The decline of seagrass beds has been accelerated by opportunistic macroalgae blooms. The feeding behaviour of mudsnail Peringia ulvae was studied with the aim of assessing its potential role in preventing the occurrence of macroalgal blooms. Snails grazed on all opportunistic macroalgae tested; however, sediment was the feeding niche preferred. Therefore, the hypothesis that P. ulvae has a role in preventing macroalgal blooms was not supported.

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) plays an important role in groundwater-dependent wetlands, through its ability to mediate microbial processes and therefore the fate of pollutants. This work explores the effect of acidity on the structure of DOC, which in turn affects its reactivity. We have shown that the DOC structure is highly variable in both space and time, and dependent on local hydrology.

This study uses sediment cores from a floodplain lake to identify the effect of residential development on heavy metal inputs into aquatic systems. We find that the stormwater from residential areas can be an important contributor to heavy metal contamination of aquatic systems. Therefore, future residential development should incorporate stormwater treatment tools to protect aquatic environments from degradation.

The declining cover of stony corals on tropical reefs is at the centre of the coral reef crisis, and while much is known about the factors killing corals, little is known about the factors determining their ability to replace themselves. In this paper we exploit four well-studied coral reef locations in the Caribbean and Pacific to evaluate the role of long-term variation in coral recruitment and the success of young corals in driving changes in coral cover. Our results reveal dramatic differences among locations in the capacity of corals to replace themselves through sexual reproduction (i.e. post-settlement success), with these effects probably playing an important role in determining the rate at which coral cover is lost (or gained) on present-day reefs.

Lobsters translocated from an offshore (>100-m depth) to two inshore sites (<20-m depth) in South Australia were largely resident but occasionally, highly directed movement was observed in some individuals. Where movement was observed, it was highly directional in a south-west bearing from inshore to offshore sites. Female lobsters travelled significantly further than males.

Populations of kōura, or freshwater crayfish (Paranephrops planifrons), were quantified along a eutrophication gradient in seven Te Arawa lakes using the tau kōura, a traditional Māori harvesting method. Our results suggest that benthic substrate is more important in determining kōura population abundance than nutrient enrichment (using chlorophyll-a as a proxy) or predatory fish (rainbow trout abundance). Lake trophic status in conjunction with lake morphology appeared to indirectly affect kōura distribution in the sheltered, steep sided lakes, through hypolimnetic deoxygenation.

By-catch has been considered as a main issue that may compromise suitability in marine ecosystems. In this work we propose a habitat prediction model approach to mitigate by-catch of sailfish based on spatial and environmental. Our results show that this approach may be considered as an additional fisheries management tool that may be used to support temporary spatial-temporal closure to reduce sailfish by-catch.

Underwater passive acoustic telemetry and satellite telemetry are key technologies for observing aquatic animal movements. Using a dual-tagging approach, we show that estimates of travel distance, home range and the conclusions reached can vary according to the technology by which these data were obtained. This study provides recommendations and methodologies whereby telemetry technology biases may be quantified and minimised.