Community Organisation on Intertidal Rock Platforms at Rottnest Island, Western Australia: The Functional Role of the Sea Urchin Echinometra mathaei

The sea urchin Echinometra mathaei exists in high densities on intertidal rock platforms at Rottnest Island, Western Australia. In terms of both numbers and biomass, it is the dominant species in the benthic community. From November, 1984 to November, 1986 experiments were carried out to see if this numerical dominance also had functional significance, specifically in the determination of the species composition and the patterns of distribution and abundances in the surrounding benthic community.