Predicting the Impact of Sea-Level Rise on Intertidal Rocky Shores with Remote Sensing

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Predicting the Impact of Sea-Level Rise on Intertidal Rocky Shores with Remote Sensing Journal of Environmental Management 261 (2020) 110203 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Environmental Management journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jenvman Research article Predicting the impact of sea-level rise on intertidal rocky shores with remote sensing Nina Schaefer a,*, Mariana Mayer-Pinto a,b, Kingsley J. Griffin a, Emma L. Johnston a, William Glamore c, Katherine A. Dafforn a,b,d a Centre for Marine Science & Innovation and Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia b Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia c Water Research Laboratory, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia d Department of Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Sea-level rise is an inevitable consequence of climate change and threatens coastal ecosystems, particularly Sea level rise intertidal habitats that are constrained by landward development. Intertidal habitats support significant biodi­ Climate change versity, but also provide natural buffers from climate-threats such as increased storm events. Predicting the LiDAR effects of climate scenarios on coastal ecosystems is important for understanding both the degree of habitat loss IUCN red list of ecosystems for associated ecological communities and the risk of the loss of coastal buffer zones. We take a novel approach Conservation management by combining remote sensing with the IUCN Red List of Ecosystem criteria to assess this impact. We quantified the extent of horizontal intertidal rocky shores along ~200 km of coastline in Eastern Australia using GIS and remote-sensing (LiDAR) and used this information to predict changes in extent under four different climate change driven sea-level rise scenarios. We then applied the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Criterion C2 (habitat degradation over the next 50 years based on change in an abiotic variable) to estimate the status of this ecosystem using the Hawkesbury Shelf Marine Bioregion as a test coastline. We also used four individual rocky shores as case studies to investigate the role of local topography in determining the severity of sea-level rise impacts. We found that, if the habitat loss within the study area is representative of the entire bioregion, the IUCN status of this ecosystem is ‘near threatened’, assuming that an assessment of the other criteria would return lower categories of risk. There was, however, high spatial variability in this effect. Rocky shores with gentle slopes had the highest projected losses of area whereas rocky shores expanding above the current intertidal range were less affected. Among the sites surveyed in detail, the ecosystem status ranged from ‘least concern’ to ‘vulnerable’, but reached ‘endangered’ under upper estimates of the most severe scenario. Our results have important implications for conservation management, highlighting a new link between remote sensing and the IUCN Red List of Ecosystem criteria that can be applied worldwide to assess ecosystem risk to sea-level rise. 1. Introduction predictions for the level of this rise vary depending on the amount of anthropogenic contributions (in the form of emissions and land-use Climate change threatens marine ecosystems at a global scale change) to radiative forcing. Radiative forcing is a measure of change through changes in temperature, ocean acidification and sea-level rise in the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared (Brierley and Kingsford, 2009; Doney et al., 2012; Hoegh-Guldberg and radiation due to a forcing agent (IPCC, 2013). Four global scenarios Bruno, 2010). Sea-level rise is a consequence of thermal expansion of the developed by the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) are ocean and the melting of water stored in glaciers and ice-caps (Church used to represent the effect of radiative forcing in 2100, relative to et al., 2011; IPCC, 2013). Under climate change, sea-level rise has been preindustrial levels: RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, RCP8.5 (IPCC, 2013). projected to exceed previously observed rates (IPCC, 2013), but Under these scenarios, global sea-level rise is expected to increase at a * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (N. Schaefer). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110203 Received 31 January 2019; Received in revised form 16 January 2020; Accepted 25 January 2020 Available online 2 March 2020 0301-4797/© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. N. Schaefer et al. Journal of Environmental Management 261 (2020) 110203 rate of 4.4, 6.1, 7.4 and 11.2 mm/year (values represent median values), rocky shorelines (a triangular irregular network of contour data) found respectively (IPCC, 2013). that a rise in sea-level between 0.3 and 1.9 m will, in some areas, result Sea-level rise will have the greatest ecological impact along low lying in a loss of 10%–50% of rocky shore extent (Jackson and McIlvenny, coastlines through increasing inundation of the intertidal zone, which 2011). Furthermore, under a 1.9 m sea-level rise scenario, slopes are supports important ecological assemblages such as mangroves, sea­ predicted to steepen in these areas, with at least 50% of rocky shores � grasses, saltmarshes and rocky shores (FitzGerald et al., 2008; Nicholls becoming vertical (�45 ) (Jackson and McIlvenny, 2011). The transi­ and Cazenave, 2010; Nicholls et al., 1999). Apart from providing habitat tion