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
Applying Indigenous and western science knowledges to inform the sustainable management of a dugong and seagrass hotspot in the Girringun TUMRA (Old ID 27853)
Girringun Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) are deeply concerned about potential threats and reduced resilience for the coastal environment. This project will address knowledge gaps around dugongs and seagrasses that are core to Traditional Owner’s cultural identity and traditional values; critical to the cultural, natural, socio-economic values of the Girringun Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA) and Indigenous Protected Area, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the Hinchinbrook Island Dugong Protection Area. This project is a collaboration between GAC, seagrass and dugong experts from James Cook University, and Charles Darwin University to heal the Reef.
Mapping South East Arnhem Land Sea Country - Intertidal (Old ID 27885)
Understanding the location and extent of ecological and cultural values in Sea Country is necessary to support the aspirations of South East Arnhem Land (SEAL) people and further their connection with Sea Country through sustainable resource management. The proposed SEAL Sea Country IPA has high biodiversity values, including extensive habitat for large foraging populations of dugong and turtles which depend on healthy seagrass. Historical seagrass data, dugong aerial surveys (2019), recent surveys in adjacent Marra Sea Country (2021) and the Yanyuwa IPA (2021-22) indicate that extensive areas of seagrass habitat also occur in the SEAL IPA. However, there are no recent maps of seagrass habitat in the IPA. This project will assist the Aboriginal Traditional Owners to protect, maintain and sustainably manage Aboriginal land/ and sea country within the proposed SEAL Marine Indigenous Protected Area by providing base line bilingual maps, GIS and report of seagrass and other benthic habitats.
Seagrass surveys in the lower Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland (Old ID 29024)
The proposed work is for marine habitat mapping in the in the Thuwathu/Bujimulla Indigenous Protected Area (TBIPA). Benthic habitats for this area have not been surveyed for more than 15 years and so it is considered a high priority for a comprehensive survey. This will expand the scope (i.e. coverage) of planned benthic habitat surveys currently funded by Parks Australia for the Gulf of Carpentaria Marine Park (GOCMP) into the adjacent IPA. Therefore, the proposed project is supported by Parks Australia who have confirmed that this work is outside the scope of their funded work, but complements and enhances their work program given the importance of this area for marine turtle and dugong foraging and to the Lardil, Yangkaal, Kaiadilt and Gangalida Peoples. Funding will be used to procure a helicopter for surveying intertidal areas, and for staff time to undertake the surveys, process the data and deliver the outcomes including a ‘baseline’ map on which rangers can continue to monitor benthic habitat condition and to improve their negotiation on resource condition and use with other stakeholders in the region.
Enhancing AI detection of dugong and other marine megafauna species (Old ID 30032)
Standardised aerial surveys have been conducted across northern Australia for over three decades to monitor dugong populations. JCU is currently monitoring dugongs across the entire eastern Queensland coast using conventional observer survey approach. In parallel to the monitoring work, JCU is experimenting the use of aerial images to conduct these large scales surveys. Preliminary results from the image processing work reveals that substantial efforts need to be put in to streamline and fast-track the processing of large image datasets to make imagery survey a cost-effective approach in the future. An AI for detecting dugongs is available but was developed based on images collected in Western Australian waters, a different habitat compared to eastern Queensland inshore waters. Preliminary tests ran by our team suggest that the current AI requires additional research work to improve its level of precision while other competitive AIs also need to be investigated. Upon completion of our tests, our team will outline steps toward the improvement of the current AI and/or exploration of alternative methods with the end goal of producing an automated approach that fast-tracks the processing of large image datasets collected during large-scale marine wildlife surveys.
Seagrass monitoring for Inshore Marine South Zone for the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership (Old ID 31079)
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.
Sub-catchment scale monitoring, modelling and extension design to support reef water quality improvement (Old ID 22241)
This project aims to develop a sub-catchment scale water quality monitoring program in key cane growing catchments to provide more refined spatial and extension targeting of management action change to reduce nutrient and pesticide runoff from cane areas in order to meet GBR Reef Plan targets. The project will be developed in two key catchments, with a small pilot component to provide 'proof of concept'. The subsequent plan will provide the template for GBR catchment wide water quality monitoring by government agencies.
Monitoring the distribution and abundance of dugongs (and in-water, large marine turtles) within the GBRWHA using a combined aerial observer and imagery approach (Old ID 27811)
This project aims to: (1) to monitor the trends in the abundance and distribution of dugongs within the GBRWHA and (2) contribute to the transition to the use of novel imagery survey technologies to enhance survey methods and accuracy in abundance estimates. The project will be conducted in five main stages which will include: the development of a Traditional Owners engagement strategy and the drafting and submitting regulatory permit applications (stage 1), the development of the survey design and data collection protocols and undertake observer training (stage 2), conduct the dugong observer surveys and imagery experimental work within the GBRWHA (stage 3) and the production of a final report including summary of all survey report findings and advice about the implications of the findings for the conservation and management of dugongs and large marine turtles within the GBRWHA (stage 4).
Weipa quarterly seagrass monitoring and PAR deployment (Old ID 23485)
The aim of this research is to intensely monitor seagrass habitats in the immediate areas around the port infrastructure in the Port of Weipa pre- and post- maintenance dredging. 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 activities. In addition, light and temperature shall be recorded and monitored within the seagrass canopy.
Fostering the repair of Australia's lost shellfish reefs (Old ID 22934)
Shellfish reefs were once prominent features of Australia’s nearshore environments, providing important services such as water filtration, providing food and habitat for fish and protecting shorelines. Less than 1% remain today and restoration projects are starting in most states. This funding will empower me to work with the best shellfish restoration scientists in the USA to develop experimental and assessment methodologies to measure the potential water quality benefits of shellfish restoration in Australia. This project will provide the springboard for myself to become a national leader in the field of coastal restoration. Outputs will include two high-impact publications and a $600,000 Category 1 funding proposal.
2016 MangroveWatch training for Queensland southern Gulf Rangers. (Old ID 23131)
Traditional owners are concerned about the recent mangrove dieback in their area. They have sought the help of Tropwater scientists to train and equip two of their dedicated Ranger teams in Normanton and Burketown for the monitoring and assessment local shorelines. This project will raise capacity of two Ranger teams consisting of around 19 Rangers, to conduct boat-based MangroveWatch surveys in their respective areas of the southern Gulf region.
Coral reef fish smell leaves to find island homes
- 2008
- Royal Society Publishing
- Researchers:Maya Srinivasan
Coral-dwelling fishes resistant to bleaching but not to mortality of host corals
- 2009
- Inter-Research
- Researchers:Maya Srinivasan
Increased accuracy of batch fecundity estimates using oocyte stage ratios in Plectropomus leopardus
- 2009
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Researchers:Alexandra Carter
Start Date:
01 Jan 2023
End Date:
01 Jan 2024
Start Date:
01 Jan 2022
Start Date:
01 Jan 2022
Title:
Editorial Board Chemosphere
Start Date:
01 Jan 2022
Start Date:
01 Jan 2026
End Date:
01 Jan 2026
Title:
PhD, James Cook University
Start Date:
01 Jan 2011
End Date:
01 Jan 2015
Start Date:
01 Jan 2005
End Date:
01 Jan 2007
Start Date:
01 Jan 2021
End Date:
01 Jan 2022
Start Date:
01 Jan 2022
End Date:
01 Jan 2022
Start Date:
01 Jan 2024
End Date:
01 Jan 2024