Abstract
SummaryThe Benthic Protection Zone (BPZ) situated in the South Australian section of the Great Australian Bight (GAB) protects marine benthos from anthropogenic disturbances of the sea floor. However, little is known of the marine benthic fauna occurring within the zone. In a baseline study during 2001/02, epibenthic sled sampling of sites inside the BPZ, and in other parts of the eastern GAB, yielded 351 species of sponge. Of these, 109 demosponge species from 32 families and 61 genera were found in the BPZ. Sponge community composition changes across the shelf, with the highest diversity of sponges occurring in shallow inshore waters, declining with increased depth and distance offshore. The sponge fauna is dominated by species occurring in temperate Australia, with little affinity to fauna in tropical Australia.
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