Science for restoring and enhancing estuary values – Vasse Wonnerup

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Report from the National Estuaries Network Science Forum on Barrier Estuaries

The Department of Water, Water Science Branch and Busselton office together with Geocatch, hosted the National Estuaries Network Science Forum on Barrier Estuaries with special focus on the Vasse Wonnerup System (VWWS) – a wetland of international significance (Ramsar, 1990).

Around 60 estuary managers, researchers and interested community members met in Busselton to exchange information about the Vasse Strategy, science needs for estuary management and the current state of the VWWS. 

Opening comments highlighted that aligned and collaborative sciences, supported by robust baseline level data are essential for effective decision-making.

Implementing the Vasse Strategy includes a restructure of governance arrangements, development of a business case to fund the strategy, reviewing the drainage infrastructure and continued catchment management interventions.

The history of flow and drainage modifications designed to protect Busselton from flooding were also shown to have contributed to the eutrophic conditions in the lower rivers and estuaries.

Advances in hydrological modelling and smarter engineering solutions are being investigated to achieve essential flood protection as well as better water quality by increased dilution of lowland river flows, helping to reduce nutrient concentrations and the undesirable expression of nuisance algal blooms and fish kills.

Early stage research projects, part of the South West Catchment Council Research Node for the Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands will explore quantitative food web structure, nutrient sources and sinks and socio-economic factors.

The connection with and potential impacts on the receiving water body – Geographe Bay were also explored.  Geographe Bay has one of the largest seagrass meadows on the WA coast. A nation-wide risk assessment for seagrass meadows indicated that climate-driven temperature increase poses the greatest threat to South West seagrass integrity and that this is a greater threat than estuarine water nutrient discharge to Geographe Bay due to the drying climate pattern.

The feedback from members of the National Estuaries Network was that all of the elements needed for successful restoration appear to be in place but the integrated and thoughtful synthesis of all actions, progress and estuary health status updates would greatly assist communication between all stakeholders and sustain the momentum of support that has emerged.

Community interest is high, there has been 18 years of GeoCatch activity in catchment restoration and some highly visible media campaigns for behaviour change such as “Save the Crabs and Eat Them”.  Community members appreciated the opportunity to engage with estuary managers and researchers.

Vasse Wonnerup System and adjacent Geographe Bay are incredible natural assets; with the strong community interest, there are opportunities to greatly enhance eco-tourism activities around this wetland benefiting the economy, society and environment.


We thank all the people who participated in this event. The Abstract booklet includes the speakers and their contact information.


National Estuaries Science Forum on Barrier Estuaries (Busselton)

 

 

What’s eating you? Solving the seagrass mystery

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THE waters of the Bardi Jawi Indigenous Protection Area (IPA), 160km north of Broome, are paradise for seagrass: warm water, lots of light and a pristine, protected environment means these seagrasses grow fast, so why are they so short?

The answer, according to CSIRO marine ecologist Dr Mat Vanderklift, could change the way we think about healthy seagrass systems.

“The dictum in seagrass ecology is that seagrass is mostly not eaten, but that’s perhaps just a modern phenomenon,” he says.

“Most of what we know about seagrass comes from places that have been heavily fished and hunted for centuries, but if we look at places with pretty intact food webs, places like the Kimberley, it seems that seagrass is eaten a lot.”

Working with the Bardi Jawi Rangers, Dr Vanderklift is part of an ongoing collaborative project to learn more about ecological processes in the Kimberley.

“We’re currently focused on understanding how much seagrass is being eaten, and what’s eating it,” he says.

A picture of a rabbitfish or barrbal. Credit: Mat Vanderklift

 

The team’s 2014 work indicates part of the answer lies with the rabbitfish (Siganus lineatus) or barrbal, a food source important to local communities.

The initial clues, he says, came from the mouth morphology and gut contents of a single fish.

Subsequent analysis of 30 barrbal caught in three places around islands in the Bardi Jawi IPA indicated “half to three-quarters of what’s in their stomach is seagrass,” Dr Vanderklift says.

Recently the team have turned their attention to green turtles (Chelonia mydas) or goorlil, tagging the herbivores to study how often and when they use seagrass beds.

“When we’re out there on the boat, we can see as the tide’s rising, these turtles are moving out across the seagrass beds,” he says.

“A logical inference is that they’re coming in to eat the seagrasses.”

