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

Future proofing and restoring Australia’s tropical seagrasses (Old ID 27805)
Michael Rasheed
01 Jan 2023 - 31 Dec 2026
This project aims to develop and apply a comprehensive framework for restoration of Australian tropical seagrasses using innovative approaches and partnerships. The project expects to provide coastal managers with tools to mitigate and restore seagrass to minimise effects of climate and development related loss, protecting ecosystem services measured in hundreds of millions of dollars. Expected outcomes include new techniques for tropical seagrass restoration, a blueprint for seagrass friendly marine infrastructure, and restoration decision tools applied at local and regional scales. This will provide significant benefits by protecting seagrass ecosystem services and place Australia at the forefront of global seagrass restoration efforts.
Monitoring Survival and Recovery of Shorelines. (Old ID 21926)
Norm Duke
31 Oct 2014 - 31 Aug 2022
This project is to assess and monitor the health of tidal wetlands (mangroves, salt marsh and saltpans) in the Port Curtis and Port Alma areas. These Port locations have been subject to dredging and other activities associated with intensive port infrastructure development. The project will provide a baseline against which future changes can be referenced. It will include high resolution and NDVI mapping of tidal wetlands, shoreline condition assessment using oblique aerial image acquisition and boast-based horizontal image acq1uisition as well the establishment of public entry data and image access portals to display the results of this mapping. The use of community and in particular indigenous Australian rangers will also be incorporated into the field components of this project.
Improving coral condition through better-informed resilience-based management (Old ID 26962)
Catherine Collier
01 Jan 2020 - 10 Dec 2020
Resilience-based management and integrated monitoring and reporting through the Reef Integrated Monitoring and Reporting (RIMRep) program are key initiatives for managing the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) ecosystem. A wide range of NESP TWQ Hub projects have focused on resilience-based management and decision making for maintaining and improving coral reef condition in the GBR. These projects directly contribute to the goals outlined in the Great Barrier Reef Blueprint for Resilience (2017) and support the development of RIMRep. Many of these research investments are in direct response to the 2016-17 mass thermal bleaching events. This synthesis will bring together the learnings of many research projects and initiatives driven by the same goals into a succinct coherent story.
Water Quality & Environmental Research to Support Townsville City Council (Old ID 26868)
Shelley Templeman
01 Jun 2020 - 31 Dec 2020
Townsville City Council are seeking advice and support to improve the water quality in the local lakes and rivers under their jurisdiction. They are investigating innovative and sustainable options to improve water quality and reduce weed infestations and require scientific advice and support to complete this work.
Review of water quality monitoring and evaluation for DIN-focused projects. (Old ID 27773)
Stephen Lewis
20 Jun 2022 - 31 Aug 2025
Our team will coordinate and provide technical support across all the Reef Trust Partnership (RTP) dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and pesticide projects that involve water quality (WQ) monitoring managed by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The purpose of the work is to ensure that the overall approach - including project design, equipment selection, sampling methods and analysis - is fit-for purpose and (to the extent appropriate) consistent across projects and programs. We will also ensure that project findings are communicated effectively and consistently.
CSIRO - Reef Trust Technical Support (2023061315) (Old ID 30052)
Zoe Bainbridge
12 May 2023 - 30 Aug 2024
The Landscape Repair Program is designed to build on the outcomes of the Reef Trust Phase IV investment, focusing on reduction of sediments through remediation of streambank and gully erosion. JCU-TropWATER will provide technical support and review during the initial program design phase.
2022 Scientific Consensus Statement / Review of Water Quality Targets Projects (Old ID 27867)
Zoe Bainbridge
06 Dec 2022 - 30 Jun 2026
Project Part A: Lead authors selected to deliver synthesis of evidence for assigned questions forming the 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement Project Part C: Review of the GBR end of catchment water quality (sediment and nutrient) targets.
Seagrass Growth and Diversity: Attributes of a Resilient GBR (Old ID 21848)
Catherine Collier
01 Jul 2014 - 31 Aug 2016
The 'Growth' attribute will be carried into Phase II for pilot-scale testing and incorporation into the Reef Resilience Index, while the 'Diversity' attribute will continue as a feasibility study. "Growth' will be predicted using the photosynthesis to respiration ratio (P:R), which indicates energetic status and seagrass populations at risk. The predictive capacity of the model will be tested through pilot-studies into P:R and other growth indicators. Diversity, including genetic and species diversity, show preliminary evidence they respond in the ways relating to climate change. This proposal includes the design of a monitoring framework and leverages off existing data sources to maximise cost-effectiveness.
2015 Woodcutters REMP (Old ID 22095)
Shelley Templeman
01 Mar 2015 - 31 Dec 2019
Development, implementation and reporting of the first stage of a receiving environment monitoring program (REMP) for the closed Woodcutters Mine, Batchelor, Northern Territory.
Quantifying the value of Blue Carbon: Case Study Torres Strait (Old ID 27295)
Alexandra Carter
25 Jun 2021 - 31 Mar 2022
Torres Strait seagrass mapping synthesis and blue carbon presentation.
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