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AUV-based classification of benthic communities of the Ningaloo shelf and mesophotic areas

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Abstract

Despite a growing understanding of the importance of mesophotic ecosystems, they remain relatively unexplored globally, and particularly in the Indian Ocean. The composition of benthic communities of the Ningaloo Marine Park in deeper water (> 20 m) was determined using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Environmental variables collected by the AUVs as well as geomorphological variables derived from high-resolution multibeam bathymetry were used to explain the distribution of these communities. Imagery was classified for benthic biota, and non-hierarchical k-means clustering was used to identify community groups. Overall, 12 community groups were identified which fell into three broad categories: (1) coral-dominated, (2) CCA-dominated; and (3) macroalgae- and filter-feeder-dominated. Specific deeper water communities (> 50 m) were characterised by the presence of sponges or other non-photosynthetic filter feeders. Corals were confined to depths < 40 m, and cover was high (29–40%). Generalised additive models identified the importance of substrate (cover of sand, rock, and gravel/pebbles), geomorphological variables (slope and bathymetric position index) and temperature in the distribution of communities.

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Acknowledgements

We thank our funding agency BHP Billiton-CSIRO Ningaloo Outlook Marine Research Partnership for support of this work. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of BHP Billiton or CSIRO. Thanks go to the crew of the CSIRO vessel RV Linnaeus and Karl Forcey in particular for Starbug × AUV operations. We are also grateful to the IMOS AUV facility (http://imos.org.au/facilities/auv/) and the Squidle portal (http://squidle.acfr.usyd.edu.au/) for making additional data available and Claire Rafael for analysing these images. On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Joseph A. Turner, Russell C. Babcock, Renae Hovey & Gary A. Kendrick

  2. CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Joseph A. Turner & Russell C. Babcock

  3. CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Dutton Park, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia

    Russell C. Babcock

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  4. Gary A. Kendrick
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph A. Turner.

Additional information

Topic editor Dr. Mark R. Patterson

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Figure

Hierarchical visualisation of groups (data averaged by group) and significant SIMPROF groups (red). Contribution of each species/group to the cluster identified by shading. Circles = coral-dominated, triangles = CCA-/sponge-dominated, squares = filter feeder/macroalgae-dominated (TIFF 53 kb)

338_2018_1700_MOESM3_ESM.xlsx

Detailed results of SIMPER analysis, including within-group similarity and between-group dissimilarity and contributing species (XLSX 92 kb)

Appendix

Appendix

Broad groups and combined taxa (< 1% occurrence alone)

Broad group

Combined category

Contains

Brown macroalgae

Dictyota spp.

Dictyota spp.

Fine-branching

Fine-branching

Filamentous/filiform

Filamentous/filiform

Other

Coarse branching

Globose/saccate

Laminate

Membranous

Red macroalgae

Membranous

Membranous

Fine-branching

Fine-branching

Filamentous/filiform

Filamentous/filiform

Crustose coralline algae

Crustose coralline algae

Green macroalgae

All green macroalgae

Halimeda spp.

Filamentous/filiform

membranous

Hard coral

Acropora spp.

Acropora spp.

Favid spp.

Favid spp.

Montipora spp.

Montipora spp.

Porites spp.

Porites spp.

Cycloseris spp.

Cycloseris spp.

Encrusting—other

Echinophyllia/Oxypora spp.

Echinopora spp.

Leptoseris spp.

Non-Acropora spp.

Foliose—other

Echinophyllia/Oxypora spp.

Echinopora spp.

Merulina spp.

Pachyseris spp.

Pavona spp.

Pectinia spp.

Non-Acropora spp.

Other

Branching: Seriatopora spp.

Branching: Non-Acropora spp.

Massive: Galaxea spp.

Massive: Lobophyllia spp.

Massive: Symphyllia spp.

Massive: Non-Acropora spp.

Mushroom coral: Fungia spp.

Submassive: Pocillopora spp.

Submassive: Stylophora pistillata

Submassive: Non-Acropora spp.

Soft coral

Soft coral

Branching

Lobophytum spp.

Massive

Non-photosynthetic filter feeders

Non-photosynthetic filter feeders

Ascidians: stalked: colonial

Ascidians: unstalked: colonial

Ascidians: unstalked: solitary

Black and octocorals: branching (3D)

Black and octocorals: fan (2D)

Black and octocorals: Whip

Bryozoa: hard: branching

Bryozoa: soft

Hydroids

Sponges

Branching

Branching

Encrusting

Encrusting

Laminar

Laminar

Massive

Massive

Other

Creeping/ramose

Barrels

Cups

Tubes and chimneys

Palmate

Simple

Stalked

Balls

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Turner, J.A., Babcock, R.C., Hovey, R. et al. AUV-based classification of benthic communities of the Ningaloo shelf and mesophotic areas. Coral Reefs 37, 763–778 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-018-1700-3

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