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Photo: Ocean Imaging / Great Southern Reef
SPATIAL PATTERNS and DIMENSIONS
SPATIAL PATTERNS and DIMENSIONS
The Great Southern Reef (GSR) is a system of interconnected temperate rocky reefs on the southern coasts of Australia. Figure 1.
The common feature of the reef is the kelp beds and forests growing on the rocks.
The common feature of the reef is the kelp beds and forests growing on the rocks.
Figure 1: The Great Southern Reef
https://www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/whos-heard-great-southern-reef
Until the Great Southern Reef was named, the reefs and their kelp forests were hardly known to most Australians and their environmental, economic, and socio / cultural values were not appreciated.
The Great Southern Reef name has been adapted to improve the knowledge, understanding, interest in and appreciation of the reef. It is hoped that there will be an increase in research funding for scientific knowledge and conservation.
The Great Southern Reef
- is a temperate marine environment - extends 8,000 km around the southern Australian coastline from northern NSW (28.58° S) to Kalbarri in WA (27.78° S)- covers 71 000 km2 (area) of the continental shelf close to the shore- extends to 30 metres below sea level but may reach 60 metres deep. - is subtidal (below sea level) Like the Great Barrier Reef, the GSR has hundreds of individual reefs with important environmental, social, and economic values.
- is a temperate marine environment - extends 8,000 km around the southern Australian coastline from northern NSW (28.58° S) to Kalbarri in WA (27.78° S)- covers 71 000 km2 (area) of the continental shelf close to the shore- extends to 30 metres below sea level but may reach 60 metres deep. - is subtidal (below sea level) Like the Great Barrier Reef, the GSR has hundreds of individual reefs with important environmental, social, and economic values.
Subtidal Rocky Reef Ecosystem
Subtidal Rocky Reef Ecosystem
Norah Head, NSW. L Chaffer
Wave washed shallow reef
Wave washed shallow reef
Ocean Imaging Great Southern Ocean
Australia’s kelp-dominated rocky reefs are managed by the states of NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia because they are found in the ‘coastal zone’ which extends up to 5.5 km from shore.
THE KELP FORESTS
THE KELP FORESTS
The biophysical environment
- Rocky outcrops and boulders are the base of the GSR
- The reef has seaweed and kelp, sponge, seagrass, and other living habitats such as in Figure 2. These habitats support high levels of biodiversity.
- Kelp forms large areas of habitat for other species. The kelp, a brown macroalgae, attaches itself to rocky outcrops and boulders where it creates a 3D environment much like a forest on land.
- The main kelp species is “Golden Kelp”, sometimes called common kelp. It forms a thick forest and provides food and habitat for other species.
- Other species also create habitats near the kelp forests. Sponges grow on deep rocky surfaces where there is less sunlight and seagrasses grow in shallow water where more sunlight penetrates.
Figure 2: Biogenic habitats on rocky reefs
Source: Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao, University of Waikato
Golden Kelp
Golden Kelp
Shutterstock
Sponge garden
Sponge garden
Ocean Imaging Great Southern Ocean
- The type of rock, water temperature, light, ocean currents and wave action affect the mix of habitats found in different locations. Figure 3
Figure 3: Responses to abiotic differences in wave exposure
Source: Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao, University of Waikato
Interconnected habitats Reef habitats are connected through environmental processes such as food chains, energy flows and nutrient cycles. Kelp produce food through photosynthesis and feed consumers such as zooplankton. Sponges filter food and nutrients from the water, keeping the water clear for kelp.
Species such as the Giant Australian Cuttlefish gather in kelp forests to breed while sharks and other mammals hunt in the corridors created by kelp plants.
Connections between different habitats such as seagrasses are essential for the survival of kelp forests. Figure 4 is an example of a connection between kelp and seagrasses that helps fish biodiversity and populations on the Great Southern Reef.
Species such as the Giant Australian Cuttlefish gather in kelp forests to breed while sharks and other mammals hunt in the corridors created by kelp plants.
Connections between different habitats such as seagrasses are essential for the survival of kelp forests. Figure 4 is an example of a connection between kelp and seagrasses that helps fish biodiversity and populations on the Great Southern Reef.
Figure 4: Habitat connectivity
Source: ‘Along temperate coastlines, seagrass meadows and kelp forests are critical nursery habitats for fish’.
Olson, A. M., Hessing-Lewis, M., Haggarty, D., and Juanes, F. (2019). Nearshore seascape connectivity enhances seagrass meadow nursery function.
Biodiversity hotspot The GSR is a global biodiversity hotspot with species such as the Weedy Seadragon found nowhere else in the world and more seaweed species than any other location. The GSR had more endemic species than the Great barrier Reef. ‘The GSR is a global hotspot for marine biodiversity and endemic species, hosts the highest diversity of seaweeds on Earth (>1000 species) and is one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. GSR kelp forests produce 65 tonnes of biomass per hectare per year’.
Source: https://marinesocioecology.org/great-southern-reef-webinar-uncovering-the-value-of-australias-gsr/
Harlequin Fish
Harlequin Fish
Starfish
Starfish
Weedy Sea Dragon
Weedy Sea Dragon
Images from Ocean Imaging / Great Southern Reef
See more amazing images of kelp forest life at https://greatsouthernreef.com/marine-life
Take a 360 degree underwater tour to the site of the Giant cuttlefish yearly aggregation.
Learn more about the Giant Cutlesfish in Illustrative Example 4.
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