Seagrasses in-situ in the Kimberley. Credit: Mat Vanderklift

 

Dr Vanderklift says he is excited by what the team has already achieved and will continue to learn.

“The rangers have a wealth of experience and knowledge about the system, and combining that knowledge with some of the approaches we are taking in as scientists is really profitable,” he says.

Established in 2006, the Bardi Jawi Rangers are facilitated by the Kimberley Land Council and manage more than 250km of coastline and 340,700 hectares of land, 95,000ha of it is Bardi Jawi IPA.

“I get to spend time and interact with these guys and learn from them,” Dr Vanderklift says.

“They teach me a lot, they know a lot.”

Notes:

This story pertains to deliveries in themes 1 and 2 of the Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy.

 

Category: 

Kimberley Marine Research Program

What do you value about the Kimberley coast?

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Murdoch University is gathering information on what local residents value about the Kimberley coast and waters and what preferences you have for its management. The WAMSI research project aims to assist Government to make informed decisions about coastal management, now and into the future.

We want to hear from as many different people as possible through our online survey. Every voice counts! Just click on the link:

http://www.landscapemap2.org/kimberley

The survey will take around 30 minutes and all information you give will be anonymous. There is also a small thank you gift once you finish the survey but these are limited so get in quick.

Please help us out and have your say about how you would like to see the Kimberley coast managed in the future!

Contact Jennifer Strickland-Munro (J.Strickland-Munro@murdoch.edu.au) if you would like any more information on the study.

 

Read more:

 

Kimberley Marine Science Program survey to quiz residents about favourite coastal spots.

What is the Kimberley worth?

 

Category:

Kimberley Marine Research Program

Kimberley Traditional Owners establish research agreement with WAMSI

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The first of several legal research agreements between the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) and Traditional Owners of the Kimberley has been signed paving the way for a consistent and respectful partnership approach to conducting marine science in the region.

The opportunity to develop a standard for conducting research projects within the Kimberley was welcomed by Traditional Owner groups who have had concerns about the way engagement and research has been approached previously in many circumstances.

“The Dambimangari Traditional Owners wanted to establish formal guidelines to oversee work in their land and sea country to make sure it is approached respectfully and properly,” Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation CEO Peter McCumstie said. “This agreement gives us confidence to engage more readily, providing the opportunity to share knowledge between researchers and Traditional Owners and a solid framework for future research. From this point on we don’t have to spend a lot of time on the legalities and administrative arrangements in each case, which allows us to focus on our shared goals and outcomes desired by scientists and Traditional Owners alike.“

The agreement, that will govern research in Dambimangari Sea Country, ensures that consistent steps are in place for project planning and consent, ranger and Traditional Owner involvement in fieldwork, management of intellectual property and publishing around sensitive information.  

The agreement encourages the Dambimangari people to assist researchers in current projects and also to work with them to identify and partner on future research. 

The Dambimangari rangers, established by Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation to look after land and sea country, are already working with WAMSI researchers on a number of projects.

The Dambimangari Determination Area is situated north of Derby and stretches east to the Prince Regent area, covering more than 1.4 million hectares. The marine areas or ‘sea country’ encompass the tropical waters of the Lalang-garram /Camden Sound Marine Park, an important nursery area for humpback whales. It includes Montgomery Reef, Australia’s largest inshore reef, and is where culturally important sea turtle, dugong and saltwater fish can be found. 

The research completed by WAMSI and the Dambimangari people will help inform the future adaptation of the Lalang-garram / Camden Sound Marine Park management plan.

“This is an important step forward in developing a solid working relationship with the custodians of the Kimberley coastline where WAMSI is undertaking 25 research projects funded by the WA government to support the marine initiatives in the Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy,” WAMSI CEO Patrick Seares said.   

“The agreement signed by the Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation covers nine projects and is the first to be approved in the region.  We’re now working through agreements with the Bardi Jawi community and the Kimberley Land Council to develop the same sort of consistent approach to conducting research in the area.

“It’s hoped that these agreements can be relied on to support future research along the Kimberley coastline making it easier and more efficient for both Traditional Owners and researchers to engage and get out on the water together,” Mr Seares said.  

 

The $30 million Kimberley Marine Research Program is funded through major investment supported by $12 million from the Western Australian government co-invested by the WAMSI partners and supported by the Traditional Owners of the Kimberley. 

