Exotic Marine Pests in the Outer Harbour of the Port of Adelaide, South Australia.

Transcription

1 Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute Report No. 40 Exotic Marine Pests in the Outer Harbour of the Port of Adelaide, South Australia. B. F. Cohen, S. Heislers, G. D. Parry, M. D. Asplin, G. F. Werner and J. E. Restall September 2002

2 Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute Report No. 40 Exotic Marine Pests in the Outer Harbour of the Port of Adelaide, South Australia. B. F. Cohen, S. Heislers, G. D. Parry, M. D. Asplin, G. F. Werner and J. E. Restall September 2002 Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute PO Box 114 Queenscliff 3225

3 The State of Victoria, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 2002 This work is copyright. Apart from any use under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. ISSN: ISBN: Copies available from: Librarian Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute PO Box 114 Queenscliff VIC 3225 Phone: (03) Fax: (03) queenscliff.library@nre.vic.gov.au Preferred way to cite this publication: Cohen, B. F., Heislers, S., Parry, G. D., Asplin, M. D., Werner, G. F. and Restall, J. E. (2002). Exotic Marine Pests in the Outer Harbour of the Port of Adelaide, South Australia. Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute Report No. 40. Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute: Queenscliff. General disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

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5 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY INTRODUCTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PORT OF ADELAIDE PORT DEVELOPMENT SHIPPING MOVEMENTS AND VESSEL BALLASTING PATTERNS PILE CONSTRUCTION AND CLEANING CHANNEL DREDGING AND DREDGE SPOIL REMOVAL EXISTING BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION SURVEY METHODS PHYTOPLANKTON TRAPPING DIVER OBSERVATIONS AND COLLECTIONS ON WHARF PILES VISUAL SEARCHES BENTHIC INFAUNA EPIBENTHOS SEINE NETTING SURVEY RESULTS EXOTIC SPECIES IN PORT ABWMAC target introduced species Other exotic species ADEQUACY OF SURVEY INTENSITY IMPACT OF EXOTIC SPECIES ORIGIN AND POSSIBLE VECTORS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC SPECIES FOUND IN THE PORT DISTRIBUTION OF EXOTIC SPECIES ACROSS FIVE PORTS IN SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA...35 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...37 REFERENCES...37 Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 1

6 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 ANNUAL MEAN MONTHLY SEA TEMPERATURES AT PORT STANVAC TABLE 2 MEAN MONTHLY SEA TEMPERATURES AT AND NEAR PORT ADELAIDE TABLE 3 A & B SUMMARY OF ANNUAL SHIP VISITATION AND BALLAST DISCHARGE AND UPTAKE PATTERNS TABLE 4 SUMMARY OF WHARF DEVELOPMENTS IN AND NEAR OUTER HARBOUR TABLE 5 SUMMARY OF SHIP VISITATION BY SHIP TYPE TABLE 6 A&B SUMMARY OF SAMPLING METHODS, INTENSITIES AND DATES TABLE 8 EXOTIC SPECIES FOUND AT DIFFERENT WHARVES IN OUTER HARBOUR, PORT ADELAIDE TABLE 7 PERCENTAGE OF MACROFAUNA IDENTIFIED TO SPECIES LEVEL FROM PORT ADELAIDE TABLE 9 DINOFLAGELLATE CYSTS IDENTIFIED FROM SEDIMENTS OF PORT ADELAIDE TABLE 10 PHYTOPLANKTON SPECIES IDENTIFIED FROM PORT ADELAIDE TABLE 11 SEDIMENT CHARACTERISTICS OF GRAB SAMPLES TABLE 12 HABITAT AND LIFEHISTORY CHARACTERISTICS OF EXOTIC SPECIES IN PORT ADELAIDE TABLE 13 COMPARISON EXOTIC SPECIES AND VESSEL VISITATION BETWEEN PORTS IN SE AUSTRALIA LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 MAP OF THE OUTER HARBOUR, PORT OF ADELAIDE FIGURE 2 MAP OF COMMERCIAL BERTHS ONE AND TWO FIGURE 3 MAP OF COMMERCIAL BERTHS SIX AND SEVEN FIGURE 4 MAP OF OSBORNE WHARF FIGURE 5 MAP OF ROYAL SOUTH AUSTRALIAN YACHT SQUADRON FIGURE 6 MAP OF NORTH HAVEN MARINA FIGURE 7 LOCATION OF SMITH-MCINTYRE GRAB SAMPLING SITES FIGURE 8 LOCATION OF SLED TOWS FIGURE 9 CUMULATIVE SPECIES CURVES FOR DIFFERENT SAMPLING TECHNIQUES FIGURE 10 COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE SPECIES CURVES FOR ADELAIDE AND MELBOURNE 2 MAFRI Report No. 40

7 1 SUMMARY The Outer Harbour of the Port of Adelaide was surveyed for exotic marine species between 19 th and 24 th February The survey focused on regions within the port most likely to be colonised by exotic species, and included surveys of habitats near commercial wharves and of disturbed regions including shipping channels, spoil grounds and marinas. A variety of techniques were used to detect exotic species. The survey followed nationally accredited guidelines (Hewitt and Martin, 1996 and 2001) and potential pest species identified by the Australian Ballast Water Management Advisory Council (ABWMAC) were targeted particularly. A total of 403 species (excluding phytoplankton species) were identified during the survey. Of these, 15 species are confirmed as exotic and four as cryptogenic. The following exotic species were found: the dinoflagellates Alexandrium catenella, A. minutum and A. tamarense, the algae, Ulva lactuca, the cosmopolitan bryozoans, Bugula neritina, Schizoporella errata and Watersipora arcuata, the bivalve Musculista senhousia, the polychaete Sabella spallanzanii, the European shore crab Carcinus maenus, the amphipod Corophium acherusicum, the isopod, Paracerceis sculpta, and the ascidians Botryllus schlosseri, Ciona intestinalis, and Styela plicata. The following cryptogenic species were also found: the polychaete Myxicola infundibulum, the amphipod Caprella penatis, the barnacle Elminius modestus, and the isopod Sphaeroma quoianum. Six of the 11 ABWMAC target species including the dinoflagellates Alexandrium catenella, A. minutum and A. tamarense, the polychaete Sabella spallanzanii, the bivalve, Musculista senhousia, and the European shore crab, Carcinus maenus, were recorded during this survey. The Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is the only one of the 5 ABWMAC target species not recorded during this survey which may have been recorded in and around the Port of Adelaide previously (Furlani 1996). The remaining ABWMAC, target species: the dinoflagellate, Gymnodinium catenatum, Northern Pacific seastar, Asterias amurensis, the bivalve, Corbula gibba, and the Japanese kelp, Undaria pinnatifida, do not appear to have established populations in the Port of Adelaide. The total number of exotic species (including cryptogenic species) in the Port of Adelaide (19) is significantly higher than the number of exotic species found in the Ports of Western Port (5), Geelong (17) and Portland (8), but lower than the number of exotic species found recently in the Port of Melbourne (39). The lower number of exotic species in the Port of Adelaide occurred although the total number of species identified during the Adelaide survey (403) exceeded the number identified in the Port of Melbourne (316). Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 3

