Field guide to the offshore marine invertebrates of South Africa
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| Trefwoord |
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| Author keywords |
epifauna; demersal surveys; invertebrates; field guide; species identification |
| Auteurs | | Top |
- Atkinson, L.J., redacteur
- Sink, K.J., redacteur
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| Inhoud |
- Atkinson, L.J. (2018). Phylum Hemichordata, in: Atkinson, L.J. et al. (Ed.) Field guide to the offshore marine invertebrates of South Africa. pp. 491-493, meer
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| Abstract |
Long-term environmental monitoring is important to enable an improved understanding of how changing conditions affect marine environments. Without rigorous data from the past, we are unable to detect, quantify or adapt to changes in the environment now or into the future. Offshore benthic ecosystems of South Africa's Exclusive Economic Zone have, in the past, been poorly studied and local taxonomic knowledge of offshore invertebrates has been considered sparse. Marine invertebrates are one of the most poorly studied groups of taxa across all known environments. However, since 2007, marine invertebrates have been increasingly retained and identified in research demersal trawl surveys, culminating in a formal monitoring initiative led by the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) established in 2011. This field identification guide has been developed to improve accuracy of South African invertebrate identifications while at sea, minimising the volume of specimens retained and brought back to land for further identification. Over 400 benthic invertebrate epifauna occurring in South Africa's offshore region (> 20 m to 1000 m) are included in the guide. |
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