to a steeper relief from a flatrocky shore may force organisms into for intertidal biodiversity, these habitats provide a buffer from greater densities and increase pressure from competition, particularly in destructive ocean forces, reducing the impact of storm events and areas where static vertical barriers such as seawalls prevent a landward mitigating erosion (Gedan et al., 2011; Shepard et al., 2011; Spalding migration (Pontee, 2013). Yet little is known about the effect of sea-level et al., 2014). It is therefore important to quantify the risks to important rise on intertidal rocky shores in other areas of the world or in the coastal habitats from sea-level rise. In this study we used the Hawkes­ context of multiple climate change scenarios. Sea-level rise is an inevi­ bury Shelf Marine Bioregion as a test region and applied remote sensing table consequence of climate change, and understanding the possible to investigate the threat of sea-level rise to intertidal rocky shores negative consequences is essential to inform conservation and mitigate (Fig. 1). impacts. We take a novel approach to understand this change and its Intertidal rocky shores are the most common coastal habitat world­ potential impacts by combining remote sensing data (LiDAR) and the wide and are ecologically valuable (Thompson et al., 2002). They sup­ IUCN Red List of Ecosystems criteria. Remote sensing provides solutions port a diverse array of species, which is attributed to the high structural to rapidly collect geospatial data over large spatial scales, whereas the complexity of rocky shores (Blanchard and Bourget, 1999; Chapman, IUCN Red List of Ecosystem criteria provide a consistent framework for 2003; Sebens, 1991). Intertidal rocky shores and the communities living ecosystem risk assessments that can be applied worldwide. on them provide numerous ecosystem functions and services. Here, by following the framework of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Filter-feeders such as oysters improve water quality and further promote criteria (Keith et al., 2013), we assessed the current status of ~200 km of biodiversity by creating additional habitat for other intertidal organisms coastline within the Hawkesbury Shelf Marine Bioregion in order to (Coen et al., 2007; Grabowski et al., 2012). Intertidal rocky shore also estimate the status of intertidal rocky shores of the entire bioregion and act as important nursery and feeding ground for fish during high tide discuss potential effects of sea-level rise on associated biota. Under the and shorebirds during low tide (Burrows et al., 1999; Cantin et al., 1974; IUCN system, the status of an ecosystem is assessed against fivecriteria, Rangeley and Kramer, 1995). Yet rocky shores are also amongst the most with the final ecosystem status determined based on the highest risk vulnerable marine systems, facing a variety of anthropogenically returned for any one category. We focus on criterion C2, which involves induced threats (Halpern et al., 2007; Thompson et al., 2002). an assessment of the extent and relative severity of habitat degradation Since alternating periods of emersion and submersion is the key in the next 50 years. We used a high-resolution LiDAR (light detection physical driver on intertidal rocky shores (Menge and Branch, 2001), and ranging) survey of coastal elevation to estimate the net loss/gain of rapid changes in sea-level can have particularly severe consequences for intertidal rocky shores under sea-level rise scenarios. the availability of habitat. In Scotland, a study used existing maps of Fig. 1. Map of the coastline (~210 km) that has been assessed for rocky shores (highlighted in blue) on the coast of NSW, Australia (projection: GCS_GDA_1994). Approximate extent of the Hawkesbury Shelf Marine Bioregion is indicated. Rocky shores that were additionally assessed are highlighted in green (BH: Bradleys Head, CB: Cape Banks, D: Delwood, F: Freshwater). (For interpretation of the references
Recommended publications
  • The Morphology and Evolution of Tooth Replacement in the Combtooth Blennies
    The morphology and evolution of tooth replacement in the combtooth blennies (Ovalentaria: Blenniidae) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Keiffer Logan Williams IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE Andrew M. Simons July 2020 ©Keiffer Logan Williams 2020 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank my adviser, Andrew Simons, for mentoring me as a student in his lab. His mentorship, kindness, and thoughtful feedback/advice on my writing and research ideas have pushed me to become a more organized and disciplined thinker. I also like to thank my committee: Sharon Jansa, David Fox, and Kory Evans for feedback on my thesis and during committee meetings. An additional thank you to Kory, for taking me under his wing on the #backdattwrasseup project. Thanks to current and past members of the Simons lab/office space: Josh Egan, Sean Keogh, Tyler Imfeld, and Peter Hundt. I’ve enjoyed the thoughtful discussions, feedback on my writing, and happy hours over the past several years. Thanks also to the undergraduate workers in the Simons lab who assisted with various aspects of my work: Andrew Ching and Edward Hicks for helping with histology, and Alex Franzen and Claire Rude for making my terms as curatorial assistant all the easier. In addition, thank you to Kate Bemis and Karly Cohen for conducting a workshop on histology to collect data for this research, and for thoughtful conversations and ideas relating to this thesis. Thanks also to the University of Guam and Laurie Raymundo for hosting me as a student to conduct fieldwork for this research.