8 1.0 INTRODUCTION The establishment of exotic organisms in foreign ports is not a new phenomenon. Exotic organisms have been transported on hulls of vessels for centuries and in the ballast water of international shipping since the 1880 s (Byrne et al., 1997). The issue has received greater attention, however, as the impacts caused by some introductions have become apparent. The devastating effects of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha in the Great Lakes (Griffiths et al., 1991; Strayer, 1991); the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Black Sea (Vinogradov et al., 1989); and, the clam Potamocorbula amurensis in San Francisco Bay (Carlton et al., 1990) have all increased concern internationally for the impacts of exotic species and lead to greater efforts to prevent further introductions. Unfortunately, identifying which species are likely to establish in new ecosystems is difficult, as is predicting their likely impact (Hengeveld, 1989). This report presents the results of a field survey of exotic species within the Outer Harbour, Port of Adelaide. The survey has used a sampling protocol developed by CSIRO, Centre for Research on Introduced Marine Pests, CRIMP (Hewitt and Martin, 1996 and 2001), which involves the use of a variety of sampling techniques to sample a large range of habitats within the port area. Potential pest species were targeted and sampling strategies were designed to detect species listed on the Australian Ballast Water Management Advisory Council (ABWMAC) marine target species list. The survey was undertaken to identify those exotic species in the Port of Adelaide, to better understand the risk of translocating species between ports, and to assist management decisions intended to minimise these risks. 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PORT OF ADELAIDE The Port of Adelaide is located on the eastern edge of the Gulf St. Vincent in the Port Adelaide River, a highly modified and industrialised eutrophic tidal estuary comprising extensive mangrove stands, samphire marshes and intertidal sand and mud areas (Thomas et al. 1986). Today, freshwater inputs are limited, aside from inputs of treated sewage, and the DEHAA (1997) classifies the water quality as often poor. The Port Adelaide River system and the adjacent, less modified Barker Inlet, North Arm, Angas Inlet and Eastern Passage systems support large numbers of birds and aquatic species, including a large resident group of dolphins. Annual monthly mean minimum and maximum sea temperatures at Port Stanvac, 45 km south of the Adelaide Port Outer Harbour range between o C and o C respectively (Table 1). Temperature measurements in the Port Adelaide River were also sought to determine whether temperatures at Port Stanvac are representative of those in the port, but limited data were available. Sea temperatures were measured near Pelican Point, on Channel Markers 16 and 21, between April and November 2000 (AEL 2001), and at the two intakes to the Torrens Island Power Station between Jul 2000 and Jun 2001 (Rychard Oleszcyk TXU pers comms). These limited data suggest that sea temperatures near Torrens Island Power Station intakes are 1-2 o C higher than those 4 MAFRI Report No. 40

9 near Pelican Point and these in turn are ~1 o C higher than those at Port Stanvac, at least during Spring. (Table 2). Power stations at Torrens Island (inner harbour) and at Pelican Point (outer harbour) discharge heated seawater to the Port Adelaide River. The Pelican Point Power Station has a licence to increase sea temperatures up to 2 o C within 50 m of their discharge, which is centrally located within the river adjacent to Pelican Point. Sea temperatures increase towards the north of Gulf St Vincent and temperatures in the north of the gulf are approximately 2 o C higher than those at Port Stanvac (Bye 1976). In Port Adelaide Outer Harbour mean high water spring tide is 2.4 m and the mean high water neap tide is 1.3 m (Ports Corp 2001). Maximum currents measured near Pelican Point (Channel markers 16 and 21) vary between 0.6 m/sec during spring tides and 0.25 m/sec during neap tides (AEL 2001). The Port of Adelaide has been greatly altered from its natural state. Dredging has increased the depth of much of the Port Adelaide River and probably reduced the range of habitats originally present. Prior to dredging, the Port Adelaide River was approximately 5 m deep in parts with a shallow bar at the River s mouth (Angwin 1936). As with other ports, a significant amount of the original aquatic fauna and flora of the area has probably been lost. Port environments are often highly modified and disturbed, which may make them more susceptible to successful introductions (Fox and Fox, 1986; Vermeij, 1991). However the roles of disturbance versus the properties of native species and propagule pressure from exotic species in facilitating the establishment of exotic species are still being actively debated by ecologists (e.g. Lonsdale 1999). The Port of Adelaide is South Australia s principal port, comprising an Inner and Outer Harbour with more than 20 wharves or 40 berths spread across approximately 7 km of wharf frontage (Figure 1). During the Port of Adelaide averaged 1344 ship visits per year, over 80 % of which had a domestic last port of call (Table 3). The Inner Harbour caters for roll-on roll-off and bulk cargoes including: exports of meat, grains, malt, fruit, wine, wool, cement clinker, scrap metal, tallow, soda ash and manufactured goods; and imports of timber, sulphur, petroleum, paper products, fertiliser, metals and motor cars. The Outer Harbour caters for cruise ships, live sheep, roll-on roll-off, general cargo, containers and motor cars. Osborne wharves, located between the Inner and Outer Harbours (Figure 1), comprise four wharves handling bulk cargoes. This project involved a survey of the Outer Harbour as far up stream as the Osborne wharves. The Inner Harbour was not sampled as part of this survey. Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron s (RSAYS) mooring basin, which is positioned between commercial berths of the Outer Harbour, and North Haven Marina, located outside the Port of Adelaide, approximately 2 km south from entrance to port, were also surveyed. 2.1 Port development Angwin (1936) provides an excellent summary of harbour development from the establishment of the port until the 1930s, and provides the main source of the summary below. The Port Adelaide River was first visited in 1831 by Captain Barker, but it was Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 5

