The value of patches of intertidal seagrass to prawns depends on their proximity to mangroves

G A Skilleter; Andrew D Olds; N R Loneragan; Y Zharikov

doi:10.1007/s00227-005-1580-2

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The value of patches of intertidal seagrass to prawns depends on their proximity to mangroves

Journal article

Peer reviewed

The value of patches of intertidal seagrass to prawns depends on their proximity to mangroves

G A Skilleter, Andrew D Olds, N R Loneragan and Y Zharikov

Marine Biology, Vol.147(2), pp.353-365

2005

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-005-1580-2

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Abstract

crustacean

habitat use

intertidal environment

mangrove

relative abundance

seagrass

Australia

Moreton Bay

Penaeid prawns were sampled with a small seine net to test whether catches of postlarvae and juveniles in seagrass were affected by the distance of the seagrass (mainly Zostera capricorni) from mangroves and the density of the seagrass in a subtropical marine embayment. Sampling was replicated on the western and eastern sides of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Information on catches was combined with broad-scale spatial information on the distribution of habitats to estimate the contribution of four different categories of habitat (proximal dense seagrass, distal dense seagrass, proximal sparse seagrass, distal sparse seagrass) to the overall population of small prawns in these regions of Moreton Bay. The abundance of Penaeus plebejus and Metapenaeus bennettae was significantly and consistently greater in dense seagrass proximal to mangroves than in other types of habitat. Additionally, sparse seagrass close to mangroves supported more of these species than dense seagrass farther away, indicating that the role of spatial arrangement of habitats was more important than the effects of structural complexity alone. In contrast, the abundance of P. esculentus tended to be greatest in sparse seagrass distal from mangroves compared with the other habitats. The scaling up of the results from different seagrass types suggests that proximal seagrass beds on both sides of Moreton Bay provide by far the greatest contribution of juvenile M. bennettae and P. plebejus to the overall populations in the Bay. © Springer-Verlag 2005.

Details

Title: The value of patches of intertidal seagrass to prawns depends on their proximity to mangroves
Authors: G A Skilleter (Author) - University of Queensland
Andrew D Olds (Author) - University of Queensland
N R Loneragan (Author) - University of Queensland
Y Zharikov (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Marine Biology, Vol.147(2), pp.353-365
Publisher: Springer
Date published: 2005
DOI: 10.1007/s00227-005-1580-2
ISSN: 0025-3162
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99447752502621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Marine & Freshwater Biology

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