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Contents1.0 Introduction:..........................................................................................................................3

3.0 Method:.......................................................................................................................................4

4.0 Risk Assessment:..........................................................................................................................5

5.0 Results:........................................................................................................................................6

5.1 Figure 1: Results table..................................................................................................................6

5.2 Figure 2: Overall abundance of anemones..................................................................................7

5.3 Figure 3: Abundance vs. Distribution...........................................................................................8

6.0 Discussion:...................................................................................................................................9

7.0 Conclusion:................................................................................................................................11

8.0 Appendices:...............................................................................................................................12

8.1 Figure 4: Quadrat parallel with ground......................................................................................12

8.2 Figure 5: Vertical crevice............................................................................................................12

8.3 Figure 6: Contracted globular anemones...................................................................................13

8.4 Figure 7: Open anemone...........................................................................................................13

8.5 Figure 8: Anemones in crevice...................................................................................................14

8.6 Figure 9: Basic diagram..............................................................................................................15

9.0 Bibliography:..............................................................................................................................16

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1.0 Introduction:

The purpose of this investigation is to study the abundance and distribution of Red Waratah Anemones on the rocky shores of Hastings Point. It is expected that most of the anemones will be found in crevices and shady areas in the lower mid-tide zone as they prefer a damp climate without direct sunlight.

Red Waratah Anemones mostly range from New South Wales, across Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, southern Western Australia and New Zealand (Davey, 2000). This is because their ideal temperature range is between 10-20 degrees Celsius and those lower parts of the southern hemisphere have a cool climate throughout most of the year (Goemans, 2012). These anemones are most abundant in the lower mid-tide zone because their ideal temperature range is low, which water would provide and they also need to be reached by the tide so they can gain nutrients and feed off small organisms in the water (Loh, 2011). They are most often seen in their contracted form, which occurs when they are not fully under the water, where all its tentacles are drawn into the mouth region to form a globular state (see appendices figure 6) (Biro, 2013). This minimises its exposure to the air while it waits for the return of the tide as they rely on water currents to carry their prey towards their tentacles, which sprout out when completely covered by water (see appendices figure 7) (Loh, 2011).

Direct sunlight would cause the temperature to be too high for a comfortable existence and would dry out their membrane, which must be kept moist by mucus and water, enabling diffusion to breathe (Biro, 2013). Crevices and shady areas provide this protection from sunlight and also from the harsh weather and waves because although they can move, it is extremely slowly so they cannot escape the rough turn of the tides (Loh, 2011). Anemones don’t have a hard outer shell so they gain protection from harsh waves from rock crevices and under rock coverage (see appendices figure 8), which also gives them a substrate to cling on to, to stop them from being washed away (Loh, 2011). Between the outer epidermis and inner gastrodermis there is a gelatinous matrix, called the mesoglea, to give them structural support and adaptive shape (Amsel, 2013). This is a hydrostatic skeleton, which is feeble so the Red Waratah Anemones require the sturdy rocks for protection (Amsel, 2013).

Usually, a lot of anemones will be found together because Red Waratah Anemones release their offspring through their mouth after they’ve fully developed and they attach to the nearest rock surface available (Bennett, 2012). The anemones don’t have to remain stuck to that one spot as they can glide extremely slowly over the rock surface to reach food or to attack other adult Waratah Anemones (Davey, 2000). This movement occurs by slowly contracting the pedal disc (see appendices figure 9), which detaches from the substrate surface, causing a forward shift (Loh, 2011). When adult anemones occur beside each other, they can tell if the other anemone is related to itself and if not, one may attack and consume parts of the other (Davey, 2000).

Intra-specific competition can be evident among Red Waratah Anemones, in which there is competition for living space on a substrate, food or other environmental factors (Spenceley, 2007).

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This competition can cause organisms to be forced out of their current location but they usually continue to survive in another section of the habitat (Spenceley, 2007). The variables of temperature, weather and waves are strongly related to the abundance and distribution of the Red Waratah Anemones because the population would be found where they can most tolerate these factors.