10 Colonel Light in 1836 who was the first to recognise its potential as a harbour. The following year the area officially became the port for Adelaide. The first developments all occurred in the area of the Inner Harbour. The first area to be developed was plagued with problems. In this area, subsequently termed the Old Port, landing heavy goods was difficult, cargo was damaged on the wharves at high tides due to insufficient tidal clearance, and there was great expense incurred in transporting cargo to Adelaide. In 1839, the New Port was established upstream from the Old Port and this development included a new wharf (McLaren Wharf) and a road to Adelaide. The New Port (Inner Harbour) area continued to grow. Dredging commenced in 1849, mainly to increase the depth at the entrance to the Port Adelaide River which was only 9 ft on a low tide. Rail connections to the New Port were established in In 1888 the landing of mail was moved from Glenelg to Largs Pier (5 km south of the river entrance). However, landing of mail at Largs Pier proved problematic due to the piers exposed position and in 1902 an Act was passed and construction started on wharves at the Outer Harbour. The Outer Harbour was completed in 1908, including construction of the North and South Revetment Mounds, and consisted of four wharves (Commercial Berths 1-4) with 2400 ft of wharfage and drafts of ft. By 1918 the Inner Harbour had ft of wharfage, with some wharves able to handle ships with drafts up to 26 ft. The Osborne Wharf was built in Modern container berths were built during 1977 (Berth 6) and 1999 (Berth 7). The Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron established a series of chain moorings in 1923, and these were replaced by a marina with floating pontoons in North Haven Marina was constructed in The timing of major port developments is summarised in Table Shipping movements and vessel ballasting patterns Commercial ship movements in the Port of Adelaide were determined from a database of shipping movements for the past four financial years ( ) provided by Ports Corp South Australia. Walter's (1996) methods were used to estimate the volume of ballast discharged from vessels of different types (Tables 3a and b, Table 5 and Appendix 1). During , the Port of Adelaide received, on average, 1344 ship visits per year (Table 3a, b). Approximately 83% of ship visits had a domestic last port of call: over 40 % of movements originated from Victoria, mostly from Melbourne; over 20% from South Australia, mostly from Klein Point; and, almost 15 % from Western Australia, mostly from Fremantle (Table 3a). Many of the ship visits from Melbourne and Fremantle were international container ships completing a Melbourne- Fremantle (or vice-versa) trip. Annually only 17 ships had an international last port of call, and over one third of these were from Singapore or Japan (Table 3a). Shipping movements through the Port of Adelaide are predominantly container ships on the Melbourne-Fremantle run and dry bulk carriers from Klein Point (Limestone) in South Australia. As such, shipping movements through the Port of Adelaide are not dominated by exporting bulk carriers (cf. Hastings and Portland, Victoria). Therefore, the patterns of ballast discharge are comparable to the patterns in ship visits. The Port of Adelaide received an average of over 2 million tons of ballast annually, of which 75% was from ships with a domestic last port of call. Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia account for over 65 % of ballast discharge received by last port of call (Table 6 MAFRI Report No. 40

11 3a). Internationally, Singapore accounts for over 6 % and New Zealand for 2.5 % of ballast discharged in the Port of Adelaide (Table 3a). Approximately 70% of ships departing Adelaide have a domestic next port of call and 30% have an international next port of call (Table 3b). Ship visitation and ballast discharge patterns for the last port of call and for the next port are similar, except that the relative importance of Fremantle, Western Australia and Melbourne, Victoria, are reversed (Tables 3a, b). Many ships with Melbourne as their last port of call continue on to Fremantle after visiting Adelaide. The risk of translocating exotic species that occur on the hulls of ships between particular ports increases as the number of ship movements between those ports increases. Similarly, the risk of translocating exotic species between ports, where they occur in ballast water, increases as the volume of ballast water discharged in each port increases. The pattern of domestic vessel movements indicates that Melbourne and Fremantle are important potential sources of secondary introductions of exotic species for the Port of Adelaide, and the Port of Adelaide could act as link between these two ports. However, differences in water temperature, between Melbourne and Adelaide in particular, may represent a barrier to the secondary introduction of exotics for species near their thermal tolerances. For example, Asterias amurensis may only be able to tolerate temperatures up to 20 C (Furlani 1996), which is near the maximum water temperature in the Port of Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay but well below the summer temperatures in the Port Adelaide River. Locally, shipping movements from Adelaide to Klein Point may be important sources of secondary introductions of exotics to Klein Point, especially given the diversity of shipping movements through the Port of Adelaide compared to Klein Point. 2.3 Pile construction and cleaning Undisturbed communities of competitive dominants are believed to be more resistant to recruitment of other species (Vermeij, 1991). Wharf piles may be the primary site of establishment for hull fouling species especially if piles have been recently cleaned or replaced and have a large percentage of available free space. The construction material of these piles (Table 4) may also influence the provision and suitability of unoccupied space and hence the invasibility of the port environment. Steel, concrete and timber surfaces were sampled during the survey. The Port of Adelaide has no program to systematically clean piles, but piles are scraped by hand by divers every 3-5 years when piles are inspected to check their structural integrity. 2.4 Channel dredging and dredge spoil removal Dredging has been observed to translocate exotic species within a port (Carlton et al., 1990). From early times in the Port of Adelaide, regular dredging has been required to deepen areas at the mouth of the River and increase channel depth. Dredging commenced in 1849 to increase the depth at the entrance of the Port Adelaide River, which was only 9 ft deep on a low tide (Angwin 1936). Records are not available on the amount of dredging that occurred prior to 1914; however, 10 million cubic yards was Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 7

12 dredged from the Port Adelaide River between 1914 ~1937, 40 % of which was dumped at the spoil ground outside the river and 60 % used in land reclamation (Angwin 1936). The declared depth of the shipping channel in the outer harbour is 12 m as far upstream as Berth 7 and beyond this the declared depth is 9.1 m. Note that these depths relate to the old Low Water (LW) datum. More recently the Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) datum has been used; 9.1m LW is equivalent to 9.3m LAT. Since the 1940s the 9 m channel has been dredged and a couple of bends in the river widened, but there has been no capital dredging since the late 1970s. During the 1950s and 1960s a small amount of maintenance dredging was undertaken using a grab dredge, but this occurred mostly in the berth pockets. The last significant maintenance dredging occurred in the swinging basin at the end of the 12 m channel. Build up of industrial waste discharged by Penrice near the Osborne wharves requires dredging of approximately 150,000 m 3 every 3 years. Recent operational changes at Penrice have resulted in minimal ongoing build up but past build up is still to be removed. A proposal to deepen channels to the Inner Harbour from 9.1 m to 12 m to accommodate fully loaded Panamax ships (ships of the largest size than can pass through the Panama Canal) has recently been considered but at this stage is unlikely to proceed. This would see the removal of ~ 4 million m 3 of spoil, most of which may be deposited on spoil grounds outside the river. Recent geological work undertaken for this dredging operation found sediments in the middle of the shipping channel consisted of a thin layer of alluvial material with elevated nutrient levels, overlaying hard Hindmarsh clays. Sediments were classified as moderately contaminated, with a generally low concentration of heavy metal contaminants (PPK 2000). 3.0 EXISTING BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION The area surrounding the Port of Adelaide is poorly studied in comparison to port areas near other Australian capital cities. However, broad-scale natural history surveys of the South Australian coastline, including the area covered by the Port of Adelaide, have been undertaken and form the basis of the excellent Handbook of the flora and fauna of South Australia series. This series includes taxonomic guides for South Australian crustaceans (Hale 1976), molluscs (Cotton 1959 and 1961), algae (Womersley 1984, 1987, 1994, 1996 and 1998), fish (Scott et al. 1974) and other invertebrates (Shepherd and Thomas 1982, 1989 and Shepherd and Davies 1997). Alexandrium minutum was first observed in waters and sediments of the Port Adelaide River in 1987 by Hallegraeff et al. (1988) who did not record Gymnodinium catenatum or other exotic species of the genus Alexandrium. Bolch et al. (1991) also observed cysts of A. minutum in Port Adelaide River sediments collected in 1988, where they comprised 10 % of dinoflagellate cysts. Biological investigations have also been conducted on the effects of cooling water discharged from the Torrens Island Power Station and more recently the Pelican Point Power Station. Thomas et al. (1986) surveyed intertidal fauna around the Torrens Island Power Station, recording the cryptogenic barnacle Elminius modestus. More recently, a sub-tidal fouling community monitoring program for the newly established Pelican 8 MAFRI Report No. 40

