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

Spatial and temporal trends in the health and resilience of Great Barrier Reef inshore seagrass meadows in relation to water quality (Old ID 20687)
Catherine Collier - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
01 Dec 2012 - 30 Aug 2027
The aim of this research is to monitor the abundance and species composition of seagrass, and identify areas of seagrass that have been significantly impacted by flood plumes in areas important to major dugong populations in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Spatial and temporal trends in the health and resilience of Great Barrier Reef inshore seagrass meadows in relation to water quality (Old ID 20687)
Lucas Langlois - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
01 Dec 2012 - 30 Aug 2027
The aim of this research is to monitor the abundance and species composition of seagrass, and identify areas of seagrass that have been significantly impacted by flood plumes in areas important to major dugong populations in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Design & Development of Receiving Environment Monitoring Program (Old ID 22207)
Cassandra James - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
30 Jun 2015 - 31 Dec 2019
TropWATER will review the existing environmental monitoring data and undertake a detailed environmental survey of the Carpentaria Cold operations with a view to designing a receiving environment monitoring program to be implemented in the 2015/16 wet season.
Ecological valuation tools to protect seagrasses from coastal development (Old ID 22415)
Paul York - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
24 Nov 2015 - 31 Dec 2018
Industry cash contribution fro ARC Linkage Grant application LP160100492. Seagrasses provide ecosystem services (fisheries, nutrient cycling, primary productivity) worth trillions of dollars, but this capacity is threatened by coastal development. In Australia, port developments are considered a major threat to seagrass ecosystems, but resource managers lack accurate information about their potential impacts and mitigation lmeasures. Focussing on differences between shallow and deep seagrasses within the Great Barrier Reef, this project seeks to develop a world-first spatial valuation tool that will allow resource managers and policy makers to minimise impact of port development on seagrass ecosystems, thereby ensuring that Australia's seagrasses continue to provide ecosystem services essential to our well-being.
Hay Point Shiploader Upgrade: Benthic Habitat Assessments (Old ID 26698)
Paul York - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
20 Sep 2019 - 28 Feb 2020
Develop and implement a benthic habitat assessment program for Advisian to report on the benthic habitats in a specific area of the port to assist with berth upgrades.
Provision of Specialist Environmental Support to Townsville City Council. (Old ID 27681)
Cassandra James - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
26 May 2022 - 19 Apr 2023
Submission for inclusion on a panel of pre-qualified Environmental Specialists to support TCC's Environmental Services team in planning and delivery of sustainable outcomes for the Townsville Community.
Mangrove Watch in Easterna Normanby Basin with Kalpowar Land Trust (Old ID 21778)
Norm Duke - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
15 Apr 2014 - 20 Dec 2018
Mangrove Watch boat and aerial surveys will be conducted in Princess Charlotte Bay with local indigenous rangers to assess existing values, threats, future issues with climate change and restoration and protection options for tidal wetland habitat in Princess Charlotte Bay. This project aims to enhance biodiversity values, increase ecosystem service provision, including carbon sequestration and improve habitat connectivity within princess Charlotte Bay and the Normanby River.
Torres Straits Wetlands, Mangroves and Invasive Species (Old ID 23518)
Norm Duke - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
01 Apr 2017 - 30 Jun 2018
Coastal wetlands and mangrove habitat are important for aquatic communities in the Torres Straits. These water environments also provide important food and cultural values for locals. Torres Straits Regional Authority wishes to continue building Land and Sea Ranger capacity to monitor and evaluate condition of wetlands across the Straits. TropWATER will assist with water quality monitoring, invasive animal management, mangrove condition and health assessment, along with preparation of materials for rangers to continue these monitoring programs.
Ecological monitoring of the Townsville Field Training Area 2022-24 (Old ID 27715)
Shelley Templeman - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
01 Jun 2022 - 31 Jan 2026
This project continues the long standing monitoring that TropWATER has undertaken for Defence that incorporates monitoring of water quality and aquatic ecology on the Townsville Field Training Area. Remnant Waterholes are the most important aquatic ecosystem in the TFTA providing a critical dry season refugia for aquatic biota. Aquatic ecological monitoring allows an assessment to be made of the trends in water quality through time. If these trends in areas of high Defence activities are similar to trends in areas with minimal Defence impact, this demonstrates the lack of impact of Defence operations on the local aquatic environment.
Assessment of key dugong and turtle seagrass resources in the northern Torres Strait (Old ID 22239)
Alexandra Carter - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
01 Jul 2015 - 31 Mar 2016
This project fills a critical information gap for dugong and turtle habitat management in the Torres Strait. It describes seagrasses in a recently identified data deficient region in northern Torres Strait that contains large dugong and turtle populations and is the subject of a proposed extension of the existing Dugong Sanctuary. The baseline assessments 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.

A review of load tools available for calculating pollutant exports to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon: a case study of varying catchment areas

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

Title: Ports North, Ports North supports an annual monitoring program conducted by James Cook University (JCU) in Cairns Harbour and Trinity Inlet, as well as at our other ports, such as Karumba, Mourilyan and Thursday Island. By using helicopters and underwater cameras on boats, the seagrass meadows are mapped and assessed for any changes.
Reseracher: Carissa Reason (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2009
End Date: 01 Jan 2026
Title: Gladstone Ports Corporation, The purpose of the Long-term Maintenance Dredging Management Plan (LMDMP) is to address operational needs, environmental risks, monitoring and adaptive management actions specific to the Port of Gladstone whilst ensuring the ongoing sustainability of maintenance dredging within the port.
Reseracher: Carissa Reason (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2009
End Date: 01 Jan 2030
Title: North Queensland Bulk Ports, Partnering with scientists at James Cook University (JCU), NQBP has been collecting data on seagrass growth around our port sites for more than 20 years. In addition to informing our own environmental activities and port operations, our data has contributed to advances in an international body of seagrass knowledge through JCU's academic research and regional report cards developed to help monitor the health of our waterways.
Reseracher: Carissa Reason (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2014
End Date: 01 Jan 2030
Title: Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service contracted James Cook University to conduct surveys and research on the impacts to and resilience of seagrass in Great Sandy Marine Park. This important surveying and research help government understand the impacts to seagrass from the 2022 flooding events and its ability to recovery.
Reseracher: Carissa Reason (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2021
End Date: 01 Jan 2025
Title: Master of Science - Botany, James Cook University
Reseracher: Norm Duke (Senior Research Scientist)
Start Date: 01 Jan 1981
End Date: 01 Jan 1984
Title: Doctor of Philosophy, James Cook University
Reseracher: Norm Duke (Senior Research Scientist)
Start Date: 01 Jan 1986
End Date: 01 Jan 1988
Title: Bachelor of Science with Honours, James Cook University
Reseracher: Norm Duke (Senior Research Scientist)
Start Date: 01 Jan 1973
End Date: 01 Jan 1973
Title: Editor of the SeDNAS PeerJ Hub
Reseracher: Cecilia Villacorta Rath (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: Higher Degree By Research Committee
Reseracher: Jack Koci (Principal Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
End Date: 01 Jan 2023
Title: Conference co-chair
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2023
End Date: 01 Jan 2023