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3.0 Method:

Three 15 meter ropes were placed parallel to the water along the rocky shore; one in the low-tide zone, one in the mid-tide zone and one in the high-tide zone and three 1 meter2 quadrats were positioned in each. The quadrats were placed above rock pools, horizontally on the ground, to maintain consistency (see appendices figure 4 and 5). The population of Red Waratah anemones in each quadrat was counted and the positioning of each noted in a printed table (see table in results 5.1). The population in each quadrat was counted by three people and recounted until a 100% confidence interval was achieved. Photos were taken for further examining and explanation purposes.

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4.0 Risk Assessment:Substance Risk Control MeasureWet rocks Slipping and obtaining

an injury Wear sturdy, closed in

shoes Walk with care

Marine organisms Possible injuries Do not disturb local organisms

Dehydration Falling unconscious Drink plenty of water

Sunburn Possible skin cancer Skin irritation and

peeling

Wear a hat, t-shirt and sunscreen

Waves/ high tide Slipping and obtaining an injury

Wear sturdy, closed in shoes

Stay away from waterQuadrats Tripping hazard Be aware of

surroundingsTransect line (rope) Tripping hazard Be aware of

surroundings

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5.0 Results:

Quadrat no. In a crevice, out of water

In a crevice, under water

In the open, out of water

In the open, under water

Under rock cover, out of water

Under rock cover, under water

1 (Low tide zone)

4 0 0 0 24 0

2 (Low tide zone)

10 2 0 0 0 0

3 (Low tide zone)

4 1 0 4 16 0

4 (Mid tide zone)

34 8 2 0 2 0

5 (Mid tide zone)

42 0 0 0 9 0

6 (Mid tide zone)

20 0 0 0 11 0

7 (High tide zone)

2 0 1 0 1 0

8 (High tide zone)

2 0 0 0 0 0

9 (High tide zone)

0 0 0 0 0 0

5.1 Figure 1: Results table

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This table contains the raw data collected at Hastings Point, which shows that in each individual quadrat Red Waratah Anemones are found most commonly in the mid-tide zone, then next most commonly in the low-tide zone and they are least abundant in the high-tide zone.

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Low tide zone Mid tide zone High tide zone0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Quadrat 1Quadrat 2Quadrat 3

AveragePolynomial (Average)

Tidal zones

Num

ber o

f RW

Ane

mon

es5.2 Figure 2: Overall abundance of anemones

This graph shows that on average and in each individual quadrat that Red Waratah Anemones are found most commonly in the mid-tide zone, then next most commonly in the low-tide zone and they are least abundant in the high-tide zone. The trend line shows the average abundance of the three quadrats in each zone.

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In a crevice Under rock cover In the open0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Low-tide zoneMid-tide zoneHigh-tide zone

Distribution of RW Anemones

Num

ber o

f RW

Ane

mon

es5.3 Figure 3: Abundance vs. Distribution

The distribution of the anemones in each zone can be seen here, which reveals that the majority was found either in a crevice or under rock cover, which are both shaded areas.

6.0 Discussion:

As seen in the results, figure 2, the Red Waratah Anemones were found to be most abundant in the mid-tide zone, then the low-tide zone and least abundant in the high-tide zone. This is shown through both the average and each individual quadrat in those zones, which shows more validity in the data than if it were to be based only on average. The average may show that, for example, the mid-tide zone contains more anemones than the low-tide zone when there was merely 1 quadrat in the mid-tide zone with many anemones, which raised the mean despite the other 2 quadrats having less. The data in this investigation, however, showed distinctly that the ascending order of Waratah Anemone abundance was; high-tide zone, low-tide zone then mid-tide zone through the data in each individual quadrat and the means.

There were a total of 6 anemones found in the high-tide zone, 128 in the mid-tide zone and 65 in the low-tide zone. Red Waratah Anemones are most prone to being found in the low mid-tide zone (Chai, 2008) so the results of this investigation support the research but the anemones in the high-tide zone were unusual. They may have been there as the last remaining offspring to have survived so high on the shore from a previous adult anemone that reproduced there instead of them choosing to live there. The parent anemone could have inhabited there despite its natural tendency to live lower down the shore because of different weather conditions, i.e. profuse rainy weather causing the tide to be higher and hence more food availability. Once the weather conditions had returned to normal, as did the distribution of the anemones, leaving only a few in the high-tide zone.

