bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parasitism of the commercial sand crab Portunus pelagicus (L.) by the rhizocephalan Sacculina granifera Boschma, 1973 in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia
Authors: Sumpton WD , Potter MA , Smith GS
Published: November 2005

In Moreton Bay, Queensland, externae of Sacculina granifera Boschma were found in 7.0% of adult
males and 123% of adult females of Portunus pelagicus. Infection rates were seasonal for both sexes
and higher in the adult female population, with more than 20% of adult females carrying externae
during some summer months. Infection rates were less than 3% in areas outside the bay and generally
highest in the southern and central bay. Nineteen males and 15 females had abdominal scars where
externae had become dislodged. The gonads of most parasitized crabs were underdeveloped, but 5.6%
of externa-bearing females and 10% of externa-bearing males also had well developed gonads. Two
female sand crabs were found with both a small egg mass and a mature externa (a condition not
previously reported). Size distributions of infected and uninfected adult crabs were similar, suggesting
that large crabs as well as juvenile crabs were likely to be infected.
Reappraisal of the importance of rainfall in affecting catches of Anguilla japonica elvers in Taiwan
Authors: Chen YL , Chen HY , Tzeng WN
Published: November 2005

This paper relates daily mean seawater temperature and daily rainfall in northern Taiwan to the
catches of A. japonica elvers during a two-year period. The results indicate a positive (P<O.05)
relationship between rainfall and elver catches and a negative (P<O.05) relationship between seawater
temperature and elver catches. Peaks in elver catches generally coincided with peaks in rainfall and
minimums of temperature. Rainfall is clearly as important in affecting elver catch as is seawater
temperature, which was previously regarded as the key factor.
Triazine herbicide contamination of Tasmanian streams: Sources, concentrations and effects on biota
Authors: Davies PE , Cook LSJ , Barton JL
Published: November 2005

Concentrations of the triazine herbicides atrazine, simazine, cyanazine, metribuzin and propazine were
determined in streams draining forestry and agricultural catchments in Tasmania, Australia, between
1989 and 1992. Atrazine and simazine were used extensively by the forestry industry in a winter spraying
programme, and applications of the other herbicides occurred in cropped agricultural catchments during
spring and summer. Of 29 streams sampled intensively for triazines, 20 contained detectable residues.
Median contaminations over all samples were 2.85, 1.05, <0.05, <0.05 and <0.05 �g L-1 for
atrazine, simazine, cyanazine, metribuzin and propazine, respectively. All herbicide concentrations
ranged over several orders of magnitude up to 53 mg L-1, with atrazine and simazine having significantly
higher concentrations than the others. Atrazine concentrations were examined in streams
draining forestry plantations for periods of up to two years. A decline in concentration was observed
with time, but this was strongly influenced by rainfall events. Atrazine contamination from single
spraying events persisted at a low level for up to 16 months. Contamination of Big Creek with atrazine
to 22�g L-1 after aerial spraying led to an increase in stream invertebrate drift only on the day of
spraying and to a short-term increase in movement of brown trout. On examination of biological effects
of triazines in surface waters reported in the literature, it was concluded that the observed frequent
contamination of Tasmanian streams with triazines may cause occasional minor short-term disturbance
to stream communities.
Long-term and seasonal large-scale disturbances of a small lowland stream
Authors: O'Connor NA , Lake PS
Published: November 2005

The Pranjip-Creightons Creek system, a lowland stream system in north-central Victoria, contains large
amounts of sand derived from agricultural activities in the upper catchment. The sand has caused
long-term changes to the morphology of the upper and middle sections of the stream system-a press
disturbance. During predictable winter and spring spates, sand substrata underwent regular scouring,
causing large seasonal declines in macroinvertebrate species richness and numbers of individuals and
marked changes in community structure. These regular short-term seasonal disturbances may be termed
pulse disturbances, and their effects were most severe at mid-reach sites where sand deposits were most
recent. At these sites, the press disturbance of increased sand storage also rendered the stream bed more
susceptible to pulse disturbances. When winter and spring scouring spates ceased, stable communities
of macroinvertebrates developed. At sampling sites on lower reaches, where the sand had yet to reach,
there was little seasonal change in macroinvertebrate community structure or numbers of individuals.
Seasonal variation in benthic species richness at these structurally heterogeneous sites was due to changes
in the numbers of less abundant species associated with macrophytes. Current stream restoration works
aimed at stemming the input of sediment should increase the seasonal stability of macroinvertebrate
communities by decreasing the extent and intensity of substratum scour during winter and spring spates.
Note on the sediments and hydrology of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
Authors: Somers IF , Long BG
Published: November 2005

The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large embayment less than 70 m deep on Australia's remote northern
coastline. This paper, which describes aspects of its hydrology and variation in sediment types, is part
of a larger study of the size and distribution of commercial fish resources of the gulf. Much of the
data on the hydrology and sediments were collected during a gulf-wide survey in November and
December 1990.
Waters in the central part of the gulf were found to be vertically stratified, with bottom temperatures
just below 25°C and surface temperatures around 30°C. The waters to the north of the gulf
remained well mixed, presumably because of greater tidal mixing through the Torres Strait. In contrast
to water temperature, salinity was relatively uniform throughout the water column: between 35
and 36.
In depths below 20 m, there was a clear trend in sediment grain size, from sediments of >80%
>63 pm (sandy) in the south-eastern gulf to sediments of > 80% < 63�m (muddy) in the north-west.
A second muddy zone was also evident in the coastal zone (<20 m) in sheltered embayments or
adjacent to rivers.
Infaunal benthic community structure and function in the Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Australia
Authors: Long BG , Poiner IR
Published: November 2005

