Impact of hyposalinity on the barrens-forming sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii in context with flooding events.

The sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii is an ecologically important species in southeastern Australia, where its grazing contributes to the formation of macroalgal-free barrens habitat. While climate warming has facilitated this species southward range extension, climate change is also causing an increase in the frequency of storm-driven hyposalinity events. These events can expose marine organisms to acute or gradual decrease salinity stress, depending on the rate and duration of freshwater influx.