Author: Ryan Baring
Baring, Ryan, 2015 Faunal associations with drifting macrophytes and wrack accumulations in the nearshore of South Australian sandy beaches, Flinders University, School of Biological Sciences
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The research in this thesis was strategically planned to investigate and better understand the dynamic movement of nearshore drifting macrophytes, their arrival into surf zones and the fauna that utilise the drifting material as habitat and a food resource. This thesis had an equal amount of research effort placed on the study of macrophytes, macroinvertebrates and fish across multiple regions that were variously dominated by macroalgae and/or seagrasses. The research encompasses some of the few studies anywhere where much wrack in the surf zone is from seagrasses. Information gained from this research will be useful for future investigation of the ecological function and management of nearshore ecosystems, particularly where processes such as beach cleaning occur. Future management of allochthonous inputs such as wrack in the nearshore zone is particularly important in southern Australia where it has received no attention in previous beach management programs.
Keywords: Wrack, drifting macrophytes, fish, macroinverteberates, surf zones, sandy beaches, stable isotopes, storms.
Subject: Biological Sciences thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2015
School: School of Biological Sciences
Supervisor: Peter Fairweather