In figure 3, the abundance of the anemones is highest in crevices and under rock coverage but very low in open spaces. A total of only 7 anemones were classed as found in the open, 129 were in crevices and 63 were protected by rock coverage. Red Waratah Anemones are usually found in crevices or guarded by rocks because they create an ideal environment; including protection from the waves, harsh weather, the sunlight and therefore heat, which could otherwise result in their death. Harsh weather and waves could potentially tear the anemones from the substrate on which they are living and cause them to be swept away and damaged if they are not protected by solid rocks. Direct sunlight could try out the anemone’s membrane, which needs to be kept moist (Biro, 2013) and high temperatures cannot be withstood so rock crevices and walls provide a much needed shield for survival (Loh, 2011). The seven anemones that were found in the open may have occurred there amidst their effort to escape the others that were in that same rock pool as they may have otherwise been devoured if unrelated (Davey, 2000). Their survival in such an exposed space would most likely be brief as they would need to endure the unpleasant conditions, which would inevitably lead to an early death or they could move, although slowly, to another more protected location. They also could’ve occurred there due to intra-specific competition in which the ideal living space within the rock pool was already filled with anemones what were competing for the same resources, forcing some to move elsewhere (Spenceley, 2007).

The transect lines that divided the different tidal zones were laid out at where the zones were estimated to be but could have been inaccurate. If they were wrong then some of the data may be misrepresented, for example, data recorded for the mid-tide zone could’ve actually been in the low-tide zone, causing all the results to be compromised. Next time more professional help should be inquired to decide where to lay the ropes so the investigation has an accurate foundation. Although

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the zones were not actually measured out, the results were expected and are supported by research so must have been positioned fairly accurately. Also, the three quadrats were placed at random rock pools within the tidal zones so some would have been further up the shore than others but still classed as the same zone. This would make the results slightly inaccurate as the abundance of the anemones is directly dependant on the zonation, which would be inconsistent if the quadrats were placed at opposite ends of the zone but classed as the same independent variable. For example, if one quadrat was placed at the very top of the mid-tide zone it would likely have fewer anemones than two that were placed in the low area of that zone, but the reason behind the result would be unknown because it was still the same zone. Next time, the three quadrats should be placed in the middle of each zone, evenly spaced and parallel to the transect lines to allow for a fair trial, or otherwise, the distance each quadrat is from the shore should be noted to further support/ disprove the results. Also, it was sometimes hard to distinguish how the anemones were distributed, whether they fit into the crevice, rock coverage or open space category so although the results were agreed upon by three people, the categories aren’t measurable variables so they could have still been inaccurate. Next time, a different main factor should be chosen instead, such as clumping, and the distribution description merely noted for reinforcing/ disproving the results.

This study, including proposed improvements, is a part of the huge field of marine ecology, in which education is essential to the long-term survival of the ecosystems on the rocky shore. It allows us to gain an understanding of the environment and the millions of organisms that live and work together using ecosynergy. The demonstration of ecosynergy by all organisms means that they would cease to exist as a species if they did not benefit the ecosystem where they live; a trait which humans do not possess. To protect this intricate and delicate web of life, especially through seasons of change, such as global warming, we must first gain an understanding of how it all works.

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7.0 Conclusion:

The Red Waratah Anemones at Hastings Point were found to be most abundant in the mid-tide zone, then the low-tide zone and least abundant in the high-tide zone, just as predicted. The few that were abnormally found in the high-tide zone were assumed to be there as the last remaining offspring from an anemone that occurred there during high water levels, maybe during a rainy period, so they could survive high on the shoreline. The anemones are usually found in crevices or guarded by rocks because they create an ideal environment, which the results supported but a few were found to be in the open. This was suggested to be either amidst their effort to escape other anemones as they may have otherwise been devoured if unrelated or to escape intra-species competition. The hypothesis was therefore correct; most of the anemones were found in crevices and shady areas in the lower mid-tide zone as they prefer a damp climate without direct sunlight.

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8.0 Appendices:

8.1 Figure 4: Quadrat parallel with ground

8.2 Figure 5: Vertical crevice

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To keep the method fair, the quadrat was held parallel to the ground despite some of the anemones being situated in a vertical crevice.

8.3 Figure 6: Contracted globular anemones

8.4 Figure 7: Open anemone

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It can be seen that when completely under water, the anemone branches out its tentacles whereas the one out of water has them contracted.

