Functional role of the soft coral Dendronephthya australis in the benthic food web of temperate estuaries

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dc.contributor.authorCorry, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorHaristi, Den_AU
dc.contributor.authorGaston, Ten_AU
dc.contributor.authorMazumder, Den_AU
dc.contributor.authorCresswell, Ten_AU
dc.contributor.authorMoltschaniwskyj, Nen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-08-25T04:21:32Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-08-25T04:21:32Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2018-04-12en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-08-18en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe soft coral Dendronephthya australis, with its limited distribution along the central New South Wales (NSW) coastline, forms a habitat within the benthic estuarine environment that supports commercially significant and protected marine species. However, the functional role of the soft coral within this system is unknown. Organisms from primary producers through to secondary consumers were sampled from soft coral and sponge habitats inside the Port Stephens estuary, NSW, Australia in 2014. A food web model of the benthic habitat, created using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen, was used to describe the functional role of the soft coral in comparison to sponges, another important habitat for commercially significant and protected marine species. Primary consumers accessed a range of benthic and pelagic energy sources; however, secondary consumers were almost entirely dependent on pelagic energy sources. Soft coral and sponges accessed different primary sources for their energy requirements. There was no evidence that D. australis was used as a direct food source by consumers other than nudibranchs. In contrast, sponges were trophically linked with secondary consumers and are likely to play a direct role in pelagic energy transfer. Amphipods collected from the branches of D. australis were identified as major prey components in the diet of protected syngnathids, suggesting that while the soft coral functions as critical habitat, it is indirectly linked to higher trophic levels. © 2018 Inter-Researchen_AU
dc.identifier.citationCorry, M., Harasti, D., Gaston, T., Mazumder, D., Cresswell, T., & Moltschaniwskyj, N. (2018). Functional role of the soft coral Dendronephthya australis in the benthic food web of temperate estuaries. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 593, 61-72. doi:10.3354/meps12498en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1616-1599en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleMarine Ecology Progress Seriesen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination61-72en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3354/meps12498en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/11499en_AU
dc.identifier.volume593en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherInter-Researchen_AU
dc.subjectStable isotopesen_AU
dc.subjectHabitaten_AU
dc.subjectPoriferaen_AU
dc.subjectEstuariesen_AU
dc.subjectResource conservationen_AU
dc.subjectNew South Walesen_AU
dc.subjectCoralsen_AU
dc.subjectFooden_AU
dc.titleFunctional role of the soft coral Dendronephthya australis in the benthic food web of temperate estuariesen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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