13 Point Power Station, recorded three other exotic species: the amphipod Corophium acherusicum and the bryozoans Tricellaria porteri and Watersipora arcuata (SEA 2001). The Department of Defence has also conducted investigations of the seasonality of fouling settlement (John Lewis, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, pers comm). They did not identify the fauna and flora to species but their results clearly indicated that settlement is highly seasonal, with strong annual peaks occurring over the warmer summer months. This survey coincided with the period of peak settlement. The table below lists the exotic and cryptogenic species believed to occur in and around the Port of Adelaide: Species Upsidedown jellyfish (Cassiopea ndrosia) Shepherd and Thomas 1982 Orange-striped green anemone (Haliplinella lineata) Elkhorn slough spionid (Pseudopolydora paucibranchiata) Mediterranean fanworm (Sabella spallanzanii) Barnacle (Elminius modestus) Thomas et al Amphipod (Corophium acherusicum) SEA 2001 European shore crab (Carcinus maenus) Rosenweig 1984 Japanese crab (Charybdis japonica) A.Cheshire, SARDI, pers comm. Isopod (Eurylana arcuata) Bruce 1986 Oriental shrimp (Palaemon macrodactylus) Asian date mussel (Musculista senhousia) Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas (Feral)) NZ screw shell (Maoricolpus roseus) Bryozoan (Bugula flabellata) Bryozoan (Membranipoa membranacea) Bryozoan (Schizoporella errata) Brock 1985 Bryozoan (Schizoporella unicornis) Bryozoan (Tricellaria porteri) SEA 2001 Bryozoan (Watersipora arcuata) Shepherd and Thomas 1982 Sea squirt (Ciona intestinalis) Kott 1952 Sea squirt (Ascidiella aspersa) Kott 1985 Sea squirt (Botryllus scholosseri) Kott 1985 Sea squirt (Styela plicata) Kott 1985 Red Algae (Polysiphonia brodiaei) Womerseley 1979 Toxic dinoflagellate (Alexandrium minutum) Hallegraeff et al Source: Furlani (1996) unless otherwise stated Status Confirmed Presumed Presumed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed-Eradicated Confirmed-Port Willunga Presumed Presumed Presumed Confirmed Confirmed Presumed Confirmed Presumed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Confirmed Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 9

14 4.0 SURVEY METHODS The survey methods used in this survey are summarised in Table 6a and the sites at which each method was used are summarised in Table 6b. These methods follow closely the protocol established by Hewitt and Martin (1996 and 2001), except that we used additional methods to sample infauna and small scavenging animals. Benthic infauna was sampled using cores (as proposed by Hewitt and Martin, 1996) and using Smith-McIntyre grabs as described in Hewitt and Martin (2001). Three types of traps (Crab, shrimp and scavenger) were used in this survey, whereas Hewitt and Martin (1996) proposed only the use of crab and shrimp traps. A 50 cm wide Ockelmann sled was used rather than a roller-beam trawl, but these methods are recognised as alternatives by Hewitt and Martin (1996 and 2001). The use of poison to sample small fish in our survey was attempted but proved to be ineffective; however, small fish were captured in traps and seine nets. Sampling sites were selected to include the busiest commercial and recreational wharves and to ensure that collectively the widest range of habitat types in the port were sampled. Sampling sites extended downstream from Osborne Wharf, half way up the Port Adelaide River, to channel marker No. 9 and the spoil ground located in Gulf St Vincent, so that habitats spanning the full range of salinities were sampled. Phytoplankton samples were examined live by Dr. Steven Brett or Dr. David Hill of Brett Water Science Pty. Ltd. Except for Nematodes and Nemerteans which were not identified beyond phylum level, and fish for which our taxonomic knowledge was adequate, the identity of each species was confirmed by sending reference collections to taxonomic experts for identification and to ensure consistency of identification across institutions. Crustaceans, polychaetes, echinoderms and molluscs were examined at Museum Victoria by Dr Gary Poore, Dr Robin Wilson, Dr Tim O Hara and Bob Burn respectively. Bryozoans were examined by Dr Phillip Bock (RMIT University), sponges by Dr Jane Fromont (W.A. Museum), ascidians by Dr Patricia Mather (Queensland Museum) and algae by Dr Gerry Kraft (University of Melbourne). Reference collections of species identified during this survey are to be lodged with CRIMP and the South Australian Museum. Where a species is represented by a single specimen, this specimen has been retained in the MAFRI reference collection. 4.1 Phytoplankton Sediment samples for cyst-forming species were collected in 70 ml jars from the surface sediments of the benthic grab samples (see 4.5 Benthic Infauna) or taken by divers using 20 cm long plastic tubes with a 25 mm internal diameter (see 4.3 Diver observations and collections on wharf piles). Three sediment cores were taken at the base of a single pylon at each dive site. Sediment tubes were capped with bungs and cores and jars were stored upright in the dark on ice. Sediment ( ml) from the top 2 cm of each sample was subjected to mild sonication to separate cysts from larger particles, then sieved through a 100 µm sieve to remove large sediment particles and detritus. The algal cysts were then collected on a 20 µm sieve, resuspended in 10 ml filtered seawater and concentrated using a two-phase step density gradient separation, identified and counted using a Sedgwick-Rafter counting chamber. 10 MAFRI Report No. 40

