Work

Mass stranding of common (weedy) seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) in Sydney : impacts and implications

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In April 2022, mass stranding of weedy (common) seadragons occurred, with a total of over 200 individuals washed ashore on beaches in the Sydney, Australia region, recorded by citizens. Causes of the stranding, which is unprecedented, were likely related to a series of east coast low storm events, leading to record wave heights, record coastal rainfall, and potential loss of critical food sources (schooling mysid crustaceans). A significant proportion of the local population was likely lost in this series of events, indicating a future threat to seadragons, with east coast low intensity predicted to increase under human-caused climate change.

Source: Journal of Fish Biology

DOI: 10.1111/jfb.70019

Authors: David J. Booth, Andrew Trevor‐Jones, Selma Klanten, Giglia A. Beretta

Institution: University of Technology Sydney

Language: English

Topic: Aquatic life and conservation

Subfield: Aquatic Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,480