Tropical Water & Ecosystems

Scott Morrissey

Scott Morrissey

Tim Smith

Tim Smith

Alejandro Navarro Otero

Alejandro Navarro Otero

Jack Koci

Jack Koci

Sarah McDonald

Sarah McDonald

Emily Webster

Emily Webster

Abbi Scott

Abbi Scott

Catherine Collier

Catherine Collier

Rob Coles

Rob Coles

Aaron Davis

Aaron Davis

LDC Community Water Quality Monitoring Program (LME#17-004). (Old ID 25147)
Zoe Bainbridge
13 Aug 2018 - 30 Jun 2029
The objective of the Burdekin MIP is to work closely with groups in one or two focus areas, with the Bowen-Broken-Bogie(BBB) catchments, to trial a range of regionally tailored coordinated actions that reduce sediment and nutrient loads. Throughout this Major Integrated Project, progress in achieving land management practice changes, economic benefits for landholders and pollutant load reductions will be closely monitored an results will inform adaptive management. This project is to develop a community water quality monitoring program for the BBB catchments.
Re-Invigorating the Pesticide Working Group (PWG) (Old ID 22959)
Stephen Lewis
01 Jun 2016 - 30 Sep 2017
The project is designed to facilitate communication between industry, extension providers, scientists resource managers and regulators, and undertake activities to accelerate progress towards the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan target for pesticides.
Mangrove Dieback in the Gulf of Carpentaria (Old ID 23655)
Norm Duke
08 Sep 2017 - 30 Jun 2021
Landsat and on-ground analysis showed that 7,400 hectares of mangrove forest along a 1,000km long front of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria coastline (from Karumba in the east to Limmen River in the west) suffered dieback over a relatively short and synchronous time period around November 2015. This is the largest event of natural dieback of mangroves ever recorded in the world. This project will provide a survey, description and analysis of the extent and patterns of the dieback across its range. The assessment will include mangrove assessment and monitoring methods, as well as providing recommendations for recovery, potential intervention, future monitoring and further studies.
Assessing the Gulf of Carpentaria mangrove dieback (Old ID 24998)
Norm Duke
01 Jan 2018 - 10 Mar 2020
In early 2016, extensive dieback of mangrove forests was recorded along the southern and western Gulf of Carpentaria coastline. Landsat analysis suggests that 7,400 hectares of mangrove forest suffered dieback over a relatively short and synchronous time period around November, 2015, along a >1,000km wide front from Karumba in the east to Limmen River in the west. Recent field visits to a limited range of affected sites suggest that a relatively low percentage of trees have recovered and most are dying/dead. This is the largest event of natural dieback of mangroves ever recorded in the world. This project will provide a survey, description and analysis of the extent of the dieback across its range, as well as examining patterns of dieback. The assessment will include training and participation of local Indigenous ranger groups in mangrove assessment and monitoring methods, as well as providing recommendations for recovery, potential intervention, future monitoring and further studies. A synthesis workshop will also be held to present the findings of the assessment to a wide audience.
Port of Mackay - Tug Harbour Relocation - Benthic Habitat Surveys 2018 (Old ID 26231)
Skye McKenna
29 Oct 2018 - 01 Dec 2018
Conduct benthic habitat surveys in the Port of Mackay as part of application approval processes associated with relocating the tug harbour.
Sources of Bioavailable Nutrients: Phase 2 (Old ID 22526)
Stephen Lewis
01 Jan 2016 - 01 Dec 2016
The primary objective of this project is to determine which indicators (ideally 2 - 4 in total for N and P) best predict algal growth (whole community and diatom only) in freshwater and marine conditions. Research indicates that diatoms are the key food source for Crown of Thorns Starfish larvae therefore having a "diatom only" treatment will enable us to look at indicators specifically related to this issue. Indicators will be tested on a range of key soil types (key soils with a range of erodibilities from the Bowen and Johnstone catchment will be selected), erosion processes (surface and sub-surface) and land uses (grazing and cane) to ensure their applicability and reliability.
DES - JCU GBRCLMP Collaborative Agreement (Old ID 31131)
Zoe Bainbridge
15 Sep 2023 - 31 Dec 2026
Collaborate and support the Water Quality and Investigations’ GBR Catchments Loads Monitoring Program under a regionally based science partnership.
Torres Strait Seagrass Research (Old ID 23045)
Alexandra Carter
19 Oct 2016 - 30 Jun 2027
This seagrass research program continues collaborations with TSRA LSLMU Rangers in the Dugong Sanctuary, and will conduct seagrass baseline surveys at Dungeness Reef. The baseline assessment will form the foundation for ongoing monitoring, and provide essential information to the TSRA, Australian and Queensland Governments for dugong and turtle management plans, complimenting dugong and turtle research studies in the region and building skills and capacity of Traditional Owners and Rangers.
Mangrove Watch NT Pilot Project (Old ID 23562)
Norm Duke
30 Jun 2017 - 30 Jun 2018
The li-Anthawirriyarra, Numbulwar and Yugul Mangi Rangers will participate in the pilot MangroveWatch project in the Northern Territory (Gulf of Carpentaria), in Collaboration with James Cook University and the Territory Natural Resource Management group (TNRM). The Rangers will undertake 2 days of training in the MangroveWatch monitoring methodology and another 2 days of supervised shoreline monitoring assessment in the Gulf of Carpentaria region in early Sept 2017. After this, the Rangers will conduct independent surveys using this training until June 2018. Data collected by the Rangers with be assessed and reported on by the TropWATER scientist partners who will give appropriate feedback to the TNRM and the Ranger groups on the health and condition of shoreline ecosystems in the south-western Gulf region. It is of note that this region was heavily impacted with extensive mangrove dieback in late 2015 as a result of extreme climatic conditions.
Reducing End-of-Catchment Fine Sediment Loads and Ecosystem Impacts (Old ID 26961)
Stephen Lewis
01 Jan 2020 - 10 Dec 2020
A wide range of NESP TWQ Hub projects have focused on the source, transport, fate and impact of sediments on estuarine, coastal and reef ecosystems. These projects have responded to the Reef 2050 Plan water quality targets and Water Quality Improvement Plan aiming to reduce the loss of sediments from catchments to the marine environment. To better manage sediment losses and prioritise remedial actions, it is important to be able to understand and contextualise all of the issues that are involved in this sediment story, from managing catchment sources to defining which types of sediment cause the most harm in the marine environment. The synthesis report will include a list of gully prioritisation tools and sampling methods for detecting sediment and bioavailable nutrients. This project will provide a narrative and synthesis to bring all these threads together. Synthesis of this new knowledge will provide advice on practical on-ground actions for land and sea managers, policy implications and identify remaining gaps for future research and management investments.