Category: 

Kimberley Marine Research Program

Bardi Jawi Rangers turtle tagging expedition

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By KLC
The Bardi Jawi Rangers have been tagging turtles with satellite transmitters to discover more about their genetics, life cycle, travel and feeding patterns.

During the four-day research expedition, data was collected from more than 30 green turtles within the One Arm Point area on the Dampier Peninsula.

CSIRO scientist Mat Vanderklift prepares to attach a satellite tag to Iwany the green turtle while children from the Bardi Jawi community watch.

Bardi Jawi Indigenous Protected Area coordinator Daniel Oades said the satellite project had been a collaborative effort involving researchers and scientists from CSIRO and DPaW and the Bardi Jawi Rangers.

He said flipper and satellite tags were used as a way to capture various data about the marine species.

Local schoolchildren release a green turtle after it has been weighed and measured by scientists and rangers

“The satellite tags use a saltwater switch, so that when the turtle comes to the surface for air it sends signal fixes to a satellite to record location,’’ Daniel said.

“Another satellite tag focuses on transmitting depth and dive profile data. This is important because we don’t understand what turtles are doing for the majority or their life cycle, where they are going and where they are feeding.

“Bardi Jawi is not a high density nesting area for turtles but more of a foraging ground, so tagging turtles here will provide us with information about what turtles are coming past, what they are using Bardi Jawi country for, where they are coming from, whether it’s from Indonesia or the north-west shelf genetic stock of Australia.’’

The rangers collected the turtles and brought them to the ranger vessel Almban where they were measured and weighed and had their general health recorded. Skin and blood samples were collected for genetic testing and all the turtles were fitted with flipper tags.

“The rangers used their traditional knowledge to find the best place to locate and capture the turtles. Through being involved in satellite tagging, we get to improve on our marine science and research skills and test out our ranger vessel as a working platform,’’ Daniel said.

“We had the Bardi Jawi Oorany (Women) Rangers and about a dozen school children join in. Many of the young kids hadn’t done this sort of thing before, so it was also a good opportunity to teach our young people and show them the different ways of looking after country.’’

You can track the tagged green turtles via their satellite signal web page by clicking on the map:

 

 

The $30 million Kimberley Marine Research Program is funded through major investment supported by $12 million from the Western Australian government co-invested by the WAMSI partners and supported by the Traditional Owners of the Kimberley. 

Category:

Kimberley Marine Research Program

‘Big Data’ part of big plan for WA’s marine future

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AS PART of Big Data Week (April 20-26), ScienceNetwork WA invited the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre to share some of its insights on big data through a five-part series. Today, read about how the Western Australian Marine Science Institute (WAMSI) is meeting big data needs across all forms of marine research in WA.

WAMSI is making big data a key point in its Blueprint for Marine Science 2050, an initiative that will benefit researchers, governments, industry and the environment.

With around 20,000km of coastline, almost a third of Australia’s total, marine science is crucial for WA—and big data plays a key role for marine science according to WAMSI Data Manager Luke Edwards.

“Marine science is a broad church of disciplines—there are oceanographers, researchers looking into human environmental impacts, marine biologists and so on, and these are all producing large quantities of their own particular data sets.

“As well as this, there’s a great variety of data formats and that’s what can really make things difficult.”

The Blueprint, launched by Premier Colin Barnett in April, includes contributions from over 170 stakeholders from research, government and industry.

It aims to “…prioritise the key knowledge and capability gaps…” in WA marine science, and big data is playing a key role in this.

Big data is focused on more than simply big data in terms of size—it is also about making better use of the data collected, greatly benefiting marine science in WA.

“Where big data really links into the Blueprint is in underlying standards,” Mr Edwards says.

“You’ve got government agencies creating data, along with industry, academia and others but traditionally this data hasn’t really been shared.

“Part of the Blueprint is about creating common standards across WA, so then you can start making better use of that data.”

A large part of big data in WA marine science is focused on making data more available and open, which can greatly increase the use of that data.

“You don’t really just want to use the data you’ve collected once and then not be able to use it again—it’s about being able to reuse it,” Mr Edwards says.

By ensuring future WA marine science data is open and consistent, the Blueprint means that data collected can be used constructively by a range of bodies including researchers, industry, government and conservation groups.

