Tropical Water & Ecosystems
Scott Morrissey
- Research Officer
- scott.morrissey@jcu.edu.au
Tim Smith
- Senior Research Officer
- tim.smith2@jcu.edu.au
Alejandro Navarro Otero
- Casual Research Worker
- alejandro.navarrootero@jcu.edu.au
Jack Koci
- Principal Research Officer
- jack.koci1@jcu.edu.au
Sarah McDonald
- Senior Research Officer
- sarah.mcdonald@jcu.edu.au
Emily Webster
- Research Officer
- emily.webster1@jcu.edu.au
Abbi Scott
- Senior Research Officer
- abbi.scott1@jcu.edu.au
Catherine Collier
- Principal Research Officer
- catherine.collier@jcu.edu.au
Rob Coles
- Principal Research Scientist
- rob.coles@jcu.edu.au
Aaron Davis
- Principal Research Officer
- aaron.davis@jcu.edu.au
Port of Weipa Seagrass Monitoring (Old ID 20700)
The aim of this research is to monitor seagrass habitats, including those which may potentially be impacted by proposed port developments. The objectives include comparing results of previous monitoring and baseline surveys and assessing any changes in seagrass distribution and abundance in relation to natural events or human induced port and catchment activities, and establishing the capacity for recovery of key seagrass meadows types likely to be affected by proposed developments. The project also examines the relationship between seagrass condition and light and temperature.
Port of Weipa Seagrass Monitoring (Old ID 20700)
The aim of this research is to monitor seagrass habitats, including those which may potentially be impacted by proposed port developments. The objectives include comparing results of previous monitoring and baseline surveys and assessing any changes in seagrass distribution and abundance in relation to natural events or human induced port and catchment activities, and establishing the capacity for recovery of key seagrass meadows types likely to be affected by proposed developments. The project also examines the relationship between seagrass condition and light and temperature.
Identifying sources of fine sediments to protect the Great Barrier Reef (Old ID 22667)
This fellowship builds on Bainbridge's PhD thesis which identified the sediment fractions preferentially transported from rivers via flood flumes to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, and which have the greatest influence on photic depth/water clarity. The research will identify both the key properties and the primary sources of this material, enabling more effective prioritisation and direct targeting of control works to improve the quality of water discharged to the Great Barrier Reef. This research is cutting edge in the field of sediment tracing and will contribute locally by identifying specific catchment sources of ecologically-damaging fine sediment, and to the broader international field of sediment tracing.
Towards Solving COTS on the GBR Through Integrated Pest Management (Old ID 21944)
The project will use an innovative pest-management approach that centres around (1) new advanced models of CoTS outbreaks on the GBR and how they are driven by processes on land and in the sea, (2) effective knowledge transfer from cutting-edge science to strategic management and improved industry practices and (3) continued capacity-building in Cots management and effective stakeholder engagement.
NESP 3.5: Supporting regional planning in northern Australia: Building knowledge, skills & partnerships for understanding seagrass distribution (Old ID 29021)
Northern Australia has vast development opportunities but limited knowledge of the environment to inform decision making. This region has globally significant seagrass habitat, supporting dugong, green turtle, and commercially important fish and prawns. However, knowledge about seagrass habitats for extensive areas of the coast is limited - data is patchy or not freely available, few large-scale mapping surveys have been conducted, and even fewer seagrass long-term monitoring programs exist. This project will address these problems by: 1. Mapping selected benthic habitats, with a focus on seagrass, using methods consistent with previous and ongoing surveys in northern Australia. 2. Establishing a benchmark of seagrass habitats for Traditional Owners, Indigenous communities, rangers, management agencies, ports, industry, and researchers to assess change. 3. Partnering with management agencies and ranger groups to co-design mapping and monitoring methods in remote areas that use new technology such as drones. 4. Compiling and synthesizing historical seagrass data into a publicly available spatial database to create a permanent record. 5. Interpreting and reporting on survey findings, including providing advice on options for establishing monitoring programs.
