SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN (2) ✕

Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) (2) ✕

2 datasets found Page 1 of 1
DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.20112024
Experimental manipulations of the density of Cymbula granatina on rocky shore community

Densities of a commonly-harvested intertidal limpet Cymbula granatina were manipulated at two sites within a no-take marine protected area on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa, using four treatment levels ranging from zero to maximum natural densities, together with control plots, to evaluate the effects of different harvesting intensities on rocky shore community composition. Following removal or thinning of C. granatina, community composition changed: cover of corticated and ephemeral algae increased and recruitment of C. granatina decreased. These outcomes were, however, dependent on the time frame considered, as algae underwent an annual cycle, and the effects of limpet removal were evident predominantly during the summer upwelling season when the algae proliferated. The management implications of the results of this experiment are discussed.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.12642023
Cape Canyon Benthic Invertebrates Tissue samples

Submarine canyons are heterogeneous environments known to support a variety of benthic organisms, and often considered biodiversity hotspots. Canyon morphological features facilitate the funneling of organic matter to the seabed, making them significant hubs of food resources for benthic life. In light of this, the DFFE: Oceans and Coasts initiative undertook the collection of benthic tissue data aimed at understanding how hydrography affects food availability for benthic species within and surrounding the Cape Canyon. This effort involved examining 15 stations, comprising six within the canyon and nine outside it, leading to the identification of six distinct trophic groups.

2 datasets found Page 1 of 1

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