    [Show full text]
  • Study of Shanny (Lipophrys Pholis) Life Cycle Inferred from Microstructure and Microchemistry of Otoliths: Ontogeny, Coastal Recruitment and Connectivity
    D life ) pholis shanny of Lipophrys microchemistry of microchemistry otoliths: ontogeny, coastal recruitment and connectivity Carvalho Margarida Gama Ana à apresentada Doutoramento de Tese Porto do Universidade da Ciências de Faculdade Biologia 2017 Study Study ( inferred from cycle and microstructure Study of shanny (Lipophrys pholis) life cycle inferred 3.º from microestructure and microchemistry of otoliths: Ana Margarida Gama Carvalho 2017 FCUP PhD CICLO ontogeny, coastal recruitment and connectivity D Study of shanny (Lipophrys pholis ) life cycle inferred from microstructure and microchemistry of otoliths: ontogeny, coastal recruitment and connectivity Ana Margarida Gama Carvalho Doutoramento em Biologia Biologia 2017 Orientador Alberto Teodorico Correia, Prof Auxiliar da Universidade Fernando Pessoa/CIIMAR Coorientador Paulo Talhadas dos Santos, Prof Auxiliar da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto/CIIMAR FCUP 1 Study of shanny (Lipophrys pholis) life cycle inferred from microstructure and microchemistry of otoliths: ontogeny, coastal recruitment and connectivity. Foreword According to the number 7 of Article 6 from the Regulation of the Doctoral Program in Biology, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto (and in agreement with the Portuguese Law Decree nº 74/2006), this thesis integrates the articles and poster/oral comunications listed below, written in collaboration with co-authors. The candidate hereby declares that she contributed to conceiving the ideas, compiling and producing the data and analyzing the data, and also declares that she led the writing of all Chapters. Articles in indexed journals - Carvalho MG, Moreira C, Albuquerque R, Daros FA, Swearer SE, Queiroga H, Santos PT, Correia AT (In preparation) Use of otolith natal elemental signatures as natural tags to evaluate the larval dispersion, coastal recruitment, habitat connectivity and population structure of Lipophrys pholis - Carvalho MG, Moreira C, Cardoso JFMF, Brummer GVP, Veer HW, Queiroga H, Santos PT, Correia AT.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological Enhancement Techniques to Improve Habitat Heterogeneity on Coastal Defence Structures
    Accepted Manuscript Ecological enhancement techniques to improve habitat heterogeneity on coastal defence structures AliceE. Hall, RogerJ.H. Herbert, J. Robert Britton, SusanL. Hull PII: S0272-7714(17)31132-0 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2018.05.025 Reference: YECSS 5870 To appear in: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science Received Date: 30 November 2017 Revised Date: 17 April 2018 Accepted Date: 29 May 2018 Please cite this article as: Hall, A., Herbert, R.H., Britton, J.R., Hull, S., Ecological enhancement techniques to improve habitat heterogeneity on coastal defence structures, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science (2018), doi: 10.1016/j.ecss.2018.05.025. This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. © 2018. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 1 Ecological Enhancement Techniques to Improve Habitat 2 Heterogeneity on Coastal Defence Structures 3 a a a b 4 Alice. E. Hall , Roger. J.H. Herbert , J. Robert Britton , Susan. L. Hull 5 a Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth 6 University, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB, UK 7 b University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK 8 Corresponding author: E-mail address: [email protected] (A.E.
    [Show full text]
  • Community Structure and Habitat Preferences of Intertidal Fishes of the Eastern Canary Islands: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1996 Community Structure and Habitat Preferences of Intertidal Fishes of the Eastern Canary Islands: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote, With a Behavioral Description of Mauligobius Maderensis (Osteichthyes: Gobiidae). Richard Patrick Cody Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Cody, Richard Patrick, "Community Structure and Habitat Preferences of Intertidal Fishes of the Eastern Canary Islands: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote, With a Behavioral Description of Mauligobius Maderensis (Osteichthyes: Gobiidae)." (1996). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 6180. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/6180 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type o f computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion.
