Large-scale geographic variation in distribution and abundance of Australian deep-water kelp forests.

ABSTRACT: Despite the significance of marine habitat-forming organisms, little is known about their large-scale distribution and abundance in deeper waters, where they are difficult to access. Such information is necessary to develop sound conservation and management strategies. Kelps are main habitat-formers in temperate reefs worldwide; however, these habitats are highly sensitive to environmental change. The kelp Ecklonia radiate is the major habitat-forming organism on subtidal reefs in temperate Australia. Here, we provide large-scale ecological data encompassing the latitudinal distribution along the continent of these kelp forests, which is a necessary first step towards quantitative inferences about the effects of climatic change and other stressors on these valuable habitats. We used the Au

SUBMITTER: Marzinelli EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4334971 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature