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

QRMF_DES (Old ID 31092)
Zoe Bainbridge
01 Jul 2023 - 31 Oct 2024
Identify, review and synthesise existing prioritisation tools and update the WetlandInfo assessment toolbox with information on existing prioritisation tools.
Developing and refining biological indicators for seagrass condition assessments in an integrated monitoring program (Old ID 22243)
Catherine Collier
01 Jul 2015 - 31 Jan 2016
Refinement of biological indicators for condition assessment is an immediate priority as highlighted in a recent review of the GBR Marine Monitoring Program (MMP). Seagrass carbohydrate content is an early-warning indicator of water quality impacts. Samples collected quarterly since 2008 will be analysed and used to establish baselines and optimize protocols for applying carbohydrates as an indicator for future monitoring. Furthermore, calibration formulae to convert seagrass percent cover, the principal condition indicator, to biomass will be developed allowing integration across programs critical for the Reef-Wide Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program. This project provides excellent value for money because samples have been collected in-kind.
Mt Leyshon Receiving Environment Monitoring & Environmental Assessment. (Old ID 26869)
Shelley Templeman
01 Feb 2020 - 31 Dec 2025
Environmental monitoring and assessment to meet regulatory assessment requirements for aquatic, riparian and terrestrial systems in the region of the closed Mt Leyshon mine. In addition, there are investigations and research into site specific water quality and sediment quality objectives.
Improving waterway monitoring in the Australian tropics with eDNA sampling (Old ID 27845)
Cecilia Villacorta Rath
28 Oct 2022 - 27 Jun 2025
This project will develop an eDNA metabarcoding technique to enable a more comprehensive assessment of fish assemblages in tropical waterways than is possible using conventional sampling methods. This project will be undertaken as a collaboration between OzFish Unlimited, Townsville City Council and the Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER). Samples will be collected by OzFish and Townsville City Council volunteers through existing citizen science initiatives.
Deriving ecologically relevant load targets to meet desire ecosystem condition for the Great Barrier Reef: a case study for seagrass meadows in the Burdekin region (Old ID 23153)
Catherine Collier
01 Jan 2017 - 30 Mar 2020
This project will derive ecologically relevant targets (ERTs) for water quality and sediment loads by: 1) defining seagrass desired state targets; 2) calculating water quality guidelines (light); and 3) calculating ERTs for terrestrially sourced sediment loads. Historical and new data collections will be used to derive ERTs via statistical models and eReefs (RECOM), and the seagrass sub-model in eReefs will be used to test ERTs. A framework for setting seagrass desired state will be developed for the entire GBR and water quality guidelines and sediment load ERTs will be quantitatively defined for the Burdekin basin where suspended sediments affect seagrass condition.
Environmental Water Knowledge and Research: Vegetation theme (Old ID 22787)
Cassandra James
31 May 2016 - 30 May 2019
The Environmental Water Knowledge and Research Project is a five year, $10 million project to improve the science available to support environmental water management, and thereby contribute to achieving the Murray-Darling Basin Plan objectives.
Mapping of Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Straits seagrass meadows post floods (Old ID 27628)
Michael Rasheed
29 Apr 2022 - 29 May 2026
This project will map seagrass meadows across Hervey Bay and collect data on intertidal seagrass habitats in Great Sandy Straits to provide post flood update on the state of seagrass meadows in the region.
Operation Lumut (seagrass) Rescue: taking action to restore and monitor seagrass in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park (Old ID 29027)
Michael Rasheed
01 Apr 2023 - 30 Jun 2025
This project brings together local knowledge and ecological expertise to develop a robust, restoration program for seagrass habitats at the Cocos Keeling Island’s southern atoll. Specifically, this project will work to improve our understanding of the natural dynamics and resilience of local seagrass habitats and the pressures acting on them to limit natural recovery, and use this information to identify, trial and evaluate restoration activities to drive seagrass recovery.
Engaging with farmers and demonstrating water quality outcomes to create confidence in on-farm decision-making ("Project 25") (Old ID 22544)
Aaron Davis
01 Jan 2016 - 10 Dec 2018
Recent global experiences suggest that spatially identifying and prioritizing landscape ‘hotspots’ of pollutant generation for management intervention, and small catchment-scale water quality monitoring in collaboration with landholders linking water quality with specific management practices, are among the most promising strategies for reducing water quality pollution. This project will combine recent hotspot identification in GBR sugarcane catchment of the Russel/Mulgrave with targeted cane farmer interaction activities (related to sub-catchment and localized monitoring activities), focusing on emerging monitoring technologies (real-time water quality monitoring) to link farmer on-farm practices with feedback from sub-catchment water quality measurements. The use of both scientific and citizen science monitoring approaches will deliver robust feedback loops to enable farmers to directly link their activities with water quality conditions. The project will focus on on-farm practice improvements in highest priority catchments to achieve maximum benefits to GBR health from catchment management actions.
Deriving ecologically relevant targets to meet desired ecosystem condition for the Great Barrier Reef: a case study for seagrass meadows in the Burdekin region (Old ID 26473)
Catherine Collier
01 Jan 2019 - 10 Dec 2020
This project will derive ecologically relevant targets (ERTs) for water quality and sediment loads for the Burdekin basin and provide the ecological targets required to revise ERTs across the GBR by: 1) defining seagrass desired state targets for the GBR: 2) calculating water quality guidelines (light); and 3) calculating ERTs for te3rrestrially sourced sediment loads, using Cleveland Bay as a case study. Historical and new data collections will be compiled and used to derive ERTs via statistical models and eReefs (RECOM), and the seagrass sub-model in eReefs will be used to test ERTs.

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

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

Title: Supervising Scientist Branch (SSB), DCCEEW
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2023
End Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: Editorial Board Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Editorial Board Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Editorial Board Chemosphere
Reseracher: Sarah McDonald (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Ellison Movie Screening Panel participant
Reseracher: Tim Smith (Senior Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2026
End Date: 01 Jan 2026
Title: PhD, James Cook University
Reseracher: Melanie Hamel (Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2011
End Date: 01 Jan 2015
Title: MSc, University of South Paris 11
Reseracher: Melanie Hamel (Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2005
End Date: 01 Jan 2007
Title: Committee member - Organising committee member of the Australian Marine Science Association, Cairns Conference
Reseracher: Skye McKenna (Principal Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2021
End Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Presenter - Australian Marine Sciences Association Conference 2022
Reseracher: Skye McKenna (Principal Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
End Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: Co-presenter - Reef Resilience Symposium
Reseracher: Skye McKenna (Principal Research Officer)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2024