Seascape effects on the structure and function of juvenile and adult fish communities in coastal ecosystems

The configuration of habitats within a seascape can influence the structure of associated fish assemblages. Yet our knowledge of seascape effects on juvenile fish and fish communities in coastal macrophyte habitats remains limited. This thesis investigates the influence of seascape configuration on the structure and function of fish assemblages across the macrotidal seascape of the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. To achieve this, I employ a multi-scale approach incorporating data derived from in situ surveys of fish and benthic habitats, habitat maps, a hydrodynamic model, remotely sensed environmental data, trait-based productivity estimates, and stable isotope mixing models.