15 Qualitative phytoplankton samples were collected using a 20 µm plankton net and stored in a refrigerator or on ice until they were delivered to Brett Water Science. Qualitative phytoplankton samples were collected from the five sampled commercial wharves: Commercial Berths 1, 2, 6 and 7 and Osborne Wharf (Figs 2, 3 and 4). 4.2 Trapping Trapping was conducted using traps of three different designs, intended to catch crabs, shrimp and scavenging organisms. The largest traps were oval-shaped Opera-house crab traps ( cm) covered in 2 cm mesh net. Shrimp traps were rectangular ( cm) and covered in fine 2-5 mm mesh net. The scavenger traps were constructed of a 35 cm length of 10 cm diameter PVC pipe with a funnel at one end and a 1 mm mesh cover over the other end. A set of 3 traps (crab, shrimp, scavenger) were baited with fish and deployed overnight at up to five different locations at each site. Traps were deployed at Commercial Berth 1, 2, 6 and 7, Osborne Wharf, North Haven Marina and the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (Figures 2-6). 4.3 Diver observations and collections on wharf piles Semi-quantitative sampling was undertaken on three piles at wharves and marinas, and on the single pile at channel markers. Unlike previous MAFRI port surveys where every third pile was sampled, consecutive piles were sampled to limit diver ascents as poor visibility at most sites created difficulties swimming between piles. A bungee cord was used to fix a weighted rope, marked to indicate depth, to each pile at the low water mark. A Sony CCD-TR516E video Hi8 camera recorded the marine fouling on a single pile at each dive site. Care was taken to include the weighted rope, as well as the tags recording locality information for the still photography, in the video. At 0.5 m, 3 m and 7 m where depth permitted, two photographs of fouling organisms (14 17 cm in area) were taken using a Nikonos Mark IVA underwater camera fitted with a 28 mm lens and framer. An area cm, that included the area photographed, was measured using a quadrat and scraped with a paint scraper into a mesh bag (10 mm). Samples were subsequently fixed in 10% formalin, except for sponges which were preserved separately in 70% alcohol to prevent the loss of spicules (a critical taxonomic character). All species from the scrapings were identified and counted in the laboratory. Three piles were sampled at each of the Commercial Berths 1, 2, 6 and 7, Osborne Wharf, North Haven Marina and the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (Figs. 2-6). Single piles were sampled at Channel Markers 9, 10, 23 and 30 (Fig. 1). Shallow depths limited sampling to depths of 0.5 m and 2 m at RSAYS and prevented samples being taken at 7 m depth at North Haven Marina and Channel Markers 10 and Visual searches Divers were instructed to look for macro-exotic species at each dive site, outside the areas scraped of fouling organisms. However, poor visibility at some sites limited the extent and success of these visual searches. Visual searches were undertaken at the north and south revetment mounds, the tidal gauge at the mouth of the Port Adelaide River (Fig. 1) and at the entrance to North Haven Marina (Fig. 6). Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 11

16 4.5 Benthic infauna Benthic infauna was sampled using a 0.1 m 2 Smith-McIntyre grab and by divers using cores with an internal diameter of 103 mm. Grab samples were taken at 27 sites throughout the Outer Harbour, Port of Adelaide, including the spoil ground, approach channel and North Haven Marina (Fig. 7). Sites were positioned to cover a wide geographical range and a wide range of sediment types and hydrodynamic conditions. Chemical and sediment granulometry samples were removed from the grabs prior to sieving, stored in 70 ml plastic containers and frozen until they were ready to be processed. All grab samples were rinsed on a 1 mm mesh sieve and preserved in 10% formalin. Fauna were later identified to species and counted under a dissecting microscope. Grain size was determined by wet sieving sediment samples to determine the fraction less than 63 µm (silt). Three cores were collected by divers near the base of one pile at each dive site. Cores were taken at Commercial Berths 1, 2, 6 and 7, Osborne Wharf, North Haven Marina and the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (Figs. 2-6) and at Channel Markers 9, 10, 23 and 30 (Fig. 1). Processing of infauna from core samples was identical to that for grabs. 4.6 Epibenthos Epibenthos was sampled with an 0.50 m wide Ockelmann sled fitted with a 10 mm mesh liner and towed for 5 minutes at each site. Samples, or sub-samples of the larger tows, were retained and fixed in 10% formalin. All organisms present in the samples were later identified and counted in the laboratory. Fifteen stations were sampled on the 20th of February, 2001 (Fig. 8). 4.7 Seine netting A 10 mm mesh seine net, 60 m long and 1.25 m high, was used to sample inshore fish at five locations within the Port Adelaide River (Fig. 1). At four of these locations, the net was shot once during daylight while at the RSAYS the net was shot once at night. Most fish caught in the net were identified to species and counted in the field. Fish that could not be reliably identified in situ were fixed in 10% formalin and later examined under a dissecting microscope in the laboratory. 5.0 SURVEY RESULTS 5.1 Exotic species in Port Exotic species found at each of the docks and piers in the Outer Harbour of the Port of Adelaide are listed in Table 8. Summaries of the mean densities of all species (except phytoplankton) identified during the survey, by sampling method, are given in Appendix 2. The distribution of phytoplankton species identified from sediment and water samples are given in Tables 9 and 10 respectively. 12 MAFRI Report No. 40

17 During the survey, particular attention was paid to species listed on the Australian Ballast Water Management Advisory Council (ABWMAC) marine target species list, which includes the following species: Species name Common name Native and Introduced Regions Organisms that are already in Australia Alexandrium catenella Toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum Toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense Toxic dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum Toxic dinoflagellate Asterias amurensis Northern Pacific seastar Japan, Russia, Korea Carcinus maenus European shore crab Europe Corbula gibba European clam Europe Crassostrea gigas (Feral) Pacific oyster Asia Musculista senhousia Asian date mussel China, Taiwan, Philippines Sabella spallanzanii Mediterranean fanworm Mediterranean Undaria pinnatifida Japanese seaweed Japan Organisms that have not yet arrived in Australia but pose a significant threat Caulerpa taxifolia spp 1 Algae (Aquarium hybrid) Mediterranean Dreissena bugensis Quagga mussel Europe, North America Eriocheir sinensis Chinese mitten crab China, Taiwan, Japan, Europe, North America Hemigrapsus sanguineus Asian crab China, Taiwan, Japan, West Atlantic Mnemiopsis leidyi Comb jelly West Atlantic, Black and Azov Seas, Eastern Mediterranean Philine aurioformis New Zealand sea slug New Zealand, North America Potamocorbula amurensis Asian clam China, Taiwan, North America Sargassum muticum Japanese seaweed China, Taiwan, Japan, Eastern Pacific, Atlantic Europe A concise description of various aspects of the biology and distribution of each of the exotic species identified during this survey of the Port of Adelaide and appearing on the ABWMAC target introduced species list or otherwise follow. 1 Caulerpa taxifolia has recently been discovered in New South Wales (Septemeber 2000) and is currently known from at least three locations (Pittwater, Port Jackson and Lake Conjola). Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 13