Influencing agriculture practice behaviour change and trust frameworks. (Old ID 26963)
The ecologically-determined water quality improvement targets for the Great Barrier Reef can only be met with significant improvement in farm management practices. Numerous programs over many years, utilising a variety of approaches, have worked with land managers and representative farmer groups, seeking to achieve high levels of uptake of recommended farming practices. However, these have only met with low-moderate success. There has been significant work encouraging and facilitating behaviour and practice change in recent years, including through, but certainly not limited to, the NESP TWQ Hub. Programs encouraging behaviour and practice change are set to remain a feature of contemporary reef funding programs. Thus it is timely to coordinate a synthesis of learnings in this domain. Increasing understanding of, and improving trust frameworks and behaviour change of land managers will lead to improved water quality to the Great Barrier Reef. Understanding the impetus, benefits and barriers of behaviour change for agricultural practice is a large step in improving water quality to the Great Barrier Reef.
Influencing agriculture practice behaviour change and trust frameworks. (Old ID 26963)
The ecologically-determined water quality improvement targets for the Great Barrier Reef can only be met with significant improvement in farm management practices. Numerous programs over many years, utilising a variety of approaches, have worked with land managers and representative farmer groups, seeking to achieve high levels of uptake of recommended farming practices. However, these have only met with low-moderate success. There has been significant work encouraging and facilitating behaviour and practice change in recent years, including through, but certainly not limited to, the NESP TWQ Hub. Programs encouraging behaviour and practice change are set to remain a feature of contemporary reef funding programs. Thus it is timely to coordinate a synthesis of learnings in this domain. Increasing understanding of, and improving trust frameworks and behaviour change of land managers will lead to improved water quality to the Great Barrier Reef. Understanding the impetus, benefits and barriers of behaviour change for agricultural practice is a large step in improving water quality to the Great Barrier Reef.
Marine plant survey of the Half Tide Tug Harbour Hay Point (Old ID 27445)
North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) have engaged the TropWATER to undertake a survey to determine the presence/absence of marine plants within the Half Tide Tug Harbour, located at the Port of Hay Point. Specifically, the survey requires assessment of marine plant distribution in the area proposed for expanded maintenance dredging, as well as a contemporary survey of marine plants in the area currently approved for dredging.
Satellite Based Water Analysis and Drought Planning in Northwest Qld
This project will utilize satellite imagery to map and monitor small water bodies and farm dams to
improve grazing land management. The project aims to extract time series of water areas from
the satellite images, perform time series analysis to assess the shrinkage or expansion of the
water bodies, water levels, and determine their precise locations.
The focus is on understanding the availability and dynamics of these water resources, which are
vital for livestock, domestic use and wildlife habitats.
This project will be a partnership between SGNRM and JCU.
Benthic Mapping with Angkamuthi Traditional Owners in West Cape York Marine Park
This project's requirements are for field work, data analysis and reporting on benthic habitats and fish, principally in the Habitat Protection and Special Purpose Zones of West Cape York Marine Park in the North Network of Australian Marine Parks in collaboration with Angkamuthi Traditional Owners.
Start Date:
01 Jan 2009
End Date:
01 Jan 2026
Start Date:
01 Jan 2009
End Date:
01 Jan 2030
Start Date:
01 Jan 2014
End Date:
01 Jan 2030
Start Date:
01 Jan 2021
End Date:
01 Jan 2025
Start Date:
01 Jan 1981
End Date:
01 Jan 1984
Start Date:
01 Jan 1986
End Date:
01 Jan 1988
Start Date:
01 Jan 1973
End Date:
01 Jan 1973
Start Date:
01 Jan 2024
Start Date:
01 Jan 2022
End Date:
01 Jan 2023
Title:
Conference co-chair
Start Date:
01 Jan 2023
End Date:
01 Jan 2023