The infaunal benthos (>20 m) of the Gulf of Carpentaria was surveyed during November and
December 1990. In all, 684 taxa were collected from 105 stations, each with three replicate 0.1-m2
grab samples (Smith-McIntyre grab). Trends in abundance and species richness were correlated with
gulf-wide trends in sediment texture and depth. Highest abundance (20-153 individuals per 0.1 m2),
wet-weight biomass (X=7.6 g per 0.1 m2) and species density (X=25.8 taxa per 0.1 m2) occurred in
the sands and muddy sands along the eastern and south-eastern margins of the gulf. Lowest abundance
(3.3-20.0 individuals per 0.1 m2), biomass (X=3.0 g per 0.1 m2) and species density (X=9.5 taxa
per 0.1 m2) occurred in the muds and sandy muds in the centra, western and north-western gulf.
Infaunal abundance and biomass were similar to those of other tropical continental shelves but were
lower than those of some temperate-region shelves and upwelling areas. Species richness was also lower
than in temperate areas of upwelling or high production.
Scavengers/carnivores (44%) and deposit feeders (43%) numerically dominated throughout the gulf.
Suspension feeding was less prevalent (13%), and few herbivores were found (< 1%). There was a trend
in the proportion of deposit and suspension feeders that was related to sediment texture. Suspension
feeding was highest in the muddy sands of the eastern and south-eastern gulf and lowest in the muds
of the north-west. The proportion of deposit feeders was highest in muddy sediments and lowest in
sandy sediments. Small (<5 mm) surface deposit feeders numerically dominated within this feeding
mode.
The 15 numerically dominant taxa were comprised mainly of opportunistic or second-stage colonizing
taxa. Most had gulf-wide distribution patterns, but levels of abundance were correlated with sediment
and depth.
The infaunal benthic communities in the Gulf of Carpentaria appear to be regulated by physical
factors of the environment that correlate with sediment grain size and depth.
Distribution and abundance of scyllarid and palinurid lobster larvae in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
Authors: Rothlisberg PC , Jackson CJ , Phillips BF , McWilliam PS
Published: November 2005

Plankton samples from the Gulf of Carpentaria contained large numbers of the phyllosomata of
Scyllarus martensii and an unknown scyllarid species (Scyllarus sp. A) and smaller numbers of the
larvae of seven other scyllarid species (Thenus orientalis and six unidentified species of Scyllarus) and
three palinurid species (Panulirus homarus homarus, P. versicolor and P. ornatus). The final phyllosoma
stage of Scyllarus sp. A is described. The spatial and temporal variabilities of the more abundant
scyllarid larvae are described and related to temperature, salinity and plankton biomass. Both
S. martensii and Scyllarus sp. A were widespread in the deeper waters of the Gulf, living in a wide
range of temperatures (21.7 to 30.3� C) and salinities (28.9 to 34.3). From the range of stages
found on six cruises between April 1976 to March 1977, it appears that these two species reproduce
throughout the year, although S. martensii had a broad peak period of reproduction from August to
November 1976.
Distribution, biomass and community structure of demersal fishes of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
Authors: Blaber SJM , Brewer DT , Harris AN
Published: November 2005

The demersal fish fauna of the Gulf of Carpentaria was surveyed during November and December
1990. Over 300 species from 85 families were caught by trawling a systematic grid of 107 stations.
The absolute mean biomass was 124.8 kg ha-1 (s.e. =44.1) for day trawls and 53.7 kg ha-1 (s.e. =6.0)
for night trawls. The overall mean catch rates were 421.3 kg h-1 (s.e. = 128.5) for day trawls and
198.6 kg h-1 (s.e. =21.5) for night trawls. Biomasses were twice as high in the prawn-trawling grounds
of Albatross Bay, the south-eastern gulf and Groote Eylandt as they were elsewhere in the gulf.
Twenty-five species made up 75% of the biomass; the dominant families were Haemulidae, Carangidae,
Leiognathidae and Nemipteridae. Community-structure and distribution patterns were analysed by
numerical classification techniques and principal-coordinates analysis. These indicated six main site
groups and 15 fish community groups, based on fish species occurrences and biomasses. There was a
relationship between fish distribution patterns and depth of water but not other abiotic factors recorded
(sediment type, salinity, temperature and turbidity).
Diets of trawled predatory fish of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, with particular reference to predation on prawns
Authors: Salini JP , Blaber SJM , Brewer DT
Published: November 2005