18 5.1.1 ABWMAC target introduced species Alexandrium and Gymnodinium (Toxic Dinoflagellates) Blooms of the introduced dinoflagellates Alexandrium catenella, A. minutum, A. tamarense and Gymnodinium catenatum may result in paralytic shellfish poisoning, a potentially fatal human disease caused by the consumption of shellfish that have accumulated toxins produced by dinoflagellates. These species can reproduce rapidly asexually under optimal conditions and can be concentrated in the tissues of filter feeders, including commercially farmed oysters. The Port of Adelaide sediments generally contained low numbers of cysts, often below 100 cysts/ml of wet sediment and there was little correlation between the numbers of cysts and the type of sediment. The cyst assemblages were dominated by peridinioid and gymnodinioid types. Four species of Alexandrium were found in the Port of Adelaide, and three of these are considered exotic A. catenella/fundyense, A. minutum and A. tamarense (Tables 8 and 9). A. tamarense was only detected in net tow samples and was found at four sites, Berths 1, 2, 6 and 7, where it comprised only a small percentage of the total armoured dinoflagellates. It is possible that A. tamarense was present at more sites as the cysts of this species can not easily be distinguished from those of the A. catenella/fundyense complex, although motile cells of A. tamarense were not observed during germination experiments. A. catenella-type cysts were found in 19 of the 37 samples ranging from 0.7% to 29.2% of the total cyst assemblages. A. minutum-like cysts were far more widespread, being recorded in all but one of the sediment samples, although the identity of this species could not be confirmed because germination experiments were not successful. Dinophysis acuminata, a species linked to diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) events all around the world was also found in the water column at Osborne (<1% of total armoured dinoflagellates) and at Berth 1 (~4% of total armoured dinoflagellates). 14 MAFRI Report No. 40

19 Carcinus maenas (European shore crab) Traps 1-2 Carcinus maenas is native to Europe but it has been reported from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America (Welch, 1968; Cohen et al., 1995), the Atlantic coast of South America (Chilton, 1910) and the Indian Ocean (Joska and Branch, 1986). The crab was first recorded in Australia at the turn of the century in Port Phillip Bay (Fulton and Grant, 1900) but it may have been introduced to the bay even earlier (Walters, 1996). Carcinus is now common in sheltered locations along the Victorian coast but has not been recorded on the exposed western coast (MRGV, 1984; Parry et al. 1997). Elsewhere in Australia, Carcinus is recorded from Narooma in New South Wales (Hutchings et al., 1989), Adelaide in South Australia (Rosenzweig, 1984), Devonport in Tasmania (Chad Hewitt, CRIMP pers. comm.) and Perth in Western Australia (Zeidler, 1978). Carcinus has a broad diet and in Westernport Bay, Victoria where it is known to prey on native crabs, molluscs, worms and algae (Hawden, 1993). As Carcinus has been implicated in the decline of commercial clam stocks of Mya arenaria in North America (Joska and Branch, 1986), they may also impact Australian shellfish. During this survey Carcinus was found only in marinas at North Haven and Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron. Elsewhere many crabs were trapped, especially blue swimmers, but Carcinus was not detected. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 15

20 Musculista senhousia (Asian date mussel) % # %# # % # # Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne 0.3 (0.3) 2.7(2.7) 0.3(0.3) Pile Pile Pile CB #7 0.7(0.7) 2 (1) 0.7(0.7) CB # (0.3) RSAYS - - CB #2 0.3(0.3) - 0.3(0.3) CB #1-0.7(0.3) 1.3(1.3) Pile North Haven - -* *2m depth Sleds 0 # # Grabs 0 % 1 % 1600 Scrapes, traps, nets and cores Musculista senhousia is a mussel (30 mm length) that may occur on soft substrates or as a part of the fouling community. This species can occur in very high densities (2500/m 2 ; Morton, 1974), where they form mats with their byssus threads which may smother other organisms. Musculista is native to the western Pacific and has been recorded from the coasts of China and Japan (Morton, 1974). In Australia, the mussel was first observed in Western Australia (Slack-Smith and Brearley, 1978). The highest densities of Musculista (1600/0.1 m 2 ) were found in a grab sample taken at Pelican Point near a heated seawater discharge. 16 MAFRI Report No. 40

21 Sabella spallanzanii (European fanworm) # # # # Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne Pile Pile Pile CB #7 1.3(1.3) 128 (3) 167(120) CB #6 76 (47) 152 (75) 163 (78) RSAYS 11 (11) 40 (23) CB #2 5.3 (3.5) 151 (18) 603 (123) CB # (115) 143 (69) Pile North Haven 2.7 (1.5) 89 (58)* * 2m depth Sleds Scrapes, traps, nets and cores Sabella spallanzanii is a native of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Europe but is now present in a number of harbours along the southern coast of Australia (Clapin and Evans, 1995). The worm became established in Victoria in Corio Bay during the late 1980 s (Parry et al., 1996) and has since spread to occupy all available subtidal habitats in Port Phillip Bay (Currie et al., 2000). The ecological impacts of Sabella have not been determined adequately, but the worm has the potential to compete with native filter feeding organisms for food and space, and may alter benthic nutrient cycles. Sabella does not appear to be preyed upon by fish and did not form a part of the diets of 35 fish species collected during trawl surveys of Port Phillip Bay between 1990 and 1994 (Parry et al., 1995). Museum records indicate that this species was first detected in Australia at Fremantle in 1965 (Currie at al. 2000), and it was first noticed in South Australia in the early 1990s. It is the most abundant and widespread exotic species in the Port of Adelaide. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 17

22 5.1.2 Other exotic species Botryllus schlosseri Scrapes 1 Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne Pile Pile Pile CB # CB # RSAYS - - CB # CB # Pile North Haven 0.3 (0.3) -* * 2m depth Botryllus schlosseri is a colonial ascidian with a cosmopolitan distribution that is mainly recorded from temperate waters of the Atlantic, Mediterranean, North-eastern Pacific and New Zealand. However, within Australia this species occurs in both subtropical and temperate latitudes (Kott, 1985). First recorded in Australia in Western Australia in 1905 (Hartmeyer and Michaelson), this species has been present in Port Phillip Bay since the late seventies (Russ, 1977), where today it is common (Keough and Ross, 1999). This species was only recorded at the North Haven Marina. Two species of exotic ascidians, Ascidiella aspersa and Botrylloides leachi, that have been previously recorded in South Australia were not recorded during the current survey. Ascidiella aspersa was recorded from Gulf St Vincent by Kott (1952), and Botrylloides leachi was recorded from Top Gallant Is (on the open coast west of Spencer Gulf ) by Kott (1985) and from Edithburgh in Gulf St Vincent by Kay and Keough (1981). Kay and Keough (1981) found that spaces occupied by B. leachi usually persisted for only 5-6 months. Keough (Zoology Dept, University of Melbourne, 2002, pers. comm.) has recorded B. leachi from the Port Adelaide Outer Harbour, so it appears that the density of this species was low during our survey. 18 MAFRI Report No. 40

