Effects of environmental factors on the distribution of shrimp in Western Port Bay, Victoria

This study investigated the influence of environmental factors on the distribution of shrimp in Western Port Bay from July 1977 to January 1980. Water temperature, salinity and oxygen concentrations at the sediment surface were measured from a boat at high tide during the field sampling (see parent record 'The ecology and trophic role of caridean shrimps in the eelgrass community of Western Port, Victoria', File identifier: 268431c0-f18e-11dc-aaae-00188b4c0af8). Additional measurements of low tide surface water temperature over the mudflats, sediments below the mud-water interface, and surface waters of the large, permanent channels between mudbanks were obtained. Above-ground vegetation cover was sampled monthly for 12 months at Site A.

The water temperature in the eelgrass ranged from 10 to 24 degrees Celsius during high tide and from 5 to 31 degrees Celsius during low tide. Salinity was close to fully marine throughout the warmer months of 1977-78, but fell to lower levels during the cooler months of 1978, presumably as a result of higher rainfall in the latter period. Oxygen concentrations were above 6 ppm at all sites during high and low tide sampling. The dry mass of above-round eelgrass was spatially heterogeneous with few changes in these patterns between seasons.