The diets of 79 predatory fish species from 128 trawling stations in the Gulf of Carpentaria are described. Twenty-three of the 40 most abundant predatory species were major piscivores (more than 50% by dry weight of their diets consisted of teleosts). These fish ate mainly Pleuronectiformes, Leiognathidae and Anguilliformes. For 14 of the 17 minor piscivore species (less than 50% by dry weight of their diets consisted of teleosts), members of the Crustacea (Brachyura, Penaeidae, Stomatopoda and other Crustacea) were the main dietary items. Members of the Penaeidae were the second most important crustacean component in the combined diets after Brachyura, but they represented a relatively small fraction of the diet of all 27 prawn-eating fish species. Most of the penaeid prey consisted of small, non-commercial Metapenaeopsis spp. and Trachypenaeus spp. The diets of four species -Arius thalassinus, Carangoides rnalabaricus, Lutjanus rnalabaricus and Nernipterus furcosus- showed evidence of seasonal differences.
Incidental capture of sea-snakes (Hydrophiidae) by prawn trawlers in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
Authors: Wassenberg TJ , Salini JP , Heatwole H , Kerr JD
Published: November 2005

Sea-snakes were collected from research trawlers and commercial prawn trawlers in the Gulf of
Carpentaria during the period from April 1976 to December 1991. The data were analysed on the basis
of CPUE (catch per unit effort) for depth, latitude and season. The research trawlers, operating in the
eastern Gulf of Carpentaria, and the commercial prawn trawlers, operating in the south-western Gulf
of Carpentaria, caught sea-snakes at a rate of 0.028 and 0.026 sea-snakes per metre of headrope length
per hour, respectively. Lapemis hardwickii was the sea-snake most commonly caught by the research
trawlers-53% of all snakes-and Hydrophis elegans was the sea-snake most commonly caught by
commercial trawlers-25% of all snakes. Depth was the most significant factor affecting CPUE,
with more than 70% of all sea-snakes being caught in waters less than 15 m deep. When catches
of all species were combined, a significant interaction (P<0.05) existed between depth and season.
L. hardwickii specimens were caught more frequently in shallow coastal waters (< 15 m deep) in spring
but in deeper water further offshore in autumn. A significant interaction between latitude and depth
was found for Astrotia stokesii; specimens were caught more frequently in deeper water at 14%
Enhydrina schistosa is generally coastal, with 8800 of specimens being caught in water less than 10 m
deep. Seasonal movement of sea-snakes between inshore and offshore waters may be linked to their
breeding cycles.
The estimated number of sea-snakes captured in the Gulf of Carpentaria for the 1991 prawning
season ranged from 73 583 to 165 559, with a mean of 119 571. The survival rate of sea-snakes from
commercial prawn trawls was about 60% and hence between 29 801 and 67 051 sea-snakes are estimated
to have died.
Distribution of seabirds at sea in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia
Authors: Blaber SJM , Milton DA
Published: November 2005

The distribution and abundance of seabirds was documented at sea in the Gulf of Carpentaria in
December 1990 and November 1991. Of the 17 species recorded, only the crested tern, least frigatebird,
brown booby and streaked shearwater were widespread. The first three species were seen mainly in
coastal waters; streaked shearwaters were seen only in the central north-western gulf. The common tern,
roseate tern, little tern, sooty tern, black-naped tern, common noddy and greater frigatebird were
either sparsely distributed or uncommon. The list includes five terrestrial species. The distribution of
the seabirds is discussed in relation to proximity to breeding and roosting sites, food availability, the
effects of discards from prawn trawling, and water currents.
Seed-bank methods for Australian wetlands
Authors: Brock MA , Theodore K , O'Donnell L
Published: November 2005

A sampling protocol for the assessment of seed banks in Australian temporary and permanent wetlands
is presented. A simple corer design allows removal of intact samples from water depths up to 1.2 m,
ensuring comparable sampling in a variety of wetland habitats. Sampling and experimental designs
appropriate for answering questions about the germination of seeds from sediments under different
water regimes in both the glasshouse and the field are presented. The adequacy of area sampled and
of number of replications for assessment of species richness and abundance of seeds in the seed bank
is considered, and a minimum number of five aggregate samples (each sample of eight cores has an area
of 0.016 m2) is suggested for these wetlands. The variation between samples in this study is within the
range reported for seed-bank studies in similar wetlands in North America.
Feeding ecology of castaneta (Cheilodactylus bergi; Pisces: Cheilodactylidae) in the south-western Atlantic (34-47 degree S)
Authors: Woehler OC , Sanchez F
Published: November 2005

The feeding ecology of castaneta (Cheilodactylus bergi) was studied during six research cruises carried
out both in the Argentine-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone during 1986-87 and at the southern border
of the distribution area of the species during 1988-89. A qualitative and quantitative analysis was made.
The trophic spectrum was analysed by fish size class, season and bathymetric depth.
A trend to euryphagy and trophic opportunism was evident. Castaiieta preyed primarily on
polychaetes and secondarily on crustaceans. This species showed both seasonal and bathymetric
variations in its trophic spectrum. The diet of juveniles was closely related to the pelagic food web
(copepods and euphausids), whereas adults consumed benthic organisms (polychaetes, echinoderms and
gammarid amphipods). Such a trend was more evident among larger fish.
Distribution and reproductive biology of the blackchin guitarfish, Rhinobatos cemiculus (Pisces: Rhinobatidae), in Tunisian waters (central Mediterranean)
Authors: Capape C , Zaouali J
Published: November 2005