    [Show full text]
  • A Recovery/Conservation Programme for Marine Species of Conservation Importance
    Natural England Commissioned Report NECR065 A recovery/conservation programme for marine species of conservation importance First published 20 December 2011 www.naturalengland.org.uk Foreword Natural England commission a range of reports from external contractors to provide evidence and advice to assist us in delivering our duties. The views in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Natural England. Background Natural England commissioned this project to should result in the relevant species becoming provide an auditable, transparent methodology self-sustaining members of their ecosystems. for prioritising marine species recovery programmes in the UK waters around England. This report should be cited as: The aim of the work is to identify the HISCOCK, K., BAYLEY, D., PADE, N., COX, E. conservation needs of all marine Biodiversity & LACEY, C. 2011. A recovery / conservation Action Plan (BAP), OSPAR and WCA species in programme for marine species of conservation English waters, that are not considered to be importance. Natural England Commissioned afforded sufficient protection by the forthcoming Reports, Number 065. Marine Protected Areas network. The results will be used by Natural England to improve our understanding the marine species that are most in need of targeted conservation action. The report focuses on designing a prioritisation methodology that will be used to inform evidence based and transparent decision making regarding species recovery in the marine environment and where possible,
    [Show full text]
  • Of Blennies Lipophrys Pholis and Crabs Carcinus Maenas
    MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published October 14 Mar Ecol Prog Ser Foraging by mobile predators on a rocky shore: underwater TV observations of movements of blennies Lipophrys pholis and crabs Carcinus maenas Michael T. ~urrows'~*,Kei ~awai~,Roger N. ~ughes~ 'Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Centre for Coastal Marine Sciences. PO Box 3, Oban PA34 4AD. United Kingdom 2School of Animal Biology, University of Wales. Bangor LL57 2UW, United Kingdom ABSTRACT: The hypothesis was proposed that shore fishes and crabs, predators other than gas- tropods, may be primarily responsible for depletion of barnacle populations in the vicinity of crevices through thigmotactic behaviour during foraging. To test thls hypothesis, movements of mobile preda- tors on barnacle-dominated rock in the lower intertidal zone were observed using a fixed underwater television camera. An area of 0.2 m2 was monitored continuously for 14 d on a vertically oriented but relatively protected shore on the west coast of Scotland. Infrared lights during nighttime high tides lit the area. Stereo photography was used to determine the topography of the area. The principal species seen by day was the blenny Ljpophrys pholis (L.) while the shore crab Carcinus maenas (L.) was the most frequent species at night. Scorpion fish Taurulus bubalis (Euphrasen),dogwhelks Nucella lapillus (L.) and a single North American mink Mustela vison Schreber were also seen. Movements of crabs, and especially blennies, were concentrated around small-scale concavities in the rock surface of less than 10 cm dimensions, supporting the primary hypothesis. Times spent by Lipophryspholis and Carci- nus maenas in 0.001 m2 (10 cm2)areas within the video frame varied by 3 and 2 orders of magnitude, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Study of the Coastal Recruitment of Lipophrys Pholis in the Portuguese Occidental Coast Inferred from Otolith Microstructure Analysis
    Life history of shanny Lipophrys pholis in the Portuguese occidental coast: new insights from otolith microstructure Ana Sofia de Sousa Moreira 2013 Dissertação de Mestrado de Ciências e Tecnologia do Ambiente, Especialização em Tecnologias de Remediação Ambiental This work has been already presented in an international congress as a poster: Moreira AS, Carvalho MG, Moreira C, Daros FA, Queiroga H, Santos PT, Correia AT. 2013. Study of the coastal recruitment of Lipophrys pholis in the Portuguese occidental coast inferred from otolith microstructure analysis. COLACMAR. 27-31 October. Ponta del Este. Uruguay. and accepted to be published in an international paper: Carvalho MG, Moreira AS, Moreira C, Queiroga H, Santos PT, Correia AT. In Press. Validation of otolith daily increments in early juveniles of shanny Lipophrys pholis .Journal of Fish Biology. I Acknowledgements This Master thesis was only possible with the collaboration and contribution, directly or indirectly, from various institutions and people, who I would like to express a few words of thanks and profound appreciation, in particular to: Professor Alberto Teodorico Correia, my supervisor, by the availability manifested to guide this work, for the precious help in defining the object of study, the requirement for method and accuracy, the tireless scientific guidance, the critical review of the text, for comments, explanations, opinions and suggestions, by providing indication of some relevant literature, by timely advice, and by the accessibility, cordiality and friendliness
