Insights into the impact of cyclones on tiger shrimp habitats in north western Australia has shown the resilience of the species, as well as the importance of seagrass to the species, reports Phys.org. In 1999, a team of researchers began evaluating tiger shrimp stock in Exmouth Gulf, later expanding their research to assess the impact of Cyclone Vance when it struck before research began. Murdoch University's Neill Loneragan believed tiger shrimp are highly dependent on beds of seagrass and algae at the juvenile stage, and the destruction caused by Cyclone Vance gave them the opportunity to assess the impact on species when seagrass cover is lost. The cyclone caused major disruption and loss of seagrass and macroalgal beds, and mangroves in the shallow inshore waters. As a result, shrimp landings and recruitment to the fishery were markedly lower in the two years immediately afterwards, before rising again as the cover of macrophytes increased to over 40% in 2003. The study demonstrated three things, said Lonergan. Firstly, researchers were surprised to observe the resilience of both seagrass and the shrimp after suffering the impacts of the cyclone. Secondly, it highlighted the value of monitoring and adaptive management to conserve fish stocks. Lastly, it illustrated the importance of seagrass and macroalgae as habitats for fisheries and biodiversity. Read the full story here. [...]