“The Blueprint is crucial in terms of forward planning,” Mr Edwards says.

“WA has a huge coastline, which makes us a natural ‘hub’ for this type of push in marine science, which holds benefits for both WA and Australia.

“WAMSI in particular has been really proactive in terms of coordinating research, so this makes it a natural vehicle to coordinate marine science across WA.”

 

Aerial surveys generate first human activity maps for the Kimberley coast

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Professor Lynnath Beckley from Murdoch University has led a team who spent two years using low altitude aerial surveys to monitor along the Kimberley coast and adjacent waters.

“People always talk about the remoteness and the emptiness of the Kimberley but this is the first time anyone has actually quantified human presence along the whole coast,” said Professor Lynnath Beckley.

“We were interested in finding out where people were spending time along the coast, and also what they were doing.”

The survey area ran along Eighty Mile Beach, Roebuck Bay, the Dampier Peninsula, King Sound, Buccaneer Archipelago and Camden Sound.

“This sort of information is vital for environmental managers and the Department of Parks and Wildlife to appropriately plan for biodiversity conservation and tourism, particularly as human activities in the area grow,” Professor Beckley said.

“The coast from Port Hedland to Wyndham has Traditional Owners, towns and communities, commercial endeavours, tourism and recreation activities and several marine parks.

“There are about 40,000 residents in the study area with more than 16,000 people living on the Dampier Peninsula.”

Results of the surveys showed that human use of the region is very seasonal and concentrated in particular areas of the coast with good road access.

As expected, the number of people along the shore and number of boats operating in coastal waters were much higher during the dry season from May to October. Nevertheless, local residents were observed to get out and about during the wet season to participate in various recreational activities.

“On Eighty Mile Beach people were mainly concentrated around the caravan park with anglers and their associated four-wheel drive vehicles clumped into about 30 kilometres of coastline,” she said.

“Camping during the dry season was largely confined to the larger caravan parks at Eighty Mile Beach and Port Smith, but also seen at Barn Hill Station and Cape Keraudren.

“This study has provided a spatially explicit benchmark of human recreational activities at the inception of the newly created Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park,” Professor Beckley said.

The research team also monitored boating in the central Kimberley region, through both aerial surveys and a collation of data about voyages of cruise vessels.

“Cruise vessels operate mainly from April to September between Broome and Wyndham with most of the vessels offering boutique expeditions with less than 20 passengers.

Montgomery Reef was the most popular destination in their itineraries with 275 visits by cruise vessels in 2013.

“Along with Montgomery Reef, the most popular sights for cruise vessels included Horizontal Falls, Raft Point, Prince Regent River and Talbot Bay. Passengers often go ashore in small boats to swim, fish and undertake scenic walks to view waterfalls, rock art and historical sites,” Professor Beckley said.

Read More:

Researchers take a snapshot of how we use the Kimberley coast

Listen to Professor Beckley’s presentation at the WAMSI Research Conference here: Lynnath Beckley, Murdoch University – Patterns of human use

 

The $30 million Kimberley Marine Research Program is funded through major investment supported by $12 million from the Western Australian government co-invested by the WAMSI partners and supported by the Traditional Owners of the Kimberley. 

Category:

Kimberley Marine Research Program

Oxygen and temperature levels examined in Kimberley reef

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MARINE scientists are using results from a recent reef study at Tallon Island, north of Broome, to develop predictive models for use on other reef systems in the Kimberley.

Speaking at the 2015 WAMSI Research Conference, University of Western Australia Associate Professor Ryan Lowe said the interactions occurring in these ‘tidally-forced’ reefs still remain unknown in relation to the widespread literature of wave-dominated reefs worldwide.

“There’s little known about the function and productivity of these reef systems so the goal is to really understand the nutrient dynamics in these types of environments,” he said.

A/Prof Lowe’s field program focused on detailed process-studies of the Tallon Island platform reef to understand the role of extreme environmental variability.

“We wanted to understand how the extreme environmental variability influences the benthic productivity of reef communities,” he says.

Using an array of synchronised current meters, tide gauges and thermistors (measurement and control instrument) A/Prof Lowe and his team researched primary production under extreme physical force by focusing on coral, algae and seagrass.

The results from the intensive field study, conducted three times during the dry and wet seasons, were used to measure the temperature variability across the intertidal reef.

