Loss of native rocky reef biodiversity in Australian metropolitan embayments

Stuart‐Smith, Rick D.; Edgar, Graham J.; Stuart-Smith, JF; Barrett, Neville S.; Fowles, Amelia E.; Hill, Nicole; Cooper, A.; Myers, Andrew P.; Oh, Elizabeth S.; Pocklington, Jacqui; Thomson, Russell

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.03.023

Cited by 29 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Although it might be possible to standardize CWM values of the vulnerability index by local SST to provide a metric that is comparable among regions, the tight relationship with temperature indicates that future changes in its values may be influenced by ocean warming. In addition to this, a recent study showed that the CWM of the vulnerability index based on RLS data (as we used here) was very closely associated with a pollution gradient, with a trend in the opposite direction to that expected from fishing pressure (i.e., increasing prevalence of vulnerable species with greater fishing pressure; Stuart-Smith et al 2015b). This and the strong relationship with SST imply that the vulnerability index has poor specificity for fishing impacts (Shin et al 2010), and although it describes important variation related to overall human impacts, its interpretation as a fishing indicator could be confounded by changes arising from pollution or warming when these pressures geographically overlap.…”

Section: Evaluation Of Fishing Indicatorssupporting

confidence: 57%

“…The threat posed by invasive species can also be considered part of the ecological state at a given location and so is not clearly placed among the categories of indicators in standard frameworks (i.e., it could be considered a pressure or state in the drivers–pressure–state–impact–response, or DPSIR, framework; Smeets and Weterings 1999). We consider the abundance of invasive species here as a direct metric of ecological state relating to this pressure and summarize national patterns in their proportional abundance among mobile invertebrates and small bottom-dwelling fishes recorded from RLS surveys (as was previously applied to the RLS data in Stuart-Smith et al 2015b). …”

Section: The Current Status Of Reef Biodiversity Around Australiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pollution covers a broad suite of pressures that are typically referred to in aggregate as a single pressure, with targeted research required to identify the most appropriate broadscale indicators for the impacts of different types of pollution on reef biodiversity. Indicators trialed to date have been closely linked to other pressures and ecological interactions that are difficult to disentangle (Stuart-Smith et al 2015b). …”

Section: National Biodiversity Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing National Biodiversity Trends for Rocky and Coral Reefs through the Integration of Citizen Science and Scientific Monitoring Programs

et al. 2017

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Reporting progress against targets for international biodiversity agreements is hindered by a shortage of suitable biodiversity data. We describe a cost-effective system involving Reef Life Survey citizen scientists in the systematic collection of quantitative data covering multiple phyla that can underpin numerous marine biodiversity indicators at high spatial and temporal resolution. We then summarize the findings of a continental- and decadal-scale State of the Environment assessment for rocky and coral reefs based on indicators of ecosystem state relating to fishing, ocean warming, and invasive species and describing the distribution of threatened species. Fishing impacts are widespread, whereas substantial warming-related change affected some regions between 2005 and 2015. Invasive species are concentrated near harbors in southeastern Australia, and the threatened-species index is highest for the Great Australian Bight and Tasman Sea. Our approach can be applied globally to improve reporting against biodiversity targets and enhance public and policymakers’ understanding of marine biodiversity trends.

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Section: Evaluation Of Fishing Indicatorssupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: The Current Status Of Reef Biodiversity Around Australiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: National Biodiversity Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing National Biodiversity Trends for Rocky and Coral Reefs through the Integration of Citizen Science and Scientific Monitoring Programs

et al. 2017

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“…Therefore, it is important to understand the spatial patterns of human impacts to inform conservation planning, especially in tropical developing countries. Proximity to large human settlements may be associated with higher environmental degradation, owing to the increased demand for natural resources, more waste and pollution, or the greater probability of the introduction of invasive species (Halpern, Selkoe, Micheli, & Kappel, ; Spear, Foxcroft, Bezuidenhout, & McGeoch, ; Stuart‐Smith et al, ). Regions with high human densities have higher rates of deforestation (Laurance et al, ), reduced species richness of birds and mammals (McKinney, Kick, & Fulkerson, ), as well as reduced functional diversity, biomass, and average trophic level of fish (Brewer, Cinner, Green, Fisher, & Wilson, ; Brewer, Cinner, Green, & Pressey, ; Clausen & York, ; D'agata et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological influences of human population size and distance to urban centres on fish communities in tropical lakes

