Recovery of the encrusting bryozoan, Parasmittina delicatula, from damage at Queenscliff, Victoria.

Parasmittina delicatula colonies were located on the Queenscliff pier in early 1999 and assigned to a small size class (10-15mm) or large size class (30mm or more). Each colony was 'damaged' by scraping colony parts according to assigned treatment. The treatments were large control (>30mm diameter), large fragment with edge intact, large fragment with edge removed, central fragment and small control (see attached resource for more details). Colonies were photographed in situ with an underwater camera using slide film at intervals of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 months. A total of 47 established colonies were photographed over the 8 month period. In the laboratory, the slides were projected onto graph paper, and the outlines of the colonies traced. The images were then scanned and colony survival, mortality, size, growth and fragmentation were recorded using SigmaScan 2.0.

1999年初，研究人员在昆斯克利夫码头发现了细副米特苔藓虫（Parasmittina delicatula）的虫群，并将其划分为小型尺寸组（10~15mm）与大型尺寸组（30mm及以上）。随后按照预设处理方案，通过刮取群体部分组织的方式对每个虫群施加“受损处理”。本次实验的处理方案包括：大型对照组（直径＞30mm）、边缘完整的大型断片组、边缘被切除的大型断片组、中央断片组以及小型对照组（详细信息参见附件资料）。研究人员于1、2、3、4及8个月的时间间隔下，使用搭载幻灯片胶片的水下相机对虫群进行原位拍摄。在为期8个月的观测周期内，共计完成了47个已定植虫群的拍摄工作。实验室环节中，研究人员将胶片幻灯片投影至坐标纸上，并描摹出虫群的轮廓。随后对图像进行扫描，并借助SigmaScan 2.0软件记录虫群的存活状态、死亡率、个体尺寸、生长情况及断片化情况。