23 Bugula neritina % Grabs 0 % 1 Bugula neritina is a distinctive purple-brown bryozoan, lacking avicularia, that forms erect flexible colonies up to 8 cm in height (Shepherd and Thomas, 1982). It has a short larval life and usually settles on hard substrates within two hours. It also displays rapid growth and colonies of B. neritina can attain a height of 7 cm in only two months (Gordon and Mawatari, 1992). B. neritina is a cosmopolitan species and its current world wide distribution probably results from its transportation on the hulls of ships. Its distribution in Australia includes coastal waters of South Australia (Shepherd and Thomas, 1982), Port Phillip Bay, (Keough and Raimondi, 1995); Portland, (Parry et al., 1997); Hastings, (Currie and Crookes, 1997) and New South Wales (Port Kembla, Moran and Grant, 1993). While this species is typically found growing on pier pylons the only specimen was found in a grab sample collected near the entrance to the Port Adelaide River. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 19

24 Caprella penantis % % % Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne (0.3) Pile Pile Pile CB # CB #6 0.7 (0.3) - - RSAYS - - CB # CB # Pile North Haven - -* * 2m depth Grabs 0 % 1-4 Scrapes, traps, nets and cores 1 Caprella penantis is a cosmopolitan caprellid amphipod patchily recorded from both coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean from Panama to South Africa, as well as California, Chile, Hawaii, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia (McCain, 1968) and other localities. The first Australian record of C. penantis is from Sydney in the early 1900 s (Mayer, 1903). C. penantis has possibly been present in Port Phillip Bay since at least the early 1970 s (Poore et al. 1975), though the Museum of Victoria has records from Westernport since the 1960 s (Poore and Storey, 1999). Caprellids attach to fouling biota which makes them susceptible to being spread on the hulls of ships. Specimens of C. penantis were collected from scrapes, but several specimens were also collected from grabs taken within the Port of Adelaide. 20 MAFRI Report No. 40

25 Ciona intestinalis # # # # # Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne (0.3) Pile Pile Pile CB #7-26 (9) 25 (23) CB #6 18 (16) 1 (0.6) 13 (13) RSAYS 8 (8) - CB #2-0.7 (0.7) - CB #1 0.3 (0.3) 1 (1) - Pile North Haven - 7 (6)* * 2m depth Sleds 0 # 1-50 Scrapes, traps, nets and cores 1-68 Ciona intestinalis is a medium sized (15 cm in length) ascidian that displays a preference for growth on the underside of artificial substrates (Kott, 1990). The species is believed to have travelled as a fouling organism on ship hulls (Kott, 1990). It is known from the Mediterranean Sea, the western seaboard of Europe, parts of North and South America, New Zealand and the Arctic (Van Name, 1945). Large populations existed in Australian ports in the 1950s and 1960s but Kott (1990) suggests numbers have declined in recent years. C. intestinalis has a high clearance rate (Furlani, 1996) and in large numbers may be able to reduce turbidity and food availability in shallow waters. Ciona has a patchy distribution but is abundant at many sites in the Port of Adelaide. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 21

26 Corophium acherusicum % % % % Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne Pile Pile 23-3 Pile CB #7 - - CB #6 0.3 (0.3) - - RSAYS - - CB # CB # Pile North Haven 0.3 (0.3) 0.3 (0.3)* * 2m depth Grabs 0 % 1-3 Scrapes,traps, nets and cores 1-68 Corophium aschersicum was first recorded in Australia from Sydney (Chilton 1921). This species was initially described from the Mediterranean and is known from both sides of the North Atlantic, Africa and Sri Lanka, the North Pacific and New Zealand (Poore and Storey, 1999). In Australia, this species has been recorded from Port Jackson, Botany Bay and Port Kembla in New South Wales, Bunbury and Perth in Western Australia, eastern Tasmania and Mallacoota, Gippsland Lakes and Port Phillip Bay and Westernport in Victoria (Poore and Storey, 1999). This species was recorded recently in the Port Adelaide River during monitoring studies near the Pelican Point Power Station (SEA 2001) and was found throughout the port during this survey. 22 MAFRI Report No. 40

27 Elminius modestus Cores 1 Keough and Ross (1999) suggest that this barnacle s status in Australia is best regarded as cryptogenic. While Elminius modestus is endemic to New Zealand, Keough and Ross state It is not clear whether this species is native to Australia or an introduction from New Zealand. E. modestus has been introduced to Europe and is common in sheltered environments across southeastern Australia including Hobsons Bay (Keough and Ross,1999) and Corio Bay (Currie et al., 1998). In the Port of Melbourne nearly 7000 individuals were removed in scrapings across all piers. In contrast in the Port of Adelaide only a single specimen was collected from a core. This specimen had probably been dislodged from a pylon, its typical habitat. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 23

28 Iais californica and Sphaeroma quoianum # Sphaeroma quoianum figure scanned from Harrison and Holdich (1984) Sleds 0 # 1-3 Scrapes, traps,nets and cores 1 Distribution of S. quoianum Iais californica Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne ( Pile Pile Pile CB # CB # RSAYS - - CB # CB # Pile North Haven - -* * 2m depth Sphaeroma quoianum is an active burrower into wood, mud and soft rock (Hale, 1976), often preferring a brackish environment (Harrison and Holdich, 1984). Described originally from Tasmania, this species is found across southern Australia and New Zealand. This species has also been recorded from the Pacific Coast of California and Mexico (Harrison and Holdich, 1984), resulting in this species being considered as cryptogenic in origin. However, given the wide distribution of this species across Australia and New Zealand, it is probable that this species is endemic to Australia and has been introduced to America and Mexico. As the specific name suggests, Iais californica was originally described from California. I. californica is epizoic on S. quoianum, where it is generally found around its feeding appendages or pleopods (Rotamel, 1975). The native range of I. californica may be similar to the native range of S. quoianum. During the Port of Adelaide survey, 4 individuals of S. quoianum were collected, but no I. californica were observed during this survey. However given the presence of S. quoianum in the Port of Adelaide, it is possible that I. californica also occurs. For example, during a survey in the Port of Melbourne, 48 individuals of S. quoianum were collected but only two I. californica (Cohen et al. 2001). 24 MAFRI Report No. 40

