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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 58(3)

Depth, sediment type, biogeography and high species richness in shallow-water benthos

Noël Coleman A * , Wilfred Cuff C D , John Moverley B , Anne S. H. Gason A and Simon Heislers A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Primary Industries, Marine and Freshwater Systems, PO Box 114, Queenscliff, Vic. 3225, Australia.

B Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666E, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.

C National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3R2, Canada.

D Corresponding author. Email: wilfred_cuff@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Marine and Freshwater Research 58(3) 293-305 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF06098
Submitted: 15 June 2006  Accepted: 14 December 2006   Published: 27 March 2007

Abstract

Until recently, quantitative data on the benthic fauna along the coast of Victoria, south-east Australia, were restricted to those few areas (potentially) receiving commercial and industrial effluent. Collectively, studies in these areas covered ~50 to 60 km of a coastline that extends for 1000 km. Recently, samples were taken from depths of 10, 20 and 40 m along the entire coast, and analysis of these made it possible to examine benthic community structure throughout the region. Species richness is high along the entire length of the coast, supporting the argument that species richness in temperate areas is not always higher in the deep sea than in shallow water. The major factor influencing species richness was depth. Although slightly more individuals were collected from stations at 10-m depth than from stations at 40-m depth, almost three times as many species were found at the deeper stations. Sediment type also influenced species richness. For the stations at 40-m depth, species richness was ~25% higher in medium and coarse sands than in fine sand. Pattern analysis suggested some bioregionalisation of the fauna, but the effect of geographical location on affinities among sample stations was much less than the effects of depth and sediment type.

Additional keywords: benthos and species richness, depth and species richness, sediment and species richness.


Acknowledgements

Specialist identifications were made by Dr. R. Wilson (polychaetes), Ms. J. Taylor (carids and phoxocephalid amphipods), Dr. G. Poore (isopods), Mr. T. O'Hara (echinoderms), Ms. G. Walker-Smith (nebalia), Ms. M. Story (Corophium and serolids) and Ms. S. Boyd (molluscs) at Museum Victoria. Mr. R. Burn, Honorary Associate, Museum Victoria, provided identifications of opisthobranch molluscs and chitons. We appreciate the assistance these people gave. The program for calculating expected number of species was written by Steven M. Holland and is available from www.uga.edu/~strata/software/ (accessed 30 January 2007). Funding was provided by the National Heritage Trust. We wish to acknowledge the efforts of colleagues and friends of Noël to publish this manuscript posthumously.


Dr Noël Coleman died unexpectedly on 26 June 2006. He is sorely missed by colleagues and friends around the world. Noël was born in Leicester, England, in 1947. He completed his PhD in Marine Biology at Manchester University and moved to Australia in 1973 to work as Research Scientist (Benthic Ecology) for the Victorian Government. This was an exciting time for environmental scientists in Melbourne, with major investigations of Westernport and Port Phillip – attracting young scientists from around the world. Noël continued lifelong his interest in marine benthos and assumed leadership roles including the Presidency of the Malacological Society of Australasia, the Chair of the ScallopRAG and Advisor to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. Noël retired from the Victorian Government early in 2006.


Noël had an active personal life. He was, for example, graced with a rich sense of humour; a gift for music; a love of shell collecting and sharing; and a passion for growing unusual plants. He is survived by his wife, Cathy, and his daughter, Ruth.


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* Deceased