Rebecca Leaper

Australian Antarctic Division

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NS Barrett

University of Tasmania

Nova Mieszkowska

University of Liverpool

Graham J. Edgar

University of Tasmania

Nicole Hill

University of Tasmania

Pippa J. Moore

Newcastle University

Michael T. Burrows

Scottish Association For Marine Science

Nick Ellis

CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere

Russell Thomson

Western Sydney University

Elvira S. Poloczanska

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung

Stephen J. Hawkins

University of Southampton

Cooperative Institutions

Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere

University of Tasmania

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Plymouth Marine Laboratory

Bangor University

Natural Environment Research Council

Australian Antarctic Division

British Antarctic Survey

University of Plymouth

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Constraints on body‐size distributions: an experimental test of the habitat architecture hypothesis

Journal of Animal Ecology (2001)

Rebecca Leaper Dave Raffaelli Chas Emes Bryan Manly

Summary Holling (1992) has claimed that a range of mechanisms, including habitat architecture, may be responsible for discontinuities in body‐size distributions across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. We tested this proposition in the marine benthos by manipulating habitat architecture directly. Specifically, we constructed artificial sediments (using glass beads) of uniform large or small particles, to change interstitial pore diameters at two estuarine sites. A combination of kernel estimation and smoothed bootstrap re‐sampling showed that there was a high and varaible degree of modality in body‐size (1–5 modes) in the experimental bead treatments and controls and no obvious evidence for a trough at organism size 0·5–1 mm ESD. We propose that habitat architecture may not be as intimately related to body‐size patterns as originally claimed, at least at smaller scales where experimental tests are tractable.

Classification of discontinuities

10.1111/j.1365-2656.2001.00493.x

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Citations (33)

Constraints on body-size distributions: an experimental test of the habitat architecture hypothesis

Journal of Animal Ecology (2001)

Rebecca Leaper Dave Raffaelli Chas Emes Bryan Manly

10.1046/j.1365-2656.2001.00493.x

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Citations (26)

Predicting marine ecosystem impacts of climate change in Australia

Thomas A. Okey George M. Watters Rich Little Patrick Lehodey Glen Newton

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Quantifying wave exposure in shallow temperate reef systems: applicability of fetch models for predicting algal biodiversity

Marine Ecology Progress Series (2010)

Nicole Hill AR Pepper Marji Puotinen Michael G. Hughes Graham J. Edgar

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 417:83-95 (2010) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08815 Quantifying wave exposure in shallow temperate reef systems: applicability of fetch models for predicting algal biodiversity Nicole A. Hill1,*, Austen R. Pepper1, 4, Marji L. Puotinen2, 5, Michael G. Hughes3, 6, Graham J. Edgar1, Neville S. Barrett1, Rick D. Stuart-Smith1, Rebecca Leaper1 1Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 49, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia 2Institute for Conservation Biology and Environmental Management and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia 3Marine & Coastal Environment Group, Geoscience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia 4Present address: New South Wales State Emergency Service, Level 3, 6 – 8 Regent Street, Wollongong, New South Wales 2500, Australia 5Present address: School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA 6Present address: School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia *Email: nicole.hill@utas.edu.au ABSTRACT: Management and conservation of ecosystems relies on biodiversity data; however, broad-scale biological data are often limited. Predictive modelling using environmental variables has recently proven a valuable tool in addressing this gap. Wave exposure is a particularly important environmental variable that structures shallow reef systems, but it is rarely quantified across the large areas often used for predictive studies. Therefore, we investigated approaches that quantify exposure and can be readily applied across a large area. We generated 6 quantitative indices that emphasise different aspects of exposure using a numerical wave model and cartographic fetch models. The utility of these indices for predictive modelling in shallow temperate reef systems was assessed by how well they explained community and genera-level algal patterns in Tasmania, Australia, which is a region that experiences a wide range of wave exposure conditions. Exposure indices were significant predictors of algal patterns, explaining up to 18% of community level patterns and up to 37% of the variance associated with the occurrence and cover of algal genera. Fetch-based indices in particular appear to be a viable option for quantifying exposure on shallow reefs. These indices can be generated within a Geographic Information System (GIS) program for specific sites of interest, along coastlines or on a grid, and are potentially accessible to ecologists. Quantification of exposure across broad regions using fetch indices will allow ecologists to makes advances in predictive modelling studies, but also facilitate studies that test the generality of hypotheses and mechanisms driving patterns previously observed using qualitative measures. KEY WORDS: Wave exposure index · Cartographic fetch modelling · Macro-algae · Biodiversity · Predictive models Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Hill NA, Pepper AR, Puotinen ML, Hughes MG and others (2010) Quantifying wave exposure in shallow temperate reef systems: applicability of fetch models for predicting algal biodiversity. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 417:83-95. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08815Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 417. Online publication date: November 04, 2010 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2010 Inter-Research.