    [Show full text]
  • Dumfries & Galloway Local Biodiversity Action Plan
    Dumfries & Galloway Local Biodiversity Action Plan Written and edited by Peter Norman, Biodiversity Officer, with contributions from David Hawker (Flowering Plants Species Statement), Nic Coombey (Geodiversity & Traditional Orchards) and Clair McFarlan (Traditional Orchards). Designed by Paul McLaughlin, Dumfries and Galloway Council Printed by Alba Printers Published by Dumfries & Galloway Biodiversity Partnership, April 2009 Production of this LBAP has been made possible through funding by Acknowledgements Thank-you to all members of the Dumfries & Galloway Biodiversity Partnership Steering Group and Habitat Working Groups, especially Chris Miles of SNH, Alastair McNeill of SEPA, Chris Rollie of RSPB and Sue Bennett of DGC. Thanks also to Liz Holden for invaluable assistance with all things fungal and Andy Acton for advice on lichens. Numerous publications were consulted during preparation of this plan but in the interests of brevity and readibility individual comments are not referenced. Galloway and the Borders by the late Derek Ratcliffe and The Flora of Kirkcudbrightshire by the late Olga Stewart were particularly useful sources of information. Valuable discussions/comments also received from David Hawker, Jim McCleary, Richard Mearns, Anna White and the Dumfries & Galloway Eco-Schools Steering Group. Assistance with proof-reading from Stuart Graham, Chris Miles, Fiona Moran, Mark Pollitt and Chris Rollie. Photographs Thank-you to all photographers who allowed free use of several images for this document: Greg Baillie, Gavin Chambers, Gordon McCall, Maggi Kaye, Paul McLaughlin, Richard Mearns and Pete Robinson. Other photographs were provided by the editor and partners. All images are individually credited. Additional photography: Laurie Campbell www.lauriecampbell.com, Paul Naylor www.marinephoto.org.uk, Steven Round www.stevenround-birdphotography.com, John Bridges www.northeastwildlife.co.uk .
    [Show full text]
  • (L.) Reefs and Associated Mobile Fauna in Loch Creran, Scotland
    Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 61 (2004) 425–435 www.elsevier.com/locate/ECSS Underwater television observations of Serpula vermicularis (L.) reefs and associated mobile fauna in Loch Creran, Scotland E.S. Poloczanska*, D.J. Hughes, M.T. Burrows Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban, Argyll PA37 1QA, Scotland, UK Received 2 March 2004; accepted 11 June 2004 Abstract The behaviour of Serpula vermicularis reef worms and associated mobile fauna in Loch Creran, on the west coast of Scotland, was recorded for six weeks using underwater television. The reef worms were extended almost continually, generally only retracting when stimulated by the close proximity of a predator. The length of hiding time varied according to the species triggering the reaction. The mean length of time retracted was 21 s. Fauna associated with the reefs included the corkwing wrasse Crenilabrus melops, ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta, black squat lobster Galathea squamifera and velvet swimming crabs Necora puber. There were few significant associations between tidal cycle and the presence/activity of associated fauna but a number of fish and crustacean species appeared to be influenced by the diurnal cycle. Gobies were recorded during daylight only with peak observations around midday while wrasse, butterfish Pholis gunnellus and cod Gadus morhua were crepuscular. The dawn and dusk appearance of juvenile cod in large shoals is suggestive of a nightly migration. Ó 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Serpula vermicularis; serpulid reef; underwater television; diurnal cycles; cod; predation; Scotland 1. Introduction intertwining to form complex bush-like shapes (Bosence, 1979). These structures have been termed ‘‘reefs’’ as they Serpula vermicularis is a sedentary serpulid poly- form a discrete hard, biogenic structure which is chaete that secretes a calcareous tube.
