The Ecology of Six Species of Littoral Gastropods. I. Associations between Species and Associations with Wave Action

Meyer, GR; O'gower, A. K.

doi:10.1071/mf9630176

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Bembicium nanum and Nerita atramentosa are found higher in the intertidal zone (Edgar, ). Observations of these two species on Central Coast shores followed those made by Meyer and O'Gower (), exhibiting a very low spatial overlap with C. tramoserica and M. marginalba and were consequently surveyed in separate sites in the higher zone of each shore. The number and size of each species was recorded within 35 replicate 0.5 x 0.5 m quadrats randomly positioned within each site.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Assessing the effectiveness of a long‐standing rocky intertidal protected area and its contribution to the regional conservation of species, habitats and assemblages

Alexander

Gladstone

2012

Aquatic Conservation

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1. The acceptance of reserves as a useful management strategy relies on evidence of their effectiveness in preserving stocks of harvested species and conserving biodiversity. A history of ad hoc decisions in terrestrial and marine protected area planning has meant that many of these areas are contributing inefficiently to conservation goals. The conservation value of existing protected areas should be assessed when planning the placement of additional areas in a reserve network.2. This study tested (1) the effectiveness of protection for intertidal molluscs of a marine reserve (Bouddi Marine Extension, NSW, Australia) established in 1971, and (2) the contribution of the protected area to the conservation of regional species, assemblages, and habitats.3. The shell length and population density of one harvested (Cellana tramoserica), and three non-harvested species (Bembicium nanum, Morula marginalba, Nerita atramentosa) of intertidal molluscs were examined in the protected area and two reference locations over two seasons.4. The heavily collected limpet C. tramoserica was significantly larger in the protected area and was the only species to exhibit a significant difference. No species significantly differed in population density between the protected area and reference locations. 5. Temporally replicated surveys of macro-molluscs at 21 locations over 75 km of coastline identified that the existing protected area included 50% of species, two of five assemblage types and 19 of 20 intertidal rocky shore habitats surveyed in the study region. Reservation of a further three rocky reefs would protect a large proportion of species (71%), a representative of each assemblage and all habitat types.6. Despite originally being selected in the absence of information on regional biodiversity, the protected area is today an effective starting point for expansion to a regional network of intertidal protected areas.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Assessing the effectiveness of a long‐standing rocky intertidal protected area and its contribution to the regional conservation of species, habitats and assemblages

Alexander

Gladstone

2012

Aquatic Conservation

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“…Despite some grazing gastropods being less abundant on wave‐exposed than on sheltered shores (Meyer & O'Gower 1963; Menge 1976), many intertidal grazers, including limpets, which make up the majority of grazers on seawalls (Chapman & Bulleri 2003; Bulleri et al . 2005), have been found to be more abundant on shores with intermediate to great exposure to waves (Seapy & Littler 1978; Branch 1981; Brown & Quinn 1988).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure of seawalls to waves within an urban estuary: effects on intertidal assemblages

Blockley

Chapman

2008

Austral Ecology

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Despite being largely protected from sea swell by headlands, shores within Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia are subjected to considerable wave action from wind waves and the numerous recreational and commercial boats and ships using the waterways.The aim of this study was to test whether assemblages on artificial shores, that is, seawalls, either exposed to or sheltered from waves would show similar patterns to those published for natural shores exposed to or sheltered from sea swell. Specifically, the hypotheses were tested that sheltered seawalls would have greater cover of algae, whereas exposed seawalls would have greater cover of sessile invertebrates and greater abundance of mobile invertebrates. It was found that encrusting algae had greater cover on sheltered seawalls, whereas cover of turfing algae was greater on exposed walls. Sessile filter-feeders generally had greater cover on exposed seawalls, although a dominant space occupier, the oyster Saccostrea glomerata, showed either no difference, or greater cover on sheltered seawalls among different locations. The pattern for the dominant grazer on seawalls, the pulmonate limpet Siphonaria denticulata showed the predicted pattern low on the shore, but the opposite pattern at mid-tidal levels. Despite some inconsistencies the results were similar to those predicted from studies on natural shores, showing that assemblages on urban structures respond to wave action in a way that is predictable from studies on natural shores. Experiments were carried out where assemblages were transplanted to sites with differing exposure to waves to determine whether differences in recruitment or post-recruitment mortality were responsible for patterns of difference.We found that some sessile invertebrates did not survive when transplanted to sheltered seawalls, suggesting that difference in survival of organisms was responsible for observed patterns. This was not, however, found when the experiment was repeated at other locations. It is likely that processes affecting the assemblages are temporally and spatially very variable, or that more than one process interacts to cause observed patterns. Identifying such complexity requires rigorously structured sampling designs and appropriate manipulative experiments.

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“…Densities of snails were determined by collecting all snails in the quadrat and replacing them after counting. Because erosion of the spire of Morula marginalba shells occurs commonly, measurements were made of aperture-length as in Meyer and O'Gower (1963).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the Sydney area of New South Wales, Meyer and O'Gower (1963) found that Morula marginalba was almost completely absent from shores exposed to strong waves. O'Gower and Meyer (1971) found M. marginalba to b e more abundant at the edges of pools than in the pools or on rock which dried at low tide.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and dispersion of the predatory intertidal gastropod Morula marginalba

Moran¹

1985

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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In New South Wales, the muricid gastropod Morula marginalba occurs intertidally on most rocky shores in lower estuaries and on the open coast. M marginalba is absent from most wavebattered headlands and shores made up of massed large boulders. Experiments showed that physical dislodgement by waves was a sufficient explanation for absence of the whelks from areas of strong wave action. The xanthid crab Ozius truncatus is abundant on boulder shores and, in the laboratory. preyed on M. marginalba by breaking its shell. The crabs ate many more small than large snails. There is a size-related incidence of chipped shells in populations of M. marginalba adjacent to the boulder habitat, suggesting that the effects of predation by crabs on the snails ranges from slight and sizedependent mortality through to total exclusion. At times the snails form aggregations. Unlike some other species of muricid gastropods, M. marginalba did not aggregate to breed, feed or shelter from heavy waves. Clumping behaviour was positively related to the density of non-feeding snails. Whelks fed most when periods of submersion were longest, either due to spring tides or to big waves washing the shore. Since aggregations invariably occurred in pools or crevices, snails were probably sheltering from the effects of long periods of emersion and aggregations were seen when there were enough sheltering snails to form clusters. The snails changed their habitat with increasing body size, from moist, low-shore areas with very small prey, through to a higher ~ntertidal habltat with large prey. Preferred barnacle prey were frequently abundant higher on the shore than the snails were naturally found. Snails caged at these higher levels were able to survive and feed, though at a reduced rate compared with those lower on the shore. These findings support a model of dispersion in which snails tend to remain at the lowest shore level at which suitable prey are sufficiently available: availability being a function of feeding rate and therefore shore height as well as abundance of prey.

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The Ecology of Six Species of Littoral Gastropods. I. Associations between Species and Associations with Wave Action

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Assessing the effectiveness of a long‐standing rocky intertidal protected area and its contribution to the regional conservation of species, habitats and assemblages

Assessing the effectiveness of a long‐standing rocky intertidal protected area and its contribution to the regional conservation of species, habitats and assemblages

Exposure of seawalls to waves within an urban estuary: effects on intertidal assemblages

Distribution and dispersion of the predatory intertidal gastropod Morula marginalba

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