29 Myxicola infundibulum % Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne - 4 (0.9) 6 (2.3) Pile Pile Pile 10-9 CB #7 3 (3) 3 (0.9) 4 (3) CB # RSAYS - - CB #2-0.3 (0.3) - CB # Pile North Haven - -* * 2m depth Grabs 0 % 1-8 Scrapes, traps, nets and cores 1-9 Myxicola infundibulum is a medium sized (70 mm length) sabellid polychaete (fanworm), first described from the Mediterranean Sea (Fitzhugh, 1989). This species is cryptogenic, its status as an introduction is not clear (Parry et al. 1997). Myxicola secretes a gelatinous mucous tube from which it filter feeds (Day, 1967). M. infundibulum has been found in Cockburn Sound (Edgar, 1997), Portland Harbour (Parry et al., 1997) and Port Phillip Bay (Watson, 1972; Poore et al., 1975, Cohen et al. 2001). In the Port of Adelaide this species was widespread in bottom sediments and attached to pylons. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 25

30 Paracerceis sculpta Paracerceis sculpta Figure from Poore and Storey (1999). Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne (0.3) Pile Pile Pile CB # CB # RSAYS - - CB # CB # Pile North Haven 17 (17) 6 (5)* * 2m depth Scrapes, traps,nets and cores 1-17 Paracerceis sculpta, a sphaeromatidae isopod, is easily identified by the unique shape and sculpturing of the pleon and pleotelson, especially amongst Alpha males. First described from California (Holmes 1904), Poore and Storey (1999) suggest that the native range of this species extends from central California to Mexico (Menzies 1962). This species is now found in Hawaii (Miller 1968) and Brazil (Pires 1980) internationally, and domestically at Townsville (Harrisson and Holdich 1982) and Hay Point, Queensland (Hewitt et al. 1998), Eden, New South Wales (Campbell and Hewitt 1999), Melbourne, Victoria (Poore and Storey 1999) and Swan River and Bunbury, Western Australia (Campbell and Hewitt 1999). The ecology of this species has been well studied in California and is summarised in Poore and Storey (1999). However, within Australia only small numbers have been found prior to this survey (Poore and Storey 1999), with this survey recording 74 individuals. Unlike native adult populations which are found intertidally living inside sponges (Shuster 1991, 1992), Adelaide specimens were collected subtidally and probably do not live within cavities inside sponges. 26 MAFRI Report No. 40

31 Schizoporella errata # # Sleds 0 # 1 Scrapes, traps, nets and cores 1 Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne (0.3) Pile Pile Pile 10-1 CB #7 0.3 (0.3) (0.3) CB #6 0.7 (0.3) 0.3 (0.3) 0.3 (0.3) RSAYS - - CB #2 0.3 (0.3) 1 (0) 0.3 (0.3) CB #1 0.3 (0.3) 1 (0) - Pile North Haven 0.3 (0.3) 0.7 (0.3)* * 2m depth The bryozoan Schizoporella errata forms whitish pink to reddish brown colonies and has a cosmopolitan distribution. It has been recorded in New Zealand, Mediterranean, west Africa, eastern Canada, North Carolina through the Caribbean to Brazil, Pacific coast of North America, Red Sea, Persian Gulf (Gordon and Mawatari 1992) and South Australia (Brock 1985). This species is superficially similar to Schizoporella unicornis with which it has often been confused (Powell 1970). Schizoporella errata was found on pylons throughout the Port of Adelaide. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 27

32 Styela plicata # # Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne 1 (0) 1.3 (0.3) 1.7 (1.2) Pile Pile Pile CB #7 0.3 (0.3) 3 (3) 1.7 (1.7) CB #6 3 (1.2) 0.3 (0.3) - RSAYS 2 (1) 0.3 (0.30 CB #2 3 (2) - 1 (0.6) CB #1 0.7 (0.7) 0.7 (0.3) 0.3 (0.3) Pile North Haven 7 (5) 10 (3)* * 2m depth Sleds 0 # 1-2 Scrapes, traps, nets and cores 1-22 Styela plicata is a solitary ascidian that grows to 90 mm body length and attaches to solid substrates (Kott, 1985). S. plicata is known to occur in temperate areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, excluding the western coast of North America (Kott, 1985). It is widely distributed in sheltered waters along the southern Australian coast but its absence from the Indo-west Pacific region led Kott (1985) to consider it an introduction. S. plicata has a larval life of less than one day and an adult life of less than one year. It occurs seasonally in areas with severe winters (Morris et al., 1980). A rapid growth and reproductive rate allows large populations of S. plicata to colonise suitable substrates quickly and densely (Morris et al., 1980). This species was abundant on pylons throughout the Port of Adelaide. 28 MAFRI Report No. 40

33 Ulva lactuca (Sea lettuce) % % % % Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne Pile Pile Pile CB # CB #6 0.3 (0.3) 0.3 (0.3) 0.7 (0.3) RSAYS - - CB #2 1 (0) 0.3 (0.3) - CB # Pile North Haven 1.7 (0.30 -* * 2m depth Grabs 0 % 1 Scrapes, cores 0-1 Ulva lactuca is a green alga, distinct from other Ulvas in that the thallus is unbranched from each holdfast (Womersley, 1984). The majority of Ulva specimens from the southern Australian coast were once considered to be U. lactuca (Womersley, 1956) but recent work has shown that U. lactuca is a rarely occurring species in a group of several species from this genus (Womersley, 1984). U. lactuca is cosmopolitan and is found in most of the World s oceans (Womersley, 1984), and has probably been introduced into Victorian waters. In the Port of Adelaide Ulva lactuca was found growing on the seabed and on wharf pylons to a depth of 7 m. Exotic species in the Port of Adelaide 29

34 Watersipora arcuata Scrapes, traps, nets and cores Present Mean density (No./0.12 m 2 ) in scrapings (se) Depth (m) Site Osborne 0.3 (0.3) 0.3 ( Pile Pile Pile CB #7 0.3 (0.3) - CB # RSAYS - - CB # CB # Pile North Haven 1.7 (0.30 -* * 2m depth Watersipora arcuata forms deep black calcareous crusts with brittle vermilliontinged growing edges (Gordon and Mawatari, 1992), and was mostly found in a narrow band on wharf piles near the low water mark. W. arcuata has a wide distribution within the Pacific Ocean, having been recorded previously in South Australia (Shepherd and Thomas 1982), New South Wales and Queensland, as well as in Southern California, Galapagos Is and New Zealand (Gordon and Mawatari, 1992). This species established in Auckland Harbour in 1950s where it became a dominant organism, but since then it has been largely replaced by its congener, another exotic species, W. subtorquata (Gordon and Mawatari, 1992). Gordon and Mawatari (1992) suggest that W. arcuata prefers warm temperatures as its abundance increases during El Nino events in California. Its preference for warm temperatures may also explain its dominance in South Australia, as its congener W. subtorquata is the dominant species in cooler waters in Victoria (eg. Portland (Parry et al., 1997), Hastings (Currie and Crookes, 1997), Geelong (Currie et al., 1998) and Melbourne (Cohen et al., 2001). 30 MAFRI Report No. 40