    [Show full text]
  • Isles of Scilly SAC: Intertidal Under-Boulder Communities Survey 2011
    Natural England Research Report NERR059 Isles of Scilly SAC: Intertidal Under-Boulder Communities Survey 2011 www.gov.uk/natural-england Natural England Research Report NERR059 Isles of Scilly SAC: Intertidal Under-Boulder Communities Survey 2011 Hazel Selley Published 11 Novem ber 2014 This report is published by Natural England under the Open Government Licence - OGLv2.0 for public sector information. You are encouraged to use, and reuse, information subject to certain conditions. For details of the licence visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/copyright. If any information cannot be used commercially this will be made clear within the report. ISBN 978-1-78354-144-7 © Natural England 2014 Project details This report should be cited as: SELLEY, H., BAILEY, E. & MCNAIR, S. 2014. Isles of Scilly SAC: Intertidal Under-Boulder Communities Survey 2011. Natural England Research Reports, Number 059. Project manager Sangeeta McNair Natural England Pydar House Pydar Street Truro TR1 1XU [email protected] Acknowledgements This report results from research undertaken by Natural England. Field sampling was conducted by Sangeeta McNair, Wesley Smyth, Rhiannon Pipkin, James Bussell and Ian Reach (Natural England); Angie Gall and Ruth Williams (Cornwall Wildlife Trust) and Julie Love (IoS Wildlife Trust). Thank you to the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust and the Duchy of Cornwall for access to the survey sites and to the Wildlife Trust survey volunteers who kindly gave up their time. Isles of Scilly SAC: Intertidal Under-Boulder Communities Survey 2011 i Executive Summary This report presents a monitoring survey into the range of species found within the Isles of Scilly ‘Rocky shore communities’ which is a sub-feature of the Special Area of Conservation (SAC), representing the intertidal regions of the ‘Reef’ feature.
    [Show full text]
  • Patterns of Fish Reproduction at the Interface Between Air and Water Atsushi Ishimatsu,* Hieu Van Mai† and Karen L
    Integrative and Comparative Biology Integrative and Comparative Biology, pp. 1–22 doi:10.1093/icb/icy108 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology INVITED REVIEW Patterns of Fish Reproduction at the Interface between Air and Water Atsushi Ishimatsu,* Hieu Van Mai† and Karen L. M. Martin1,‡ *Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, 1551-7 Tairamachi, Nagasaki 851-2213, Japan; †Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyomachi, Nagasaki 851-8521, Japan; ‡Department of Biology, Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90263-4321, USA 1E-mail: [email protected] Synopsis Although fishes by nature are aquatic, many species reproduce in such a way that their embryos are exposed to air either occasionally or constantly during incubation. We examine the ecological context and review specific examples of reproduction by fishes at the air–water interface, including fishes that do and do not breathe air. Four modes of reproduction at the air–water interface are described across 18 teleost orders, from fresh water, estuaries, and sea water. Mode 1, the most common type of reproduction by fishes at the air–water interface, includes 21 families of mostly marine teleosts that spawn in water onto a substrate surface, on vegetation, or into hollow objects such as shells that will later be continuously or occasionally exposed to air. Although the eggs are emerged into air, many of these species do not emerge into air as adults, and only about half of them breathe air. Mode 2 involves six families of freshwater fishes setting up and guarding a nest and guarding on the water surface, either with bubbles or in vegetation.
    [Show full text]
  • A Multilocus Molecular Phylogeny of Combtooth Blennies (Percomorpha: Blennioidei: Blenniidae): Multiple Invasions of Intertidal Habitats ⇑ Peter J
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 70 (2014) 47–56 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev A multilocus molecular phylogeny of combtooth blennies (Percomorpha: Blennioidei: Blenniidae): Multiple invasions of intertidal habitats ⇑ Peter J. Hundt a,b, , Samuel P. Iglésias c, Andrew S. Hoey d,e, Andrew M. Simons b,f a Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA b Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA c Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Service des Stations Marines, Station de Biologie Marine de Concarneau, 29900 Concarneau, France d ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia e Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia f Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA article info abstract Article history: The combtooth blennies (f. Blenniidae) is a diverse family of primarily marine fishes with approximately Received 11 June 2013 387 species that inhabit subtidal, intertidal, supralittoral habitats in tropical and warm temperate regions Revised 23 August 2013 throughout the world. The Blenniidae has typically been divided into six groups based on morphological Accepted 4 September 2013 characters: Blenniini, Nemophini, Omobranchini, Phenablenniini, Parablenniini, and Salariini. There is, Available online 14 September 2013 however, considerable debate over the validity of these groups and their relationships. Since little is known about the relationships in this group, other aspects of their evolutionary history, such as habitat Keywords: evolution and remain unexplored.
    [Show full text]