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Isabelle Aubé


M.Sc.: 2000 - 2009

Co-supervisor: Dr. Andrea Locke, DFO Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

Thesis: Colonization of flora and fauna on artificial reefs in Colville Bay, Prince Edward Island

isabelle aube photo Isabelle Aube doing some SCUBA sampling along a rocky shore.

Abstract: The efficacy of two rocky artificial reefs constructed in 1998 in Colville Bay, Prince Edward Island, as compensation for the loss of sandy bottom habitat, was studied by comparing epibiont communities of the artificial reefs and adjacent natural reefs from 2000 to 2002. Environmental conditions and epibiont abundance and biomass significantly differed on the artificial reefs compared to the natural reefs. Dominant species on the artificial reefs were macroalgae (Saccharina latissima, Fucus serratus), Cirripedia and mollusks (Anomia simplex, Mytilus edulis, Crepidula fornicata and Astyris lunata). Dominants on the natural reef included macroalgae (Fucus serratus, Chondrus crispus), amphipods (Corophium spp.), mollusks (Littorina littorea, Astyris lunata) and starfish (Asterias spp.). The artificial reefs were successful in creating commercially desirable hard bottom fish habitats.