Mr Lachlan McLeod1, Dr Dominic McAfee1, Prof Sean Connell1
1The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
Single species restoration may have its limitations. Despite evidence that facilitation between species is an important driver of biodiversity and ecological function, a multi-species approach is rarely incorporated into restoration practice. Prioritizing positive interactions might move restorations beyond that of a single species assemblage and towards habitat with biological complexity equivalent to natural systems. Indeed, by incorporating co-occurring foundation-species in the restoration of ecosystems, we might accelerate habitat formation and create more stable ecosystems. Across two newly constructed oyster reefs (3 months old) and a semi-established oyster reef (15 months old) in Southern Australia, we tested the relative benefits of positive interactions through multi-species restoration. We established patches of canopy-forming kelp to suppress the dominance of turf-forming algae and maintain bare rocky substrate to facilitate the natural recruitment of oysters to the understory. We adapted a novel method for attaching kelp to reef boulders, the viability of which, was assessed through survivorship and retention of plants to substrate. Across all sites, transplanted kelp effectively removed turf-algae, but had opposing effects for oyster recruitment across the two newly constructed reefs. On the semi-established oyster reef, kelp survivorship rates where highest, with noticeable haptera growth and re-attachment to reef boulders. Our preliminary findings suggest this kelp transplant method is effective for establishing kelp canopies on boulder reefs, but the effect on understory oyster recruitment may be context-dependent.
Presentation Slides – Lachlan McLeod
