ABSENCE OF A LARGE BROWN MACROALGA ON URBANIZED ROCKY REEFS AROUND SYDNEY,AUSTRALIA, AND EVIDENCE FOR HISTORICAL DECLINE1 |
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| Authors: | Melinda A. Coleman Brendan P. Kelaher Peter D. Steinberg Alan J. K. Millar |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Center for Marine Bioinnovation and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia;2. Author for correspondence: e‐mail .;3. Department of Environmental Sciences and Institute for Water and Environmental Resource Management, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia;4. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Mrs. Macquaries Rd., Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Loss of habitat‐forming algae is increasingly prevalent in temperate marine ecosystems. Here, we document absence of an important habitat‐forming macroalga, Phyllospora comosa (Labill.) C. Agardh, along an urbanized coast in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Dense Phyllospora canopies were common on shallow sublittoral reefs north and south of Sydney. In contrast, we did not find a single individual along ～70 km of rocky coastline in the Sydney metropolitan region, despite historical evidence to suggest that it was very common half a century ago. Recolonization of this important habitat‐forming alga has not occurred on Sydney reefs despite improved water quality, protection of its habitat, and frequent long‐distance dispersal of Phyllospora wrack. While there are obvious limitations, historical information can be useful for identifying potential shifts in community structure to increase our understanding of contemporary ecological patterns. |
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| Keywords: | habitat‐forming loss macroalga Phyllospora comosa urbanization |
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