Aspects of the reproductive biology of Rhinobatos cemiculus are described from specimens collected
in Tunisian waters. Sizes at first sexual maturity of males and females are 1000 mm and 1100 mm total
length (TL), respectively. Adult females are generally larger than adult males, the maximum TL for
males and females being 1920 mm and 2300 mm, respectively. The smallest gravid female observed was
1220 mm TL. R. cemiculus is an aplacental viviparous species, with each female having two ovaries
and two uteri, both functional. Ripe oocytes in the ovaries, ova, embryos and fully developed fetuses
in the uteri are symmetrically distributed. The gestation period could last for a maximum of eight
months. Vitellogenesis proceeds in parallel with gestation, and at the time of parturition a crop of ripe
oocytes is ready to be ovulated. Ovulation and parturition occur during winter and summer, respectively.
There is probably one litter per year. The mean TL and mean weight of fully developed fetuses are
39.6 mm and 115.1 g, respectively. A computed chemical balance of development, based on the mean
dry weights of fully developed fetuses and ripe oocytes, is 1.01. This low value is due to the fact
that R. cemiculus is purely a lecithotrophic species. Fecundity ranges from 5 to 12 young per litter.
Ovarian fecundity and uterine fecundity are slightly correlated with the size of females. Females are
more numerous than males in the total sample, as well as in utero and at the juvenile stage; however,
this is not the case for subadults and adults. This phenomenon is probably due to segregation of the
sexes at different depths during certain stages of the reproductive cycle rather than to a high rate of
mortality among subadult and adult females.
Larval trematodes in freshwater snails at the Ross River Reservoir, northern Australia, with emphasis on Trichobilharzia sp(p)., causative agents of swimmer's itch
Authors: Hurley M , Hearnden MN , Blair D , Kay BH
Published: November 2005

Prevalence of trematode cercariae within freshwater snails at the Ross River reservoir is presented, with
special attention to Trichobilharzia sp(p). (Digenea:Schistosomatidae), known causative agents of
schistosome dermatitis. Three pulmonate snails-a lymnaeid, Austropeplea lessoni, and two planorbids,
Gyraulus gilberti and Amerianna carinata-and one prosobranch snail, Thiara balonnensis, were
common in the reservoir. These snails were infected with trematode cercariae representing six different
families. Both Austropeplea lessoni (4.5%) and G. gilberti (1.8%) act as intermediate hosts of
Trichobilharzia sp(p). Trematode infection levels increased as snail size increased. The implication for
surveillance techniques is that only the larger snails (A. lessoni > 10 mm, G. gilberti > 3 mm and
Amerianna carinata >6 mm) require dissection to determine the prevalence of trematode infections.
Effects of the gastropod Rhinoclavis aspera (Linnaeus, 1758) on microbial biomass and productivity in coral-reef-flat sediments
Authors: Hansen JA , Skilleter GA
Published: November 2005

Abundance of the deposit-feeding gastropod Rhinoclavis aspera in coral-reef-flat sediments was estimated
along with numbers of bacteria, rate of bacterial production, biomass of microalgae (measured as
concentration of chlorophyll a) and rates of gross primary production at two different times of the year.
Standing stocks of bacteria and microalgae were greater in June 1986 (winter) than in January 1987
(summer), but rates of bacterial production and gross primary production were slower in June.
Significant correlations between the abundance of R. aspera and the rates of bacterial production
indicated that grazing by the gastropods may affect bacterial activity. Densities of R. aspera were
manipulated in enclosures in the field to determine their effects on the number of bacteria, the rates
of bacterial production and the biomass of microalgae. There were no consistent effects of gastropods
on either the biomass of microalgae or rates of bacterial growth. Numbers of bacteria were, however,
significantly less in enclosures with greater densities of gastropods. Physical disturbance of the sediments
(to simulate the movements of the gastropods) also caused a significant decrease in the numbers of
bacteria. The decrease in numbers of bacteria was not the result of slower rates of bacterial growth,
indicating that cell removal was a more probable fate. It may be that disruption of sediments by
the gastropods increased the abundance of other grazers, such as meiofauna, which then consumed
the bacteria.
Diet of subadult Australian salmon, Arripis truttaceus, in Western Port, Victoria
Authors: Hoedt FE , Dimmlich WF
Published: November 2005

Stomach contents from 285 pelagically feeding Australian salmon (Arripis truttaceus) caught in Western
Port, Victoria, between May 1992 and June 1993 were examined. Stomach contents consisted of three
species of clupeoid fishes. These were, in order of importance, anchovy (Engraulis australis), pilchard
(Sardinops neoplchardus) and sandy sprat (Hyperlophus vittatus). The diet of A. truttaceus varied on
a seasonal basis, both in terms of prey species composition and prey age (juvenile or adult). Adult
anchovy were the dominant food item between October and January. In May 1992 and in February
and March 1993, juvenile clupeoids dominated gut samples, with most of these being anchovy and
pilchard. Sandy sprat comprised a significant component of gut samples in May 1992 and June 1993.
Two size groups of salmon were temporarily resident in Western Port. The largest salmon were caught
in October and November, and these were replaced by a smaller size group that dominated catches
between December and June. The arrival of A. truttaceus subadults in Western Port in spring and their
gradual departure from the bay in the late autumn and winter appears to be closely tied to the seasonal
inshore/offshore migrations of prey species.
Spatial and temporal differences in assemblages of demersal fishes on the inner continental shelf off Sydney, south-eastern Australia
Authors: Gray CA , Otway NM
Published: November 2005

