A number of physiological, morphological and growth characteristics (photosynthetic photon flux density, sediment redox potential, sediment nutrients, shoot density and biomass, morphometrics, growth, carbohydrates, chlorophyll, photosynthetic characteristics, crude wall fibre, nutrients and 13C) previously known to respond to changes in light availability were measured in P. sinuosa that were exposed to a range of shade intensities. This experiment occurred from 1st October 2003 to mid-May 2005 in Cockburn Sound, north-east of Garden Island.