8.5 Figure 8: Anemones in crevice

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Anemones are in a crevice to escape the harsh waves and direct sunlight and the sturdy rocks allow them to stay in position when the tide rises.

8.6 Figure 9: Basic diagram

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9.0 Bibliography:

Amsel, S. (2013, January). Phylum - Cnidaria. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from Exploring Nature: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=119&detID=2813

Bennett, I. (2012, January 5). Waratah Anemone. Retrieved April 23, 2013, from Australian Museum : http://australianmuseum.net.au/Waratah-Anemone

The author of this website is Dr Isobel Bennett, who is one of Australia's most distinguished marine biologists. She was involved in the first study of plankton to be undertaken in Australian waters and she became an expert on the intertidal zone. Her best known area of expertise is the Great Barrier Reef so the information gathered is credible because she is very experienced in the marine ecology field. It is a primary source of information, which has been upheld in other sources so it seems valid. Some educational bias may be present.

Biro, P. (2013). Red Waratah Anemone. Retrieved April 27, 2013, from MESA: http://www.mesa.edu.au/atoz/rw_anemone.asp

The author of this website is Peter Biro, who is currently a researcher in animal physiology, behaviour, life-history, and natural and human-caused selection in fish and other organisms. He received the following fellowships: Postdoctoral fellow in 2003, Endeavour Research Fellow in 2006, Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow in 2006 and a Future Fellow in 2009. He also became a lecturer in the University of Technology in 2009 so he has lots of qualifications and experience in the ecology field. The information used from this source should be valid as it is similar to information seen elsewhere.

Chai, T.-T. (2008, March 3). Waratah anemones (Actinia tenebrosa). Retrieved May 10, 2013, from Blog Spot: http://chaitt.blogspot.com.au/2008/03/waratah-anemones-actinia-tenebrosa.html

This source is an online blog, written by a well-educated author, Tsun-Thai Chai. He received First Class Honours in a Bachelor degree of Science (major in Biology; minor in Chemistry) in 1998 then pursued Master’s research while working as a science writer and editor at a publishing house. He received a Master of Science degree in 2003 then started a teaching position as a biology lecturer in 2004. In 2006 he pursued his PhD degree at The University of Western Australia and was awarded the PhD degree in 2010. It is a primary source of information as it was gathered one of Chai’s research endevours but the facts remain consistent with other sources so it seems valid. The source may contain educational bias but is seen to be reliable because of the vast experience of the author.

Davey, K. (2000). Life on Australian Seashores. Retrieved April 23, 2013, from MESA: http://www.mesa.edu.au/friends/seashores/a_tenebrosa.html

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E Chivian, A. B. (2008). Sustaining life: How human health depends on biodiversity. New York: Oxford University Press.

Goemans, B. (2012). Actinia tenebrosa. Retrieved May 3, 2013, from Salt corner: http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=2268

This source is a website, written by Bob Goemans. For the last couple of decades Goemans has had a monthly column and various articles in aquarium magazines, e.g. Marine World, Practical Fishkeeping and Marine Habitat and is from a subsidiary of General Motors where he was the 'Environmental Contracting Manager.' He has aquarium and environmental consulting businesses and has provided question and answer sessions at new Store Openings, spoken to aquarium societies worldwide, and appeared in a TV hobby show for an ABC station. He has never been an employee of any aquarium product company so has no allegiance to any aquarium product company or sell his own. He teaches about marine life independently with nothing to gain but satisfaction in helping fellow aquarists. This source is therefore seen to be reliable as the author has a lot of experience and he isn’t selling any related products. There is educational bias present as the author has many years of education in the field of marine life and he is therefore a primary source of information.

Loh, Y. Y. (2011). Actinia tenebrosa. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from Great Barrier Reef Invertebrates: http://www.gbri.org.au/Species/Actiniatenebrosa.aspx?moid=853&PageContentID=1476

Spenceley, M. (2007). Biology A Contextual Approach. Port Melbourne: Heinemann.

The main author of this source is Maggie Spenceley. She is an experienced author who writes scientific documents for Heinemann publishing. This textbook was published in 2007, the same year Spenceley won an award in the Australian Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing. The textbook may contain educational bias but does not promote any products or brands. The information gathered from this textbook has also been seen on websites so the information seems reliable.

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