Variations in assemblages of demersal fishes occurring in different depths of water (30, 60 and 100 m)
on the inner continental shelf off Sydney are described. Assemblages comprised a diverse and
abundant ichthyofauna; many species were of economic importance. Classification analyses showed
that assemblages of demersal fishes at 30 and 60 m depth were most similar to each other and that they
consistently differed from those at 100 m depth. This difference may reflect a change in the demersal
ichthyofauna from a nearshore to an offshore assemblage. The depth-delineated differences between
assemblages agree with those found in similar studies on demersal fishes in coastal waters elsewhere.
The distributions and relative abundances of many species differed markedly among depths, but such
differences were not always consistent between localities or throughout time. Despite this, some species
showed some temporal affinity with a particular site and/or depth. The study confirmed spatial and
temporal variabilities in the demersal fish fauna in coastal waters off Sydney; such heterogeneity must
be considered when future studies are designed.
Paralytic shellfish poisons from Australian cyanobacterial blooms
Authors: Humpage AR , Rositano J , Bretag AH , Brown R , Baker PD , Nicholson BC , Steffensen DA
Published: November 2005

Saxitoxin-group neurotoxins (paralytic shellfish poisons) have been identified in a cultured strain of
Anabaena circinalis and in natural bloom samples in which this species was the dominant organism
collected from widely distributed sites in the Murray-Darling Basin of Australia. These toxins have
hitherto been isolated almost exclusively from 'red tide' dinoflagellates and contaminated shellfish.
Two 'aphantoxins', which appear to be identical to two of the paralytic shellfish poisons, have been
identified in a cyanobacterium from a small number of sites in New Hampshire, USA. The conclusions
are supported by electrophysiological studies and by high-performance liquid chromatographic
(HPLC) and fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometric (FAB-MS) analyses.
Toxicity associated with commonly occurring cyanobacteria in surface waters of the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia
Authors: Baker PD , Humpage AR
Published: November 2005

Surveys of cyanobacterial blooms were made over four consecutive summer seasons (1990-93) in
surface waters of the Murray-Darling Basin in south-eastern Australia to determine the incidence and
geographic distribution of toxicity associated with a range of recognized taxa.<P.
In all, 231 field samples and 143 cultured isolates, representing 13 genera, were tested for toxicity
by intra-peritoneal mouse bioassay. Toxicity was recorded in 42% of all field samples and was expressed
quantitatively on the basis of both dry weight and cell number. Anabaena was the most abundant genus
in blooms occurring in riverine and wetland habitats, and Anabaena circinalis was prominent in all field
samples that were neurotoxic. Neurotoxicity was not demonstrated in any other species of Anabaena,
or in any other genus, in both field and cultured material. Assays for anatoxin-a were negative, and
symptoms of neurotoxicity in mice were not consistent with those reported elsewhere for anatoxin-a(s).
Hepatotoxic blooms occurred predominantly in standing waters and were invariably caused by
Microcystis aeruginosa f. aeruginosa throughout the greater part of the Basin. Toxic blooms of Nodularia
spumigena were recorded only in Lake Aiexandrina and Lake Albert at the mouth of the River Murray.
Hepatotoxicity was also demonstrated in strains of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, which was previously
recognized in Australia only as a subtropical cyanobacterium.
A toxic bloom of Nodularia spumigena Mertens in Orielton Lagoon, Tasmania
Authors: Jones GJ , Blackburn SI , Parker NS
Published: November 2005

A bloom of Nodularia spumigena Mertens occurred in Orielton Lagoon, Tasmania, a shallow, eutrophic
coastal embayment, between December 1992 and March 1993. The N. spumigena bloom was preceded
by a eustigmatophyte bloom and was followed in March-April 1993 by a bloom of the diatoms
Nitzschia closterium (Ehrenb.) Smith and Chaetoceros socialis Lauder. The Nodularia spumigena
bloom may have been stimulated by low salinity (15-20 g kg-1) in the lagoon during December and
January. Culture experiments with N. spumigena strains isolated from the lagoon showed best growth at
salinities between 0 and 24 g kg-1 and less optimal growth at a salinity of 35 g kg-1. Akinete
production in culture was positively correlated (P < 0.001) with increasing salinity of growth media.
The collapse of the N. spumigena population may have been triggered by decreasing water temperature
in March, although this cannot be conclusively proven with the limited physico-chemical data available.
High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analyses of bloom samples showed high
concentrations (2000-3500 �g g-1 dry weight) of the cyclic pentapeptide hepatotoxin nodularin in
samples collected during the peak of the N. spumigena bloom in January and February. Nodularin
content of the bloom decreased as the population declined, owing to the decrease in abundance of
N. spumigena and the release of nodularin by dying cells. A culture of N. spumigena isolated from
Orielton Lagoon produced nodularin at concentrations comparable to those observed in field samples.
A second HPLC peak, eluting very close to nodularin and with a similar ultraviolet spectrum, was
observed in some field samples. This compound may be the ADDA-C8 stereoisomer of nodularin.
Detection, identification and mapping of cyanobacteria — Using remote sensing to measure the optical quality of turbid inland waters
Authors: Jupp DLB , Kirk JTO , Harris GP
Published: November 2005

