Brief description
The data is the quantitative abundance of fish derived from underwater visual census methods involving transect counts at rocky reef sites around Tasmania. This data forms part of a larger dataset that also surveyed megafaunal invertebrate abundance and algal cover for the area. The aggregated dataset allows examination of changes in Tasmanian shallow reef floral and faunal communities over a decadal scale - initial surveys were conducted in 1992-1995, and again at the same sites in 2006-2007. There are plans for ongoing surveys. An additional component was added in the latter study - a boat ramp study looking at the proximity of boat ramps and their effects of fishing. We analysed underwater visual census data on fishes and macroinvertebrates (abalone and rock lobsters) at 133 shallow rocky reef sites around Tasmania that ranged from 0.6 - 131 km from the nearest boat ramp. These sites were not all the same as those used for the comparison of 1994 and 2006 reef communities. The subset of 133 sites examined in this component consisted of only those sites that were characterized by the two major algal (kelp) types (laminarian or fucoid dominated). Sites with atypical algal assemblages were omitted from the 196 sites surveyed in 2006. This study aimed to examine reef community data for changes at the community level, changes in species richness and introduced species populations, and changes that may have resulted from ocean warming and fishing. The methods are described in detail in Edgar and Barrett (1997). Primarily the data are derived from transects at 5 m depth and/or 10 m depth at each site surveyed. The underwater visual census (UVC) methodology used to survey rocky reef communities was designed to maximise detection of (i) changes in population numbers and size-structure (ii) cascading ecosystem effects associated with disturbances such as fishing, (iii) long term change and variability in reef assemblages.Lineage
Maintenance and Update Frequency: irregular
Statement: The underwater visual census (UVC) methodology used to survey rocky reef communities involved quantitative diver-based surveys of fishes, large mobile invertebrates and macroalgae (see below for more detail; also described by Edgar & Barrett, 1997 and Edgar et al., 1997).
A total of 136 sites from 8 bioregions around Tasmania were surveyed in both 1992-1995 and 2006-2007. An additional 60 sites were either resurveyed (from sites first surveyed in 1999) or surveyed for the first time in 2006.
At each site, 4 x 50m transects were laid at the 5m or 10m depth contour, and fishes, invertebrates (> 2.5 cm) and algae were recorded separately by a team of 2 - 3 divers. Details of each site, including the date and GPS location, were recorded and are available at IMAS. The methods below describe the specific survey technique for measuring fish abundance:
FISHES:-The density and estimated size-class of fish species within 5 m either side of the 50 m transect line were recorded by a diver (i.e. 50 m x 10 m). This was done by swimming parallel to the transect line (2.5 m away) and recording fish within a 5 m wide lane, on each side of the transect. Size-classes of total fish length were categorised as 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 375, 400, 500, 625, 750, 875 and 1000+ mm. Lengths of fish >1000 mm length were individually estimated.
For the boat ramp component, the UVC methods described above were used to record abundance and size structure of fishes and mobile benthic macroinvertebrates at 133 shallow reef sites around the Tasmanian coastline.
Notes
CreditNatural Resource Management (NRM)
Credit
National Heritage Trust (NHT)
National Heritage Trust (NHT)
Credit
Stuart-Smith, Rick
Stuart-Smith, Rick
Credit
Frusher, Stewart
Frusher, Stewart
Credit
Schaap, Alex
Schaap, Alex
Purpose
Description of biogeographical patterns on an Australia wide scale, for understanding natural variability over time, detecting changes associated with climate change (range extensions), quantifying impacts of introduced species (e.g. Undaria); understanding and describing ecosystem effects of fishing, and describing the influence of reef based fisheries at the decade scale. The initial survey provided a detailed census of marine life for each site, and by re-examining these sites the aim is to enhance our understanding of how reef species vary over a 12-13 year time scale. These data will allow better management of rocky reef resources from increased knowledge of changes in these systems through natural and human induced events, such as introduced species outbreaks, increased fishing pressure, climate change and disturbance of marine health.
Description of biogeographical patterns on an Australia wide scale, for understanding natural variability over time, detecting changes associated with climate change (range extensions), quantifying impacts of introduced species (e.g. Undaria); understanding and describing ecosystem effects of fishing, and describing the influence of reef based fisheries at the decade scale. The initial survey provided a detailed census of marine life for each site, and by re-examining these sites the aim is to enhance our understanding of how reef species vary over a 12-13 year time scale. These data will allow better management of rocky reef resources from increased knowledge of changes in these systems through natural and human induced events, such as introduced species outbreaks, increased fishing pressure, climate change and disturbance of marine health.
Data time period: 1992-01-01 to 1995-01-31
Data time period: 2006-03-01 to 2007-06-26
text: westlimit=144.50; southlimit=-44.00; eastlimit=148.50; northlimit=-39.50
text: uplimit=10; downlimit=5
Subjects
Abundance of biota |
Biological Sciences |
Biotic taxonomic identification |
Community Ecology |
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION | ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES | FISH |
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS | COMMUNITY DYNAMICS | COMMUNITY STRUCTURE |
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOSYSTEMS | MARINE ECOSYSTEMS | BENTHIC |
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOSYSTEMS | MARINE ECOSYSTEMS | REEF |
Ecology |
Environmental Science and Management |
Environmental Sciences |
Fish size class |
Marine and Estuarine Ecology (Incl. Marine Ichthyology) |
Natural Resource Management |
TASMANIA |
Temperate Reef |
biota |
diver |
User Contributed Tags
Login to tag this record with meaningful keywords to make it easier to discover
Other Information
(ASSOCIATED PUBLICATION - Short term monitoring of biotic change in Tasmanian marine reserves (DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(96)02769-4))
doi :
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0981(96)02769-4
(ASSOCIATED PUBLICATION - The conservation-related benefits of a systematic marine biological sampling programme: The Tasmanian reef bioregionalisation as a case study (DOI: S0006-3207(96)00095-X))
doi :
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(96)00095-X
(ASSOCIATED PUBLICATION - Spatial patterns in impacts of fishing on temperate rocky reefs: Are fish abundance and mean size related to proximity to fisher access points? (DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2008.08.002))
doi :
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2008.08.002
(ASSOCIATED PUBLICATION - Stability in temperate reef communities over a decadal time scale despite concurrent ocean warming (DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.01955.x))
doi :
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.01955.x
global : 29c481ab-e1b7-4eab-92df-3cfb20240255
Identifiers
- DOI : 10.4226/77/57216DEC5940D
- global : caf7220a-19e0-4a7f-9af6-eade6c79a47a
