2 datasets found Page 1 of 1
DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.19052026
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Long-term monitoring of the shallow water benthic communities of Olifantsbos within Table Mountain National Park MPA

Benthic invertebrate communities, particularly sessile and semi-motile organisms like sponges, cnidarians and echinoderms, are effective for assessing long-term change, since they respond to factors such as marine pollution or climate change through measurable changes within populations over weeks to years. Exploratory research on these communities and their habitats has contributed substantially to increased understanding of benthic biota, and to the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). However, very few repeat observations in the same areas are available to assess changes in benthic community structure and function over time. With long-term monitoring being a key DFFE mandate, such data availability is becoming increasingly important to assess the credibility of management strategies within MPAs. The key objective of this study was to establish long-term monitoring of the sessile and semi-motile benthic invertebrate communities occurring at various depths in a...

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.13052026
South African records of azooxanthellate Scleractinians (i.e., stony cold-water corals)

South African azooxanthellate Scleractinia have not been comprehensively reviewed since Boshoff’s 1980 study, despite decades of additional sampling and scattered regional reports. This study updates the country’s coral species inventory by examining museum collections, particularly from the Iziko South African Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, alongside historical imagery, recent survey data, and existing literature. The results increase the known diversity from 77 to 108 species across eleven families, including 28 new national records, three new species, and one newly described genus.

2 datasets found Page 1 of 1

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