The advantages of airborne scanning for the detection, identification and mapping of algal
species, cyanobacteria and associated water parameters (such as turbidity) can be realized if
current research outcomes are developed into operational methods based on images with high
spectral resolution. Evidence for this has become available through data obtained recently in
Australia from the Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager. This paper shows how pigments
associated with cyanobacteria are detectable, even in the very turbid waters typical of eastern
Australia. It demonstrates how, if the waterbodies and their constituents can be characterized
by a programme of field and laboratory measurement, current processing techniques and models
allow the concentrations of different constituents (algae and particles) in the photic zone to be
estimated and mapped. The challenge for operational remote sensing of optical water quality
in Australia (and throughout the world) is seen to have two components. One is to provide
an effective characterization of the target inland and adjacent coastal waters and the other is to
streamline the data analysis to provide maps of water properties in the time and cost frameworks
required for operational use.
A model for the light-limited growth of buoyant phytoplankton in a shallow, turbid waterbody
Authors: Sherman BE , Webster IT
Published: November 2005

A computer model was used to explore the relationship between buoyancy and the light-limited
growth of phytoplankton in very turbid waters. The model simulates the potential growth of
phytoplankton as a function of flotation speed, using field observations of photosynthetically active
radiation, wind speed, surface-layer thickness (from water-column temperature data), and light
attenuation made at Rushy Billabong on the River Murray from 28 November 1991 to 26 March 1992.
A unique feature of the model is the simulation of the development and dispersal of surface scums as a
function of wind speed. Under nutrient-replete conditions, the model predicted that phytoplankton with
a flotation speed of 1-10 m day-1 (typical of Anabaena flos-aquae and Microcystis aeruginosa)
would grow up to four times faster than would neutrally buoyant phytoplankton with the same
maximum specific growth rate. In the shallow system modelled, high flotation speeds allowed a large
proportion of the total population to rise into the euphotic zone shortly after the onset of stratification
each day. Surface scums played an important role in maintaining the more buoyant phytoplankton
populations close to the water surface. Under the very turbid conditions in the billabong (100
nephelometric turbidity units), self-shading became significant only when the mean chlorophyll
concentration in the water column approached 100 mg chla m-3.
Separation of forms of Microcystis from Anabaena in mixed populations by the application of pressure
Authors: Brookes JD , Ganf GG , Burch MD
Published: November 2005

Critical-pressure distributions of gas vesicles in Anabaena circinalis, Microcystis aeruginosa f. aeruginosa and
M. a. f. flos-aquae were determined for suspensions both in hypertonic sucrose solutions and in reservoir
water. The differences between the critical and apparent critical pressures of gas vesicles suggested that
differential pressurization could be used to separate these taxa. Subsequent experiments successfully
separated (>90%) the two formae of Microcystis by the application of 500 kPa and M. a. f. aeruginosa from
A. circinalis by the application of 300 kPa. This technique has the potential to provide sufficiently pure
material to distinguish the relative toxicity of the two formae of Microcystis in the presence of a neurotoxic
A. circinalis.
Study of the ability of Daphnia carinata King to control phytoplankton and resist cyanobacterial toxicity: Implications for biomanipulation in Australia
Authors: Matveev V , Matveeva L , Jones GJ
Published: November 2005

The properties of Daphnia carinata King as a grazer for use in biomanipulation trials were investigated.
Mesocosm experiments suggested that in water from a lake where D. carinata was scarce,
phytoplankton was nutrient-limited and the manipulated biomass of zooplankton had no effect on total
chlorophyll a, whereas in water from a lake where D. carinata was dominant, nutrients were not
limiting and total chlorophyll a was negatively correlated with the manipulated biomass of zooplankton.
When offered lake phytoplankton in feeding trials, D. carinata consumed all items present, including
colonies of cyanobacteria and long filaments of diatoms. In large outdoor tanks with natural plankton,
the biovolume of prokaryotic ultraplankton (possible predecessors of cyanobacterial blooms) was
consistently reduced in the presence of D. carinata. There was no evidence of an adverse effect of
single-celled Microcystis aeruginosa containing the peptide toxin microcystin-LR on D. carinata
grazing rates or survival. Different concentrations of microcystin-LR in solution covering the range of
toxicities observed during M. aeruginosa blooms (5-500 nM) had no effect on D. carinata grazing. The
suppression of phytoplankton biomass by D. carinata grazing is one of several possible mechanisms
that might be considered for biomanipulation in Australia.
The role of fish in cyanobacterial blooms in Australia
Authors: Gehrke PC , Harris JH
Published: November 2005