Keppeler

Souza

Hallwass

et al. 2018

Aquatic Conservation

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1. Human population growth is a major cause of species extinction worldwide, and tropical fresh waters are among the most imperilled ecosystems. The identification of major drivers of human impacts on fish can benefit conservation programmes and management plans.2. The influences of the proximity to urban centres and human population size on six ecological indicators of fish communities (abundance, biomass, richness, diversity, average size, and size dominance pattern) were investigated in 48 floodplain lakes of five main rivers of the Brazilian Amazon (Tocantins, Tapajós, Negro, Solimões, and the Lower Amazon). These ecological indicators were also compared among the rivers studied and checked for any influence of the environmental variables of lakes (size, shape of natural shoreline, distance to the main river channel, depth, transparency, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen).3. Lake distance to urban centre was positively related to average fish size and dominance of large fish, indicating direct human effects caused by fisheries or indirect effects by habitat alteration (e.g. deforestation). Unexpected positive relationships between human population size and the richness and diversity of fishes were found, and may be caused by ecological compensatory effects, the abundance of rare non-fished species, or the proximity of an urban centre to ecotone areas.The other ecological indicators were unrelated to anthropogenic variables. Environmental factors affected fish communities, but did not change the conclusions regarding the effect of the anthropogenic variables. River basin was strongly related to species richness, diversity, biomass, and abundance of fish. Distance to the river channel was positively related to fish biomass. 4. The disappearance of large fish threatens the food security of riverine communities, and may harm essential ecosystem services. Conservation measures, including local management initiatives, protected areas, fisheries monitoring, and the

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“…Rocky reefs in the greater Sydney region have been surveyed for fish and mobile invertebrate diversity and abundance in an ad hoc manner since 2008 as part of the Reef Life Survey citizen science project. A recent publication from this work (Stuart-Smith et al 2015) has shown the relatively high fish diversity of Sydney Harbour (20-25 species per 500 m 2 ) compared with other heavily urbanised estuaries in Australia (Port Phillip Bay and Derwent Estuary with 5-10 species per 500 m 2 each). This study also indicated that within Sydney Harbour, heavily impacted sites (as characterised by had fewer fish and invertebrates, reduced total fish biomass and tended to be characterised by smaller fish species.…”

Section: The Natural Habitats Of Sydney Harbour Subtidal Rocky Reefsmentioning

confidence: 71%

Sydney Harbour: what we do and do not know about a highly diverse estuary

Johnston

Mayer‐Pinto

Hutchings

et al. 2015

Mar. Freshwater Res.

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Sydney Harbour is a global hotspot for marine and estuarine diversity. Despite its social, economic and biological value, the available knowledge has not previously been reviewed or synthesised. We systematically reviewed the published literature and consulted experts to establish our current understanding of the Harbour’s natural systems, identify knowledge gaps, and compare Sydney Harbour to other major estuaries worldwide. Of the 110 studies in our review, 81 focussed on ecology or biology, six on the chemistry, 10 on geology and 11 on oceanography. Subtidal rocky reef habitats were the most studied, with a focus on habitat forming macroalgae. In total 586 fish species have been recorded from the Harbour, which is high relative to other major estuaries worldwide. There has been a lack of process studies, and an almost complete absence of substantial time series that constrains our capacity to identify trends, environmental thresholds or major drivers of biotic interactions. We also highlight a lack of knowledge on the ecological functioning of Sydney Harbour, including studies on microbial communities. A sound understanding of the complexity, connectivity and dynamics underlying ecosystem functioning will allow further advances in management for the Harbour and for similarly modified estuaries around the world.

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Loss of native rocky reef biodiversity in Australian metropolitan embayments

Cited by 29 publications

References 47 publications

Assessing National Biodiversity Trends for Rocky and Coral Reefs through the Integration of Citizen Science and Scientific Monitoring Programs

Assessing National Biodiversity Trends for Rocky and Coral Reefs through the Integration of Citizen Science and Scientific Monitoring Programs

Ecological influences of human population size and distance to urban centres on fish communities in tropical lakes

Sydney Harbour: what we do and do not know about a highly diverse estuary

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