake e da Bacia de St Georges foram caracterizados por baixa diversidade, sendo registrado o número máximo de seis táxons; em contraste, nos recifes de Botany Bay foram observados dezesseis taxa. Os resultados indicaram que não houve diferença significativa na porcentagem de cobertura dos grupos taxonômicos, tanto na Bacia de St Georges quanto em Macquarie Lake. Por sua vez, as porcentagens de cobertura das espécies nos recifes de Botany Bay mostraram diferenças significativas dentro do complexo recifal. A análise da estrutura das assembléias, quando se considera a idade do recife, indicou a ocorrência de pa...

Artificial reefs increase fish abundance in habitat‐limited estuaries

“…There may be substantial benefits resulting from the introduction of purpose‐built artificial reefs into estuarine systems (Burton, Farrar, Steimle, & Conlin, 2002; Folpp, Lowry, Gregson, & Suthers, 2011; Hamer, Mills, Grixti, & Rogala, 2011; Lowry, Folpp, Gregson, & McKenzie, 2010; McKenzie, Lowry, Folpp, & Gregson, 2011). Despite this, assessment of projected benefits, such as increased fisheries production through increased availability of rocky‐reef in estuaries, remains difficult and contentious (Bortone, 1998; Brickhill et al., 2005; Lindberg, 1997; Pickering & Whitmarsh, 1997; Polovina, 1989; Powers, Grabowski, Peterson, & Lindberg, 2003).…”