Fetch

10.3354/meps08815

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Management of Antarctic baleen whales amid past exploitation, current threats and complex marine ecosystems

Antarctic Science (2011)

Rebecca Leaper Cara Miller

Abstract As baleen whales recover from severe exploitation, they are probably subject to a wide variety of threats within the Antarctic marine ecosystem, including directed take. Here we review both the management and current status of Antarctic baleen whales and consider those threats likely to impact on them. Threats range from global problems - marine pollution and climate change - to localized issues including shipping, habitat disturbance, unregulated wildlife tourism and fishery activities. We identify the most pressing anthropogenic threats to baleen whales including scientific whaling and climate change. It is unclear whether current management approaches will be able to effectively encompass all these threats while also accounting both for the differing levels of scientific understanding and for the differing recovery rates of the whale species. For management we recommend the following: 1) incorporation of both ecosystem considerations and the suite of identified threats not limited to direct take, 2) identification of measurable indicators of changes in whales that allow more certainty in monitoring of populations and the environment, and 3) recognition of significant relationships between baleen whales and habitat features to provide information on distribution and use.

Baleen

Whaling

Marine ecosystem

10.1017/s0954102011000708

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Marine biodiversity and climate change: assessing and predicting the influence of climatic change using intertidal rocky shore biota

Nova Mieszkowska Rebecca Leaper Pippa J. Moore MA Kendall Michael T. Burrows

Rocky shore

Biota

Environmental change

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The status and conservation of the silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma in Britain: a confidential report for English Nature and Butterfly Conservation

Zoe G. Davies Robert J. Wilson Howard Burton Kjell Ericson P. M. Ewin

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An experimental investigation of patterns of community assembly

Rebecca Leaper DG Raffaelli

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Spatial scales of variance in abundance of intertidal species: effects of region, dispersal mode, and trophic level

Ecology (2009)

Michael T. Burrows Robin Harvey Linda Robb Elvira S. Poloczanska Nova Mieszkowska

Determination of the pattern of variation in population abundance among spatial scales offers much insight into the potential regulating factors. Here we offer a method of quantifying spatial variance on a range of scales derived by sampling of irregularly spaced sites along complex coastlines. We use it to determine whether the nature of spatial variance depends on the trophic level or the mode of dispersal of the species involved and the role of the complexity of the underlying habitat. A least‐cost distance model was used to determine distances by sea between all pairs of sites. Ordination of this distance matrix using multidimensional scaling allowed estimation of variance components with hierarchical ANOVA at nested spatial scales using spatial windows. By repeatedly moving these spatial windows and using a second set of spatial scales, average variance scale functions were derived for 50+ species in the UK rocky intertidal. Variance spectra for most species were well described by the inverse power law (1/ f β ) for noise spectra, with values for the exponent ranging from 0 to 1.1. At higher trophic levels (herbivores and carnivores), those species with planktonic dispersal had significantly higher β values, indicating greater large‐ than small‐scale variability, as did those on simpler coastlines (southwestern England and Wales vs. western Scotland). Average abundance and proportional incidence of species had the strongest influence on β values, with those of intermediate abundance and incidence having much greater large‐scale variance (β ≈ 0.5) than rare or ubiquitous species (β ≈ 0).

Macroecology

10.1890/08-0206.1

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Citations (46)

Measuring and predicting responses of marine ecosystems to global climate change using intertidal indicators

Rebecca Leaper Michael T. Burrows MA Kendall Nova Mieszkowska Pippa J. Moore

Marine ecosystem

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