The faunal communities of Australian mangroves

P.A, Hutchings; Recher, Harry F.

doi:10.1007/978-94-017-0914-9_11

Cited by 22 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The most abundant gastropods in our study, such as Salinator solida and Assiminea tasmanica, are primarily grazers and deposit-feeders (Hutchings and Recher, 1982; and see Berman and Carlton, 1991;Yu et al, 1997 for related species) and may have responded to a reduction in available microbial food and detritus trapped among the pneumatophores and the algae. The presence of emergent structures, such as pneumatophores, can cause localised deposition of fine particles including sediments, detritus and other organic material onto the substratum (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Effects of habitat modification in mangroves on the structure of mollusc and crab assemblages

Skilleter

Warren

2000

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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The abundance and species richness of mollusc and crab assemblages were examined in a subtropical mangrove forest in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, which has been disturbed and damaged by the construction of a wooden boardwalk and a path. Sections of the forest immediately adjacent to the boardwalk and path were compared with reference areas to determine whether changes to the small-scale structural complexity within the forest affected the benthic fauna. The disturbed area was characterised by having 65-80% fewer pneumatophores, significantly fewer species and individuals of molluscs, but significantly more species and individuals of crabs than the reference areas.The abundance of mangrove pneumatophores and the attached epiphytic algae were manipulated at two sites to determine whether observed differences in these features could account for the differences in the assemblage of molluscs in the disturbed area of the forest compared with reference areas. Five experimental treatments were used: undisturbed controls, pneumatophore removals (abundance reduced by ca. 65%), epiphytic algal removals (algae removed from ca. 65% of pneumatophores), pneumatophore disturbance controls and algal disturbance controls. The experimental reduction of the abundance of mangrove pneumatophores and the associated epiphytic algae led to significant declines (by as much as 83%) in the number of molluscs utilising the substratum in the modified plots. There was no significant difference in the abundance of molluscs in the pneumatophore and algal removal plots suggesting any effect was primarily related to removal of the epiphytic algae from the surface of the pneumatophores.The responses by the biota to the changes in the physical environment demonstrate that even relatively small-scale modifications to the physical structure of subtropical mangrove forests can lead to significant effects on the diversity and abundance of macrobenthic organisms in these habitats. Such modifications have the potential to cause cascading effects at higher trophic levels with a deterioration in the value of these habitats as nursery and feeding grounds. Future efforts at conservation of these estuarine environments must focus on the prevention or reduction of modifications to the physical structure and integrity of the system, rather than just on the prevention of loss of entire patches of habitat.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Effects of habitat modification in mangroves on the structure of mollusc and crab assemblages

Skilleter

Warren

2000

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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“…However, we did find evidence that facultative users of mangroves rely on these areas for critical stages in their life cycles as well, using these areas to breed (e.g. the Estuarine Crocodile, Crocodylus porosus, Hutchings & Recher, 1981; and the Sea Krait, Laticauda colubrine, Hogarth, 2015). There were also records of species using mangroves to shelter from heat stress (e.g.…”

Section: Use Of Mangrove Forests By Terrestrial Vertebratesmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…As Brazil and Australia span >20 degrees of latitude and are substantially larger than other countries that support mangrove habitat, outputs are presented at the state level for these two countries. Species ranges followed Hutchings & Recher (1981); Uetz (1995) and Wilson & Reeder (2005). Mangrove richness followed Spalding et al (2010), and mangrove distribution followed Giri et al (2011).…”

Section: Species Distribution and Richnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than marine: revealing the critical importance of mangrove ecosystems for terrestrial vertebrates

Rog

Clarke

Cook

2016

Diversity and Distributions

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Aim Despite mangrove forests spanning marine, freshwater and terrestrial realms, their function as terrestrial ecosystems has been largely ignored. In the light of the rapid global decline of mangroves, it is critical to build a more holistic understanding to plan for effective management of the whole ecosystem. This study examines the importance of mangrove forests for terrestrial vertebrates.Location Global mangrove forests.Methods An extensive review of records of the use of global mangrove forests by the most poorly studied terrestrial vertebrate groups: mammals, reptiles and amphibians. We explored the species richness and distribution of these groups, along with their ecological characteristics. We also explored the relationship between animal and plant species richness across the distribution of mangrove forests.Results Mangroves are used by a remarkable number of terrestrial mammal, reptile and amphibian species (n = 464); five times more than previously reported. The diversity of species uncovered by this study, almost half of which are of conservation concern, underscores the value of mangroves as terrestrial ecosystems. Most species were facultative users of mangroves; however, there are critical knowledge gaps in how these species interact with these ecosystems. We found a positive global correlation between animal and mangrove plant richness.Main conclusions This study highlights that mangrove forests are considerably more important for terrestrial animals than generally acknowledged. We present the most comprehensive review of the importance of mangrove forests for terrestrial vertebrates, but also reveal significant knowledge gaps in the ecology of these ecosystems. Our study uncovers evidence that these habitats may be increasingly important as refuges for species from anthropocentric disturbance. Our findings emphasize the importance of moving beyond viewing mangroves as marine ecosystems, towards recognizing their cross-realm importance. Without such a shift, there will be significant limitations in our ability to manage and conserve these ecosystems.

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“…Observations reveal that snails and slugs consume plant detritus, microalgae and other organic matter from the saltmarsh surface or saltmarsh vegetation (Hutchings and Recher 1981;Ross et al 2009). Direct herbivory of saltmarsh vegetation was confirmed by isotope analysis by Saintilan and Mazumder (2010), and there is evidence of correlations between food available for direct herbivory and mollusc density (Ross et al 2009), though this may also relate to provision of shelter by specific saltmarsh plants (Richardson et al 1998).…”

Section: Carbon and Aquatic Foodwebsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The significance and vulnerability of Australian saltmarshes: implications for management in a changing climate

Saintilan¹,

Rogers

2013

Mar. Freshwater Res.

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We review the distribution, status and ecology of Australian saltmarshes and the mechanisms whereby enhanced atmospheric carbon dioxide and associated climate change have influenced and will influence the provision of ecosystem goods and services. Research in temperate and subtropical saltmarsh has demonstrated important trophic contributions to estuarine fisheries, mediated by the synchronised massspawning of crabs, which feed predominantly on the C-4 saltmarsh grass Sporobolus virginicus and microphytobenthos. Saltmarshes also provide unique feeding and habitat opportunities for several species of threatened microbats and birds, including migratory shorebirds. Saltmarshes increased in extent relative to mangrove in Australia in both tide-and wave-dominated geomorphic settings through the latter Holocene, although historic trends have seen a reversal of this trend. Australian saltmarshes have some capacity to maintain elevation with respect to rising sea level, although in south-eastern Australia, the encroachment of mangrove and, in Tasmania, conversion of shrubland to herbfield in the past half-century are consistent with changes in relative sea level. Modelling of the impacts of projected sea-level rise, incorporating sedimentation and other surface-elevation drivers, suggests that the survival of saltmarsh in developed estuaries will depend on the flexible management of hard structures and other impediments to wetland retreat.

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The faunal communities of Australian mangroves

Cited by 22 publications

References 2 publications

Effects of habitat modification in mangroves on the structure of mollusc and crab assemblages

Effects of habitat modification in mangroves on the structure of mollusc and crab assemblages

More than marine: revealing the critical importance of mangrove ecosystems for terrestrial vertebrates

The significance and vulnerability of Australian saltmarshes: implications for management in a changing climate

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