General features of the ecology and biogeography of Tasmanian subtidal rocky shore communities

A number of subtidal benthic assemblages of plants and animals which commonly occur around the Tasmanian coast are described. These assemblages are incorporated into a general scheme which relates subtidal zonation patterns to wave exposure and depth. The existence of a cool-temperate marine biogeographic province (the Maugean), centred in southern, western and eastern Tasmanian waters, is reaffirmed. The biota of the northern Tasmanian coast is considered similar to that of the Victorian coast and includes a large component of Flindersian (Southern Australian) species. A number of Peronian (New South Wales) species reach the Tasmanian east coast. Most of these animals probably drift to Tasmania as pelagic larvae in southward flowing currents, and may even travel further afield to New Zealand, but have difficulty surviving to maturity and spawning. Many Maugean plant and animal species also occur in New Zealand

The biogeography of shallow-water macrofauna at Heard Island

Collections of 23 macroinvertebrate taxa associated with Durvillaea antarctica holdfasts and 58 invertebrate taxa associated with artificial substrata collectors are described from shallow-water and intertidal habitats at Heard Island. The fauna sampled possessed strong biogeographic affinities with the Kerguelen Island fauna and, to a slightly lesser extent, the fauna recorded at Macquarie Island but negligible affinity with the Antarctic. Experiments involving the offshore tethering of D. antarctica holdfasts indicated that epifaunal invertebrates rapidly abandoned detached holdfasts, but that the few species surviving after one day could probably survive long periods adrift