Adam Gartner

Seagrasses are significant components of Australian coastal biodiversity and also constitute major habitats of significance to fisheries. They are one of the major components of the temperate Australian seagrass ecosystems where they colonise sandy ocean floors to form patchy stands or dense meadows. They occupy approximately one-third of Western Australia's shallow coastal environment. 
 

A unique feature of seagrasses in the southern part of WA is the extent to which seagrass beds grow in the direct path of ocean swells, a feature not seen anywhere else in the world. 

Seagrasses are among the most productive plants in shallow coastal habitats but there is a paradox: their growth can be limited by a range of human activities which reduces the light available for photosynthesis. This can have profound negative effects on marine communities.

Although abundant research has analysed the effect of reduced light on seagrasses, very few studies have examined the flow-on effects of reduced primary producer productivity on ‘first order’ consumers or beyond. An understanding of these effects is fundamental if we are to assess the significance of light reductions to vegetated ecosystems.

The aim of the research is to determine the effects of light reduction on the macroinvertebrate assemblages of a seagrass ecosystem, specifically testing the effects of three aspects of light reduction: intensity, duration and timing. The research will investigate the underlying mechanisms which drive any changes in the macroinvertebrate assemblage and assess whether those assemblages can be used as an indication of overall seagrass ecosystem condition.

Presentations at workshops and conferences
Adam has presented at the following:

• Australian Marine Science Association (AMSA) annual Student Workshop in Rottnest in 2006 and 2008,
• AMSA annual conference in Melbourne (2007),
• Funding bodies and collaborators from CSIRO and the WA Department of Environment and Conservation (2007)
• WAMSI Node 1 Symposium (2008).
• AMSA WA Show and Tell (2008)
• 43nd European Marine Biology Symposium (2008)

Adam Gartner is a PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research. His supervisors are Professor Paul Lavery1, Dr Kathryn McMahon1 & Dr Anne Brearley2

1. Edith Cowan University
2. University of Western Australia