Journal article
Build it and they will come: habitat and spatial drivers shape fish assemblages and ecological functions on shellfish reefs
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Vol.338, pp.1-13
2026
Abstract
Shellfish reefs support biodiversity, fisheries and coastal protection but are globally degraded. Effective shellfish reef conservation and restoration requires an understanding of the drivers of assemblage structure and ecological functions that underpin reef resilience. We investigated the spatial and habitat characteristics that shape fish communities, their functional diversity, and key ecological functions, including shellfish recruitment, herbivory, and carnivory at 10 intertidal shellfish reefs in Moreton Bay, central eastern Australia. Fish assemblages on shellfish reefs were shaped by habitat and spatial factors, particularly live oyster abundance, oyster size variation, and proximity to seagrass. Fish functional diversity, richness and evenness, and metrics indexing total ecosystem functioning all peaked at sites with higher live oyster abundance (400 live individuals/m2), lower mud cover (<25%), and lowest intertidal area nearby (<5 ha within 500 m). Habitat characteristics, such as reef vertical relief, reef patch size and muddy sediment presence combined with spatial isolation from connected habitats to strongly influence ecological functions. Specifically, herbivory was higher at sites with higher vertical relief (from 0.7 to 1.7 g/72hr), shellfish recruitment was highest at sites within larger patches (from 60 to 180 recruits/m2), and carnivory was higher at reefs less isolated from nearby subtidal channels and with less muddy sediment (from 0 to 25 g/h). These results highlight the importance of habitat quality and spatial context in underpinning the environmental health of shellfish reefs. Conserving and restoring larger, more complex reefs in highly connected seascapes can enhance ecological functions and biodiversity, boosting management success.
Details
- Title
- Build it and they will come: habitat and spatial drivers shape fish assemblages and ecological functions on shellfish reefs
- Authors
- Jay T. Bainbridge - University of the Sunshine CoastChristopher J. Henderson - University of the Sunshine CoastLucy A. Goodridge Gaines - University of the Sunshine CoastErin K. Wills - University of the Sunshine CoastBen L. Gilby (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Vol.338, pp.1-13
- Publisher
- Academic Press
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109930
- ISSN
- 1096-0015
- Copyright note
- © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- Data will be made available on request.
- Grant note
- The authors acknowledge and thank the University of the Sunshine Coast School of Science, Technology and Engineering for funding this research.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991228962102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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