Authors / CoAuthors
Post, A.L. | Domack, E. | Leventer, A.
Abstract
This study presents the first analysis of benthic megafauna and habitats on the Sabrina Coast shelf, East Antarctica, encompassing an area that has been proposed as a Marine Protected Area. Analysis of seabed images indicates that this shelf is comprised of a relatively abundant benthic fauna compared to other parts of the Antarctic shelf, and is dominated by brittle stars, polychaete tubeworms and a range of other sessile and mobile taxa. The distribution of taxa across this shelf is strongly related ( = 0.592) to variations in water depth, latitude, substrate type and the occurrence of phytodetritus. Areas with a high percent cover by phytodetritus are associated with muddy/sandy sediments, with relatively high abundances of mobile holothurians and amphipods, while harder substrates have high abundances of brachiopods, various forms of hard bryozoans, polychaete tubeworms, a range of massive and encrusting sponges and sea whips. Brittle stars, irregular urchins and anemones occur throughout. Variations in substrate type largely reflect the scattered distribution of dropstones, which creates habitat heterogeneity at fine-scales. Several taxa are found only on areas of hard substrate, with most of these taxa showing a broad distribution across the study area, indicating that the density of dropstones is sufficient for most sessile invertebrates to disperse across the region. A few taxa (the hexactinellid sponge Anoxycalyx joubini and branching hydrocorals) show a more restricted distribution. The distribution of hydrocorals may be influenced by their limited dispersal capability, while A. joubini is most likely restricted by water depth. The occurrence of dropstones is associated with significant increases in taxa diversity, abundance and percent biological cover, enhancing the overall diversity and biomass of this ecosystem.
Product Type
nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
89779
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Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- External Publication
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- AAT
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_Internal
Publication Date
2015-01-01T00:00:00
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Non-Exclusive licence to publish copyright (please provide TRIM link)
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unknown
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geoscientificInformation
Series Information
Lineage
Data analysis based on imagery and associated environmental datasets collected onboard Nathaniel B. Palmer voyage NBP14-02.
Parent Information
Extents
[-67.0, -66.0, 118.0, 121.0]
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Spatial Resolution
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