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8665869 
Journal Article 
Intertidal molluscan and echinoderm diversity at Althorpe Island and Innes National Park, South Australia 
Benkendorff, K 
2005 
1 
Royal Society of South Australia. Transactions
ISSN: 0372-1426 
129 
145-157 
WOS:000233705200008 
Species inventory data provide the first step towards understanding local marine communities. Here I apply rapid biodiversity assessment to tell intertidal sites, with two levels of habitat complexity: rock platforms with and without boulder fields. Five sites were located oil Althorpe I., with a further five reefs in and around the Innes National Park oil Yorke Peninsula. One hour, timed-search surveys were used to determine the species richness and rarity of macromolluscs and echinoderms. In total 82 molluscan species, were found, but only eight echinoderms. A large proportion of species was found to be numerically rare (<5 individuals per site) or spatially rare (only observed at one or two sites). Reefs with boulder fields supported the highest species richness, and overall more species were found oil Althorpe I. (66) than the mainland (59). Multivariate analyses revealed that different molluscan communities occur oil rock platforms with and without significant boulder habitat. Different molluscan communities also appear to occur oil Althorpe I. when compared to the mainland sites. Thus, a comprehensive marine reserve system should include representation from these two distinct intertidal rocky reef habitats, at both onshore and coastal locations oil Yorke Peninsula. 
intertidal reefs; macromollusc; echinoderm; community composition; marine reserve selection; species inventory