While unusually warm sea temperatures in the Kimberley region threaten to cause further coral bleaching between April and May, researchers have joined with the Bardi-Jawi Land and Sea Rangers to provide the first detailed look into the process of fish and coral replenishment and the importance of marine plants in the ecosystem. By the end […]
Scientists have tested a breakthrough in sensing sediment risks to reefs that uses bundles of fibre optic sensors and hundreds of countersunk holes to mimic coral. Sedimentation is considered one of the most widespread causes of stress on coral reefs, and researchers are working to understand the patterns of suspension and resuspension caused by wind, […]
An examination of whether dredging operations suspended during generic windows of environmental sensitivity could reduce the impacts on marine life has found the marine invertebrates, seagrasses and macroalgae too diverse to be covered by a one-size-fits-all approach. An international team of researchers were involved in the review for the Western Australian Marine Science Institutions’ Dredging […]
Early stages of fish life, such as eggs and larvae, are most likely to suffer lethal impacts from dredging-related stress, while adult fish that migrate from fresh water to the sea to spawn (catadromous fishes) are more likely to change behaviour, according to new research. A team led by University of Queensland postdoctoral researcher Amelia […]
Renowned for its extreme tides, the waters of the Kimberley host seagrass and microalgae that thrive against the odds. A three-year study combined science and traditional knowledge to uncover some of the secrets of these fascinating species, and the herbivors that feed on them. Click here to read the full article by Mat Vanderklift and […]
Category: Kimberley Marine Research Program
Category: Dredging Science
Three new reports have been released on the primary producer responses to dredging. There is almost no knowledge of how seagrass primary producers in the northwest of Australia will respond to the environmental changes produced by dredging. Consequently, it is difficult to predict and then manage the impacts of dredging on these critical habitats with […]
Australian snubfin dolphins in the Kimberley appear to form at least three genetic populations that require careful management, according to new research. The snubfin and humpback dolphin are unique to shallow, coastal waters of northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Both species are found off the coast of the Kimberley, though little is known of […]