Fine-scale habitat change in a marine reserve, mapped using radio-acoustically positioned video transects
D. M. Parsons A B D , N. T. Shears A , R. C. Babcock A C and T. R. Haggitt AA Leigh Marine Laboratory, PO Box 349, Warkworth, New Zealand.
B Present address: North Carolina State University, Department of Marine Earth and Atmospheric Science, Raleigh, NC 27695-Box 8208, USA.
C CSIRO Marine Research, Private Bag No. 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: darren.parsons@clear.net.nz
Marine and Freshwater Research 55(3) 257-265 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF03190
Submitted: 19 November 2003 Accepted: 12 March 2004 Published: 19 May 2004
Abstract
Large-scale changes in subtidal reef habitats have occurred within the Leigh Marine Reserve (New Zealand) since its establishment in 1976. To determine the extent of habitat change within Goat Island Bay, video transects positioned by a radio acoustic positioning telemetry (RAPT) system were used to map habitats within a Geographic Information System (GIS) framework. This map was compared to a map of the same area constructed 22 years earlier in 1978. Visual categorisation of habitats was consistent with the quantification of habitat-forming species within quadrats, justifying the creation of a map based on visually interpreted video footage. Furthermore, the large-scale changes in habitats were consistent with smaller-scale changes in community structure identified at permanent sites located in the study area. The most obvious changes were the total disappearance of ‘urchin barrens’ across all depths and the recovery of kelp forest in water <8 m, caused by a trophic cascade related to predator recovery. In water > 12 m, the extent of kelp forest and sponge flats was found to decrease by 25 and 33%, respectively, while turfing algal habitat had increased by 50%. This increase in turfing algal habitat had not been previously documented due to the spatial scale of traditional sampling methods.
Extra keywords: benthic habitat change, habitat mapping, north-eastern New Zealand, radio acoustic positioning telemetry, subtidal temperate reef.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank B. Flaim, B. Muller and P. Stokes for extensive help with data collection, H. Acosta and J. Evans for perseverance with map construction, I. Blackwell for use of the ‘glass bottom’ boat and G. Jackson and R. O’Dor for loan of equipment. Numerous student volunteers also assisted with data collection. We thank A. Ayling and B. Ballantine for comments on the original map and R. Taylor, N. Tolimieri for comments on the manuscript. This project was made possible through Department of Conservation funding and financial aid from the Vice-Chancellor’s Committee, University of Auckland.
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