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

Benthic monitoring and demersal fish surveys in Limmen Marine Park. (Old ID 29022)
Catherine Collier - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
18 Jun 2023 - 30 Jun 2025
This project's requirements are for field work, data analysis and reporting on benthic habitat monitorings and demersal fish communities in, and connected to, Limmen Marine Park, in the South-West Gulf of Carpentaria. The objectives are: 1. Increase understanding of traditional knowledge and collaborate with Indigenous rangers and Traditional Owners to undertake marine park management, such as monitoring, including the development of bilingual maps where possible. 2. Identify any changes/trends in the condition of benthic habitats in the marine park, including seagrass, algal, sponge and coral habitats. 3. Identify demersal fish communities in and adjacent to the marine park, including consideration of key pressures on these communities and any potential management actions for mitigating impacts.
Benthic monitoring and demersal fish surveys in Limmen Marine Park. (Old ID 29022)
Alexandra Carter - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
18 Jun 2023 - 30 Jun 2025
This project's requirements are for field work, data analysis and reporting on benthic habitat monitorings and demersal fish communities in, and connected to, Limmen Marine Park, in the South-West Gulf of Carpentaria. The objectives are: 1. Increase understanding of traditional knowledge and collaborate with Indigenous rangers and Traditional Owners to undertake marine park management, such as monitoring, including the development of bilingual maps where possible. 2. Identify any changes/trends in the condition of benthic habitats in the marine park, including seagrass, algal, sponge and coral habitats. 3. Identify demersal fish communities in and adjacent to the marine park, including consideration of key pressures on these communities and any potential management actions for mitigating impacts.
Port of Townsville Seagrass Monitoring (Old ID 20697)
Skye McKenna - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
01 Dec 2012 - 31 Dec 2016
The aim of this research is to monitor seagrass habitats including those which may potentially be impacted by existing and 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.
Cairns-Port Douglas Reef Hub Coordinator (Old ID 27460)
Skye McKenna - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
20 Dec 2021 - 31 Mar 2026
The purpose of the consultancy is to manage the design, coordination and on-ground implementation of the Cairns Port Douglas Reef Hub (hub) on a day-to-day basis. The Coordinator will play an important role as a central connection point across a range of partners with interests in Reef restoration and stewardship activities in the Cairns-Port Douglas region (and beyond). They will be responsible for supporting a collaborative network to build on work underway and strengthen communication, information exchange and collaboration to scale and strengthen Reef and community resilience outcomes. The role is a 0.6 FTE role, contracted to June 2024.
Influences on inshore marine water quality in the dry season (Old ID 27285)
Cassandra James - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
17 Jun 2021 - 30 Nov 2021
In this discreet pilot study, we will build on significant investment in the Great Barrier Reef MMP. We will build on the existing wet season mapping approaches developed through the MMP to investigate the application of these for the development of dry season water type maps using Sentinel satellite imagery. Ultimately, the aim is to understand: 1) the magnitude, duration and extent of poor water quality in the dry season, when the Reef is not affected by catchment run-off in river discharge; and 2) how this compares to the affects we can attribute to run-off in the wet season.
Influences on inshore marine water quality in the dry season (Old ID 27285)
Stephen Lewis - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
17 Jun 2021 - 30 Nov 2021
In this discreet pilot study, we will build on significant investment in the Great Barrier Reef MMP. We will build on the existing wet season mapping approaches developed through the MMP to investigate the application of these for the development of dry season water type maps using Sentinel satellite imagery. Ultimately, the aim is to understand: 1) the magnitude, duration and extent of poor water quality in the dry season, when the Reef is not affected by catchment run-off in river discharge; and 2) how this compares to the affects we can attribute to run-off in the wet season.
Green Mussel Monitoring Proposal 2017 - Weipa Plankton Sampling and Sample Processing (Old ID 23570)
Carissa Reason - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
26 Jun 2017 - 30 May 2018
This project will sample plankton for the presence of AGM larval DNA at two locations; Weipa Harbour, and the Amrun project site to the south of Weipa. It will meet the initial requirements of the Weipa Asian Green Mussel Surveillance Strategy. The collection will follow protocols previously used in Cairns Harbour and will rely on expertise developed by TropWATER scientists to collect, process and transport DNA material for analysis and to report the results.
Water Quality, eDNA and NRM Management Directions (Old ID 26264)
Cecilia Villacorta Rath - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
04 Dec 2018 - 30 Jun 2022
Water quality and the threat of invasive species continue to exist in the Torres Straits. This project will continue to provide research services to assist Torres Straits Regional Authority to track restoration and protection of freshwater and marine wetland habitats in the Torres Strait islands. A component of this project includes facilitating training and educational material for Land and Sea Ranger program.
Habitat characterisation and biodiversity surveys in West Cape York Marine Park and Torres Strait Dugong Sanctuary. (Old ID 27402)
Tim Smith - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
01 Oct 2021 - 30 Jun 2024
Marine habitats of western Torres Strait and Cape York have long been identified as ecologically and culturally significant, supporting large areas of seagrass, high densities of dugongs and turtles, and traditional, commercial and recreational fisheries. These ecological values in the region have led to the establishment of the Torres Strait Dugong Sanctuary and the West Cape York Marine Park (WCYMP). Despite these values, benthic habitats including seagrasses, fish assemblages and the cultural significance of the region remain inadequately surveyed and documented. In this project we will: (1) Increase understanding of traditional knowledge and collaborate with Indigenous rangers and Traditional Owners to undertake marine park management. (2) Identify any changes/trends in the extent, health and diversity of seagrass meadows. (3) Provide a habitat map for the National Park, Habitat Protection and Special Purpose Zones in the southern region of West Cape York Marine Park. (4) conduct a pilot study of fish diversity.
Seagrass Monitoring in Wuthathi Sea Country (Old ID 31147)
Lucas Langlois - Tropical Water & Ecosystems
04 Oct 2023 - 31 Dec 2025
Wuthathi land and sea country in far northern Cape York extends from Captain Billy landing south to Temple Bay and includes Shelburne Bay and Raine Island. JCU will work with Wuthathi rangers to continue to map coastal seagrass in Wuthathi and establish monitoring sites and methods. A range of techniques will be adopted, including airborne/spaceborne imagery (UAV drone and satellite) and transects for intertidal and shallow subtidal habitats and drop cameras in deeper subtidal waters. Wuthathi rangers will be trained in seagrass mapping and monitoring techniques to facilitate continued monitoring of seagrass habitats in Wuthathi sea country.

13C and 15N translocation within and among shoots in two Posidonia species from Western Australia

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

Morphological, growth and meadow characteristics of the seagrass Posidonia sinuosa along a depth-related gradient of light availability

Physiological characteristics of the seagrass Posidonia sinuosa along a depth-related gradient of light availability

Shade-induced response and recovery of the seagrass Posidonia sinuosa

Effects of experimental reduction of light availability on the seagrass Amphibolis griffithi

Drivers of Change to Seagrass Distributions and Communities on the Great Barrier Reef: literature review and gaps analysis

Vulnerability of seagrasses in the Great Barrier Reef to climate change

Pesticide residues in waterways of the lower Burdekin region: challenges in ecotoxicological interpretation of monitoring data

The effects of no-take zoning, region and year on reproductive output of the common coral trout, 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