From Australian Oceans Data Network
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Effects of predation by fishes on the epifaunal community at Portsea, Victoria.

Created 23/06/2025

Updated 23/06/2025

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Exclusions were attached to artificial substrata to investigate the relative effects of predation on the development of epifaunal communities at Portsea. Exclusions were black plastic mesh cages enclosing panels that were attached to rigs under the Portsea Pier. Bare control panels and cage controls where included in the experimental design. Cage controls had the bottom and half of the roof on the cage removed. There were 2 replicate panels of each treatment that were immersed for 2, 4 or 7 months and there were 6 runs of the experiment from October 1975 to November 1977. At the conclusion of each run of the experiment the panels were fixed in 4% formalin-seawater solution. In the laboratory, the number of individuals and percent cover of colonial species on each panel were recorded. Surveys identified that grazing fish were the most abundant predator of the epifaunal community at Portsea during the experiment. Predation significantly affected the pattern of establishment of the epifaunal community. There were fewer ascidian recruits and more diverse communities on bare control panels because fish predation prevented monopolisation of space by dominant ascidian competitors. On caged panels were there was no fish grazing, the survival of colonial ascidians was greater and the panels were dominated by arborescent bryozoans and ascidians.

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title Effects of predation by fishes on the epifaunal community at Portsea, Victoria.
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/d52f5130-8297-443f-87c4-0b16fa98ecf8
Contact Point
Australian Ocean Data Network
garry.russ@jcu.edu.au
Reference Period 01/10/1975 - 01/11/1977
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    144.727,
    -38.327
  ],
  "type": "Point"
}
Data Portal Australian Oceans Data Network

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Australian Oceans Data Network "Effects of predation by fishes on the epifaunal community at Portsea, Victoria.". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://catalogue.aodn.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/effects-of-predation-by-fishes-on-the-epifaunal-community-at-portsea-victoria1