Extended breeding and recruitment periods of fishes on a low latitude coral reef

Coral reef fish smell leaves to find island homes

Herbicides: a new threat to the Great Barrier Reef

  • 2009
  • Elsevier
  • Researchers:Stephen LewisZoe BainbridgeAaron Davis

Modelling and monitoring the sediment trapping efficiency and sediment dynamics of the Burdekin Falls Dam, Queensland, Australia

Coral-dwelling fishes resistant to bleaching but not to mortality of host corals

Water quality research: baseline synthesis and year 1 summary

Utilising catchment modelling as a tool for monitoring Reef Rescue outcomes in the Great Barrier Reef catchment area

Interactive effects of interspecifc competition and microhabitat on early post-settlement survival in a coral reef fish

Increased accuracy of batch fecundity estimates using oocyte stage ratios in Plectropomus leopardus

Depth distributions of coral reef fishes: the influences of microhabitat structure, settlement, and post-settlement processes

Title: Supervising Scientist Branch (SSB), DCCEEW
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2023
End Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: Editorial Board Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Editorial Board Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Editorial Board Chemosphere
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Ellison Movie Screening Panel participant
Reseracher: Tim Smith (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2026
End Date: 01 Jan 2026
Title: PhD, James Cook University
Reseracher: Melanie Hamel (Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2011
End Date: 01 Jan 2015
Title: MSc, University of South Paris 11
Reseracher: Melanie Hamel (Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2005
End Date: 01 Jan 2007
Title: Committee member - Organising committee member of the Australian Marine Science Association, Cairns Conference
Reseracher: Skye McKenna (Principal Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2021
End Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Presenter - Australian Marine Sciences Association Conference 2022
Reseracher: Skye McKenna (Principal Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
End Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Co-presenter - Reef Resilience Symposium
Reseracher: Skye McKenna (Principal Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2024