Main Research Aim
The main aim of the proposed research is to evaluate the effect of habitat diversity, habitat spatial arrangement and habitat associations on fish assemblage and performance in shallow coastal marine habitats in New South Wales by:-
1. Investigating the effect of adjacent habitats on fish assemblages within Posidonia australis seagrass beds. These adjacent habitats include rocky algal reefs,
sand and seagrass of other species.
2. Evaluating the effect of habitat diversity and configuration / spatial arrangement on fish abundance and performance (body condition, specifically fish
growth rate). It seeks to answer whether fish species prefer habitat homogeneity or variation in habitat types on the scale of tens to hundreds of meters.
Whether this preference varies with species will be evaluated.
1. Investigating the effect of adjacent habitats on fish assemblages within Posidonia australis seagrass beds. These adjacent habitats include rocky algal reefs,
sand and seagrass of other species.
2. Evaluating the effect of habitat diversity and configuration / spatial arrangement on fish abundance and performance (body condition, specifically fish
growth rate). It seeks to answer whether fish species prefer habitat homogeneity or variation in habitat types on the scale of tens to hundreds of meters.
Whether this preference varies with species will be evaluated.