Local and regional investigations into perturbations of marine habitat

随着不断增加的物理压力(例如，养分和泥沙径流)引发栖息地的变化，海岸生态将发生惊人的变化。缺乏有关扰动的信息仍然是海洋生态和沿海管理方面的一个主要差距。多因素实验将检验澳大利亚温带最广泛的潮下栖息地之一(海带森林)的扰动，以检验来自生态学理论的预测。测试的重点是(1)关于栖息地突然切换到不同状态的模型，以及(2)消费者控制方面存在显著差异的地区之间的反应。这些横跨澳大利亚的测试可能会改变我们对世界上最广阔的温带海岸线之一的看法。

Surprising changes to coastal ecology are forecast as increasing physical stresses (e.g. nutrient and sediment runoff) initiate changes to habitat. Lack of information about perturbations remains a major gap in marine ecology and coastal management. Multifactorial experiments will examine perturbations to one of temperate Australia's most widespread subtidal habitats (kelp forests) to test predictions derived from ecological theory. Tests focus on (1) models about abrupt switches of habitat to contrasting states, and (2) responses among regions bearing striking differences in consumer control. These trans-Australian tests may change the way we view one of the world's most extensive temperate coastlines.