Marine Resources Research Institute, South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department2010-02-152010-02-151984http://hdl.handle.net/1969.3/23851223 pgs.In order to better understand the possible effects of energy-or mineral-related activities on recruitment of invertebrate communities and the importance of those communities to fishes, a third phase of the study was initiated in January 1983. This aspect of the study involved three major tasks. The objectives of Task 1 were to determine short-term and long-term colonization patterns by invertebrates and fishes on artificial hard substrates. Data obtained from Task 1 studies will aid in estimating recovery periods for hard-bottom communities following defaunation and provide useful information on the development of invertebrate and fish communities associated with oil production platforms. The objective of Task 2 was to determine how changes in sediment depth over hard substratum influence the distribution and abundance of large sponges and corals found in hard-bottom areas. Results from the Task 2 study should provide useful information on the potential effects of sediment redistribution by drilling activities and aid in identifying the possible location of hard bottom areas using remote sensing techniques. The objective of Task 3 was to examine in further detail the food habits of fishes associated with hard-bottom habitat in order to determine the dependence of these fishes on hard-bottom food resources. Fish species analyzed during the first two study phases were to be further analyzed for size and depth related differences in food habits and additional species were to be examined. Volume 1 describes the three major tasks in detail. Volume II provides a listing of all data obtained from these tasks. Volume III is the Executive Summary of this report.marine biologyinvertebratesbenthosmarine ecologyoil and gas exploration, development, transportationoffshore commercial and recreational fisheriesoilmineral resourceshard-bottom invertebratesoil production platformssediment depthspongescoralssediment redistributiondrilling activitiesremote sensing techniquesfood habitsfishBook