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

Mackay & Hay Point Marine Water Quality Monitoring (Old ID 21645)
Caroline Petus
30 May 2014 - 30 Nov 2017
This project delivers a 12 month water quality sampling and monitoring program within the region of Port of Mackay and Hay Point. In conjunction with the field sampling, sediment plume modelling, using MODIS, will be completed to further characterise water quality conditions within the study area. This characterisation of water quality conditions will assist in the management of the ports and dredging operations planned for this region under the direction of North Queensland Bulk Ports.
Mapping Marra Sea Country with a focus on benthic habitats of the Limmen Marine Park (Old ID 27076)
Alexandra Carter
26 Nov 2020 - 15 Dec 2023
Understanding the distribution and composition of benthic habitats in the Limmen Marine Park is necessary to manage the park in accordance with the North Marine Parks Network Management Plan and support the aspirations of the Marra People. Our team will survey the marine benthic habitats within and adjacent to the marine park. Recommendations for the marine park’s co-management will be developed. Project outputs will be relevant to multiple users and made accessible by optimizing media streams, including a short film about the Limmen marine park from the perspective of the Marra people and sea rangers.
Benthic monitoring and demersal fish surveys in Limmen Marine Park. (Old ID 29022)
Catherine Collier
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
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
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
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)
Stephen Lewis
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
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.
Habitat characterisation and biodiversity surveys in West Cape York Marine Park and Torres Strait Dugong Sanctuary. (Old ID 27402)
Tim Smith
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)
Len McKenzie
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.

Monitoring mangrove threats across the Torres Straits using remote-sensing

PCPA CHAMP – Port Curtis and Port Alma coastal habitat archive and monitoring program – Final Report

Port of Townsville Seagrass Monitoring Program, Brief Report: May 2022

Subtidal Seagrass Detector: Development and preliminary validation

Review of dugong detections from images collected during a dugong survey in New Caledonia

2022 Dugong Aerial Survey: Mission Beach to Moreton Bay

Benthic Habitat Mapping in the Central Coral Sea Marine Park: Preliminary voyage report for December 2022 survey

Port of Townsville Temporary Offloading Facility Seagrass Assessment May 2021

Half Tide Tug Harbour, Hay Point Marine Plant Assessment – September 2021

2016-2019 National Report Analysis. Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugong and their Habitats throughout their Range

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