Potential pathways for interaction between fish and cyanobacteria include fish grazing directly on
cyanobacteria, fish preying on grazers of cyanobacteria, fish supplying nutrients through excretion, fish
providing nutrients by resuspending sediments, and fish altering the availability of nutrients and light by
damaging macrophytes. The dominant interactions in Australia are likely to be through pathways that
increase the availability of nutrients at the bottom of the food web. Carp probably contribute to these
pathways more than do other species by excreting nutrients, resuspending sediments and damaging
macrophytes. Further research, on both alien and native fish species, is needed to quantify these
processes. Grazing of cyanobacteria by fish is probably trivial because freshwater fish in Australia lack
mechanisms to process cyanobacterial cells effectively. Trophic interactions between planktivorous
fish, zooplankton and cyanobacteria require closer study to assess the potential for preventing
cyanobacterial blooms by manipulating natural predator communities in Australia. However, the need
to protect and strengthen native fish stocks precludes removal of native fish to reduce predation
pressure on zooplankton communities. Alternative solutions that combine control of nutrients entering
waterways and removal of carp have a higher likelihood of success.
Phyllosoma larvae and the phylogeny of Palinuroidea (Crustacea: Decapoda): A review
Authors: Baisre JA
Published: November 2005

A review of larval morphology of some 50 species belonging to 15 of the 16 existing genera of
Palinuroidea is presented. The taxonomic value of larval characters of the group is discussed, and a
phylogenetic scheme of the whole group has been attempted.
Phylogenetic and phenetic data obtained during this review show good agreement with a previously
published evolutionary scheme for the Palinuridae based on adult characters, although Palinurus
seems to be a more primitive genus than Palinustus and Justitia. From the point of view of larval
morphology, Palinurellus (Synaxidae) seems to be the most primitive genus.
Data on evolution of the Scyllaridae show three well differentiated groups: the more primitive
(as typified by the larvae) Scyllarides-Arctides-Parribacus and Ibacus-Evibacus groups and the more
specialized Thenus-Scyllarus group. Larval morphology also suggests that Parribacus is closer to
Scyllarides and Arctides than to the Ibacus-Evibacus group. Evolution in Palinuroidea is seen as a
process of radiation of the deep-water genera to coastal waters with a progressive shortening of larval
life, although secondary trends towards shortening of larval life have also occurred in the more primitive
deep-water genera (Puerulus, Linuparus and Palinurus).
Preliminary study of the ordination and classification of macroinvertebrate communities from running waters in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Marchant R , Barmuta LA , Chessman BC
Published: November 2005

Data on undisturbed lotic macroinvertebrate communities were assembled from a number of
studies carried out in Victoria over the past 15 years; species-level information for 40 sites on
nine rivers was available. Ordination (DECORANA and semi-strong hybrid multidimensional
scaling) and classification (flexible UPGMA and TWINSPAN) techniques were used to assess the
similarity of community composition among the sites. Correlation of environmental variables with
both ordinations indicated that factors related to altitude and substratum were the most obvious
gradients; a conductivity gradient was also present. The classification analyses identified four
groups of sites that matched the altitudinal trends evident in the ordinations; but these techniques
did not emphasize the substratum gradient. TWINSPAN also identified six groups of taxa that
were characteristic of particular altitudes or regions or were widespread across all sites. The
distinctiveness of the patterns from this preliminary study indicates that it would be worthwhile
extending these analyses to much larger data sets from Victorian rivers.
Diets of some larval Leptoceridae (Trichoptera) in south-eastern Australia
Authors: St.Clair RM
Published: November 2005

Diets of 18 species of larval Leptoceridae were examined by gut analysis supplemented by observations
in the field and laboratory. Food items were leaves of terrestrial origin, aquatic macrophytes, filamentous
algae, animal matter, wood and fine detritus. The majority of species were large-particle detritivores
(some with a tendency to herbivory), one species was predatory, and one ate fine detritus. Little
selectivity was shown; availability of food items was generally more important in influencing the diet.
Possible selectivity for freshly fallen green leaves of terrestrial origin was seen in many species and for
wood in some species of Triplectides. Larvae were found to be feeding on whatever they were collected
from, which had implications for the results of this study because this factor was not taken into
consideration during collection. Feeding on the surface of the water was noticed in four species, and two
of those may have utilized the surface drift as a food source.
Impact of domestic sewage effluent versus natural background variability: An example from Jervis Bay, New South Wales
Authors: Smith SDA
Published: November 2005

The effects of an outfall of low-volume, tertiary-treated effluent were evaluated within Jervis Bay on the
southern coast of New South Wales by using the macrofauna inhabiting kelp (Ecklonia radiata)
holdfasts. A range of analytical methods was used to determine differences in faunistic patterns between
six sites (three close to the outfall and three controls) in the winters of 1990 and 1991. The analyses
indicated that community structure was highly variable over both the spatial and the temporal scales of
the study. Although some of the methods provided results consistent with a perturbed environment on the
first sampling occasion (ABC plots, log-normal plots), these patterns were not repeated on the second
sampling occasion. In addition, the species primarily responsible for the 'perturbed' configuration with
those methods were from taxa that have been highlighted as pollution-sensitive in other studies of
holdfast fauna. Non-parametric multivariate statistical methods (MDS, ANOSIM) consistently showed
significant differences among sites but also revealed highly significant differences within a site over time.
There was no consistent difference between sites closest to the outfall and more distant sampling locations
and so no outfall effect was suggested. The results indicate that natural environmental factors are more
influential than the low-volume, tertiary-treated effluent from the outfall in determining patterns of
community structure in the holdfast community within Jervis Bay.
Electrophoretic and morphological examination of Austrocochlea constricta (Gastropoda: Trochidae): A species complex
Authors: Parsons KE , Ward RD
Published: November 2005

