Exmouth Gulf's east holds 3 of 4 critically endangered species found in an eDNA survey
Exmouth Gulf seawater from 19 sites across 3,000 square kilometres of Western Australia yielded 487 taxa: 440 bony fish, 37 elasmobranchs, seven birds, two mammals and one reptile. The study in Diversity and Distributions finds distinct communities in the western, central, southern and eastern gulf, with the east a hotspot for sharks, rays and threatened species. Eastern waters held three of the four critically endangered species detected. Jessica Pearce's team presents the survey as input for marine-park management in a gulf still pulled by competing interests.
Science··Morning
Exmouth Gulf yields 487 taxa across 19 sites and 3,000 square kilometres
Exmouth Gulf seawater from 19 sites across 3,000 square kilometres of Western Australia was read with a metabarcoding gene-sequencing technique, and 487 unique taxa were identified: 440 bony fish, 37 elasmobranchs, seven birds, two mammals and one reptile. Jessica Pearce's team applied a mitochondrial gene sequencing technique to seawater from 19 sites over 3,000 square kilometres spanning the western, central, southern and eastern gulf, and identified 487 taxa: 440 bony fish, 37 elasmobranchs, seven birds, two mammals and one reptile.[1], [2]
Exmouth Gulf's east stands out for threatened species
Exmouth Gulf's eastern waters stand out as a hotspot for sharks and rays and for threatened species. The study in Diversity and Distributions reports significantly distinct marine communities in the western, central, southern and eastern gulf. Critically endangered species were detected in all four regions, and three of the four were found in the eastern gulf.[1], [2]
Jessica Pearce's team puts the survey into marine-park management
Jessica Pearce of the University of Western Australia's School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute worked with the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, the Minderoo Foundation and Murdoch University. Josh Bonesso said the gulf in its entirety provides critical habitat for threatened species. The work is presented as input to the management of a newly established marine park in the gulf. Jessica Pearce said the recent marine park designation underscored the region's significance while it remains a site of competing interests. The study in Diversity and Distributions also identified distinct regions of exceptional biodiversity that can inform management of the proposed marine park.[1], [2]
