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

Does natal philopatry drive variable female bull shark movement? (Old ID 27470)
Nicolas Lubitz
31 Dec 2021 - 31 Dec 2023
Despite recent advances in animal movement ecology and an increased number of studies revealing the spatio-temporal patterns of large-scale movement, drivers of movement remain less well understood in many taxa. Why animals move, however, provides vital information on life history strategies, such as reproduction and feeding behaviour, how animals interact with their environment and how they may respond to future change. Sharks and rays are no exception and for many species the drivers of movement remain unknown. This project uses acoustic telemetry and genetics to investigate reproduction as a driver for variable female bull shark movement along Australia’s East Coast.
Seagrass Monitoring and Protection in Wuthathi Sea Country (Old ID 27656)
Catherine Collier
01 Mar 2022 - 14 Feb 2023
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 map coastal seagrass habitats in Wuthathi. A range of techniques will be adopted, including helicopter surveys and airborne/spaceborne imagery (UAV drone and satellite) 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.
Mt Leyshon REMP (Old ID 22096)
Shelley Templeman
01 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2019
Development, implementation and reporting of the first stage of a receiving environment monitoring program (REMP) for the closed Mt Leyshon Mine, Charters Towers, Queensland.
Working with traditional owners and local citizens to better manage GBR estuarine wetlands (Old ID 22542)
Norm Duke
01 Jan 2016 - 20 May 2019
Traditional Owner rangers and local citizens of the Port Curtis Coral Coast (PCCC) TUMRA will be engaged in developing a Mangrove Management Plan (MMP) that provides a strategic basis for estuarine repair activity and maximises water quality outcomes in the southern GBR. Development of this MMP will build capacity within the Gidarjil Development Corporation (GCD) and local community to undertake scientifically-rigorous, ecological monitoring and assessment. These management and rehabilitation strategies will protect sea country resources through partnerships between community, scientists and NRM agencies. The MMP will enable rangers and citizen scientists to conduct scientifically valid surveys of estuarine monitoring, management and rehabilitation within the PCCC TUMRA area.
Seagrass monitoring for Inshore Marine South Zone for the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership (Old ID 26977)
Alexandra Carter
01 Jul 2020 - 30 Jun 2023
Continuation of annual seagrass monitoring program and development and implementation of seagrass condition report card in the south zone of the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region.
Great Barrier Reef catchments historical water quality data compilation. (Old ID 27764)
Zoe Bainbridge
03 Aug 2022 - 30 Sep 2024
Compilation of extensive historical water quality data into a single database to be made available to all researchers, modellers and end users working in the GBR catchment area, with the data to be presented in a form consistent with that currently in use by existing WQ monitoring frameworks and databases (for example the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Monitoring Program).
Gladstone Healthy Harbours Seagrass Condition Report Card. (Old ID 22645)
Alexandra Carter
01 Mar 2016 - 01 Jul 2022
Gladstone Healthy Harbours Partnership (GHHP) produces an annual report card on the condition of Gladstone Harbour. JCU TropWATER have been contracted to produce the seagrass component of the report card.
Distributions and behaviours of stingrays (Old ID 27582)
Jaelen Myers
01 Jul 2022 - 01 Jul 2023
Stingrays are abundant intermediate predators in shallow coastal waters that impact biotic communities and structure physical environments. However, assessments of ray communities and their habitat use are sparse, resulting in poor understanding of their ecological value and management. For this project, I will evaluate ray populations in diverse intertidal habitats around Orpheus Island and examine how spatio-temporal factors influence community composition, distribution and behaviours. This goal is divided into research objectives with outcomes that will improve our ability to identify valuable areas for rays and understand how behaviours are linked to habitat choice, functional roles, and ecological impacts.
2023 Southern GBR Coastal Wetland Feasibility Assessment (Old ID 28939)
Norm Duke
07 Nov 2022 - 01 Nov 2023
To identify locations and activities between Cairns and Gladstone where coastal protection and restoration could occur to increase carbon sequestration and storage. Climate change is threatening the health of all ecosystems globally, including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The restoration of coastal ecosystems presents a substantial opportunity to not only sequester carbon, necessary for reducing climate change, with mangrove forests estimated to store approximately five times more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests. In addition, carbon sequestration, coastal ecosystems can protect from storm surges and erosion, provide habitat for fisheries, improve water quality from runoff, and support immense biodiversity. This project aims to survey the health of the coastal ecosystems between Cairns and Gladstone and identify opportunities for the restoration of mangroves and salt marsh.
Reef lagoon benthic habitat mapping in the Coral Sea Marine Park (Old ID 27466)
Samantha Tol
01 Jun 2022 - 30 Nov 2024
This project will undertake reef lagoon benthic habitat mapping within the Coral Sea Marine Park. Sites to be surveyed are the western lagoon of Holmes Reef, all of Herald Cays, the lagoon between the Diamond Islets in Tregrosse Reef, and the eastern corner of the lagoon in Lihou Reef. This project will produce the first extensive reef lagoon benthic maps of the selected regions in the Coral Sea Marine Park and will be the first seagrass survey in the Coral Sea.

Vegetation of Australia's desert river landscapes

Biological responses to the press and pulse of climate trends and extreme events

Rehabilitation of coral reefs through removal of macroalgae: state of knowledge and considerations for management and implementation

Australian shellfish ecosystems: past distribution, current status and future direction

Research advances and gaps in marine planning: towards a global database in systematic conservation planning

  • 2018
  • Elsevier
  • Researchers:Georgina GurneyJon DayMelanie Hamel

Fine sediment and particulate organic matter: a review and case study on ridge-to-reef transport, transformations, fates, and impacts on marine ecosystems

Big floods, big knowledge gap: food web dynamics in a variable river system

Crowdsourcing conservation: the role of citizen science in securing a future for seagrass

Temporal genetic patterns of diversity and structure evidence chaotic genetic patchiness in a spiny lobster

A changing climate for seagrass conservation?

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