Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorHenderson, Christopher J
dc.contributor.authorStevens, Tim
dc.contributor.authorLee, Shing Y
dc.contributor.authorGilby, Ben L
dc.contributor.authorSchlacher, Thomas A
dc.contributor.authorConnolly, Rod M
dc.contributor.authorWarnken, Jan
dc.contributor.authorMaxwell, Paul S
dc.contributor.authorOlds, Andrew D
dc.date.accessioned2019-09-09T04:35:25Z
dc.date.available2019-09-09T04:35:25Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.identifier.issn1432-9840
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10021-019-00343-3
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/387078
dc.description.abstractAnimals are central to numerous ecological processes that shape the structure and function of ecosystems. It follows that species that are strongly linked to specific functions can represent these functions spatially and hence be useful in conservation planning. Here we test this notion of ‘functional species surrogacy’ for the conservation of seagrass meadows that have been impacted by stressors. We measured algal herbivory and herbivorous fish assemblages across a range of seagrass meadows in the Moreton Bay Marine Park, Queensland, Australia. We determined the suitability of herbivorous fish to act as a surrogate for the function of algal herbivory and modelled the abundance of this surrogate, and thus herbivory, in seagrass meadows to compare the spatial distribution of this function within existing reserves. We used underwater video systems to determine the abundance of all herbivorous fish species in seagrass meadows. The abundance of the dusky rabbitfish (Siganus fuscescens) was the best predictor of algal herbivory in seagrass meadows, supporting the suitability of this species as a functional surrogate. The distribution of dusky rabbitfish, and therefore the ecological function of herbivory, was not well represented in the Moreton Bay Marine Park protected areas. Only 7% of the equivalent area of seagrass meadows protected in marine reserves were found to have high abundances of dusky rabbitfish. We demonstrate that the abundance of functionally important herbivores can be suitable as a surrogate for herbivory in seagrass conservation. Our findings show that data on the spatial distribution of ecological functions can alter priorities for reserve design, and we suggest that our functional approach to species surrogacy is likely to improve conservation performance in seagrass ecosystems.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.relation.ispartofjournalEcosystems
dc.subject.fieldofresearchEnvironmental sciences
dc.subject.fieldofresearchBiological sciences
dc.subject.fieldofresearchZoology
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode41
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode31
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode3109
dc.titleOptimising Seagrass Conservation for Ecological Functions
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dcterms.bibliographicCitationHenderson, CJ; Stevens, T; Lee, SY; Gilby, BL; Schlacher, TA; Connolly, RM; Warnken, J; Maxwell, PS; Olds, AD, Optimising Seagrass Conservation for Ecological Functions, Ecosystems, 2019
dc.date.updated2019-09-09T04:33:09Z
gro.description.notepublicThis publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
gro.hasfulltextNo Full Text
gro.griffith.authorConnolly, Rod M.
gro.griffith.authorStevens, Tim F.


Files in this item

FilesSizeFormatView

There are no files associated with this item.

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

  • Journal articles
    Contains articles published by Griffith authors in scholarly journals.

Show simple item record