It was observed that the use of fluorimetric measurements is an excellent alternative for quantifying chlorophyll concentration. However, absolute fluorescence units offered by the available equipment are not always the best alternative. It is suggested in this research to use empirical models that relate field measurements with fluorimetic data through the use of relative fluorescence units.

This study examined the passage efficiency of juvenile īnanga past a perched culvert fitted with spat ropes and a flexible rubber ramp. Less than 1% of fish successfully passed the ramp with no fish passing the culvert. Study results indicate that flexible rubber ramps are likely an ineffective fish passage solution for remediating perched culverts for weak swimming fishes.

Coral disease has caused coral declines globally, but we know little about how soft corals are affected. Here, we studied the effects of disease on an endangered soft coral by examining the disease microscopically, and by recording the loss and recovery of the population. We found that the disease harmed the corals and killed individual colonies, but that the population started recovering quickly. To improve conservation outcomes, we suggest that disease surveys should be included in monitoring and restoration efforts.

The microstructure of calcium carbonate stones in the inner ear of young-of-year fish can be analysed to determine age, an expensive and time-consuming process. Ear stone weight can be used as a surrogate for age, but this relationship has yet to be validated for bony bream. The present study validates this relationship to facilitate the life-history characterisation of Australia’s most widespread freshwater fish.

The Mediterranean fanworm is a highly invasive marine worm that is originally from Europe, but has also established and spread around parts of Australasia. To better understand the invasive capacity of this species, its maturation and reproduction were investigated and compared with those in previous studies. The results indicated that this fanworm has high reproductive flexibility, contributing to its invasive capacity.

Fish in exploited populations tend to grow faster because they experience less density-dependent competition for resources. Faster-growing individuals mature younger or larger, potentially compensating for reproductive output lost because of fishing mortality. We compared growth in fished and unfished populations of Perth herring, a long-lived (20 years), anadromous fish endemic to south-western Australia. As hypothesised, fished populations displayed faster growth and earlier maturation. However, we suggest that faster growth does not fully compensate for the lower population resilience associated with a shortened lifespan in this species.

Longspined sea urchins form extensive barrens in south-eastern Australia. Despite the previous assumption that small, undersized sea urchins are cryptic and inaccessible to predators, we show that small urchins are in fact active and move around on open reef during the night. This behaviour puts them at risk of predation by nocturnal predators, such as lobsters. Knowledge about this predator–prey interaction will inform management and help control the urchin.