An analysis of allele frequencies at five polymorphic enzyme loci of one mainland Australian and four
Tasmanian populations of Austrocochlea constricta revealed that three readily distinguishable morphs
were three species. These were identified as A. constricta, A. porcata and A. brevis sp. nov. In sympatric
populations, two diagnostic loci separated A. constricta and A. brevis (PEP-A and AAT-2), two separated
A. porcata and A. brevis (PEP-A and AAT-2), and one separated A. porcata and A. constricta (PEP-A).
With the exception of the last, these loci were also diagnostic in allopatric populations. In addition,
significant differentiation was observed at most non-diagnostic loci in sympatric populations.A. porcata
and A. constricta, but not A. brevis, showed limited, although significant, interpopulation differentiation
at two of the five loci, which was attributed to geographic isolation. Examination of genetic distance data
showed the three species to have non-overlapping values, but variance overlap meant that the intraspecies
population affinities were unresolved. Radulae of the three species were assessed qualitatively
and quantitatively from scanning electron micrographs. Inter-specific comparisons of tooth dimensions
revealed no significant differences and, despite a less variable tooth shape in A. constricta than in A.
Porcata or A. brevis, no consistent features of radular morphology were found to distinguish any one
species. Morphological descriptions of the shells and anterior soft body regions are given to enable ready
field identification of the species, and their known distributions are outlined.
Spatial, seasonal and biological analysis of sharks caught in the New South Wales protective beach meshing programme
Authors: Krogh M
Published: November 2005

Data for the catches of sharks at each beach meshed in New South Wales are presented for the period
from October 1972 to December 1990. High catch rates of sharks were observed at a number of these
beaches. Comparison of the catches of sharks at each beach by means of hierarchical clustering and nonmetric
multidimensional scaling revealed regional associations as well as some unusual relationships.
Beaches at either end of each netted region (i.e. Newcastle, Sydney or Wollongong) tended to have higher
catches than did beaches in the centre of each region. Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna spp.) had
significantly higher catch rates on long open beaches. Significantly higher catches of whaler
(Carcharhinus spp.), white (Carcharodon carcharias), and tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier) sharks occurred
when deeper water was closer to the beach. Limited biological and seasonal data are also presented for
the 11 species or species groups: Sphyrna spp., Carcharhinus spp., Squatina austmlis, Heterodontus spp.,
Carcharodon carcharias, Galeocerdo cuvier, Carcharias taurus, Notorynchus cepedianus, Alopias spp.,
Isurus oxyrinchus and Orectolobus spp.
Recent evolution of population structure in Australian barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch): An example of isolation by distance in one dimension
Authors: Keenan CP
Published: November 2005

New and previously published genetic data from 6000 barramundi comprising 50 collections across
tropical Australia were analysed for evidence of population subdivision. Sixteen discrete populations
were identified, including four populations that were identified from new collections. Duplicate
collections from two localities were statistically homogeneous after seven years between collections.
Environmental and genetic factors that yielded the observed genetic pattern were investigated.
Geological evidence of sea-level changes, when compared with bathymetry data for the region, reveals
that barramundi must have recently recolonized many of the coastal estuaries of tropical Australia. This
recolonization resulted from the inundation of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Torres Strait by a rapid rise in
sea level of at least 130 m between 18 000 and 6000 years ago. The genetic data clearly indicate that, as
the population spread into new habitats, there was a corresponding decrease in genetic diversity. This
observed decrease has been maintained despite continued migration between populations. The 'onedimensional
stepping stone' migration model, which most closely fits the observed population structure,
predicts that the observed level of population subdivision (FST = 0.064) is maintained against substantial
gene flow between adjacent populations. This contrasts with the predictions of the often-used 'island
model' which gives estimates of Nem at least two orders of magnitude lower than those from the onedimensional
stepping-stone model.
A survey of environmental physico-chemical parameters during a minor coral mass bleaching event in Tahiti in 1993
Authors: Drollet JH , Faucon M , Maritorena S , Martin PMV
Published: November 2005

Hermatypic corals along two continuous 25-m-long line transects on the northern and eastern coasts of
the island of Tahiti (Arue, buter reef slope, and Hitia'a, fringing reef, respectively) were monitored during
a minor episode of coral bleaching in April and May 1993. From early February to the end of May, the
physico-chemical parameters of the sea water (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and total solar
irradiance) were noted once a week, and solar UV-B radiation was recorded from 1100 to 1400 hours
every day.
The results are consistent with a synergistic interaction between temperature and UV-B radiation,
possibly associated with total solar irradiance. The interval of four weeks between peaks in solar UV-B
radiation and seawater temperature may explain why the 1993 bleaching in Tahiti was minor. Different
patterns of bleaching occurred in different species, and all corals recovered within four to six weeks.
Hermatypic corals appear to have multiform reactions in response to environmental stresses.