Seagrass feels hot under the collar

A/Prof Lowe said extreme temperature variables were affecting the reef, with spatial patterns causing seagrass warming of up to almost 35 and 40 degrees Celsius.

“One of the striking things is the substantial tidal variations on these reefs,” he said.

“It is good in that it keeps these reefs from drying out during the day but it reduces the exchange of water in the ocean so it allows these extremes in temperatures and biogeochemicals to occur.”

At low tide the scientists were able to track the water mass through drifters and measure the changes in oxygen, nutrients and chlorophyll.

“From this information we can calculate influxes. From oxygen we can estimate rates in production and respiration and from the nutrients and chlorophyll we can estimate the uptake and release,” A/Prof Lowe said.

The scientists noticed extreme variations in oxygen, with primary producers such as seagrasses and algae producing a high amount during the daytime but with a noticeable decrease during the evening.

“However, we are getting twice as much post primary production in the seagrass zone as we are in the algal zone,” he says.

 

Listen to Ryan Lowe’s presentations at the WAMSI Research Conference 2015:

Ryan Lowe, UWA – Primary production

Ryan Lowe, UWA – Redefining sediment transport models over sensitive benthic habitats

 

The $30 million Kimberley Marine Research Program is funded through major investment supported by $12 million from the Western Australian government co-invested by the WAMSI partners and supported by the Traditional Owners of the Kimberley. 

The WAMSI Dredging Science Node is made possible through $9.5 million invested by Woodside, Chevron and BHP as environmental offsets. A further $9.5 million has been co-invested by the WAMSI Joint Venture partners, adding significantly more value to this initial industry investment. The node is also supported through critical data provided by Chevron, Woodside and Rio Tinto Iron Ore.

Category:

Kimberley Marine Research Program

Coast and Ocean: A community biodiversity exhibition

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In March this year the Geraldton community joined UWA Oceans Institute Artist-in-residence Angela Rossen in a biodiversity project to discover and document the living things of the Geraldton beaches. 

Together they observed then drew, painted and photographed all the plants and animals of the coastal and marine environments.

Geraldton Primary School Biodiversity Painting

Members of the Birdlife Midwest Geraldton Group, Friends of Bluff Point and Geraldton and the Regional Herbarium Group contributed their special knowledge at the field and studio events.

The artworks that were created are now being presented to the public as a stunning exhibition at the WA Museum Geraldton open from 9th to the 22nd May.

 
Angela Rossen talks to St Mary’s students about  coastal biodiversity. Photo:J.Allen

 

“The people of Geraldton have really entered into the project with many participating in the field events and workshops,” Ms Rossen said. This exhibition is both artistically strong with beautiful renderings of the local biota as well as educational – it is a biology lesson in pictures.”   

“These artworks will take you on a tour from the top of the coastal dunes out to the fringing reefs showing all living things that make the beaches so special,” Angela Rossen said.  “You will find everything from plankton and tiny invertebrates, crustaceans, coral, seagrasses, seaweed, fish, sharks, rays, shore birds, reptiles, dune plants and much more.”

The project was supported by Community Arts Network WA, Department for Culture and the Arts and the project partners: Council of Greater Geraldton, The Northern Agricultural Catchment Council and the Western Australian Museum Geraldton.

Coastal Fauna workshop Photo: J. Kennedy

EVENT:  Coast and Ocean: A community biodiversity exhibition

WHERE: Western Australian Museum, Geraldton. Batavia Coast Marina

WHEN: 9-22 May, 2015

In The News: Coastline Winter Edition 2015

 

Attached files: 

PDF iconExhibition Flyer No1_web.pdf PDF iconExhibition Flyer No2_web.pdf

GoPros underwater research tools of the future

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An international team, including researchers from the Centre for Marine Futures at The University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute, recently completed a study which has found GoPros to be a cheaper and easy to use camera for underwater videography, compared to more traditional cameras.

GoPros are increasingly being used for underwater videography because of their low-cost, widespread availability and small size.  This convenience makes them ideal to use for marine videography, however uncertainty has remained about how accurately these cameras could measure marine species.

The research team compared the use of traditional handheld cameras to GoPros in a pool-based study.  The GoPro camera and a traditional handheld camera were used to capture measurements of marine species to test the accuracy of both cameras.

Several factors were tested included the distance to the camera, the angle and the speed.  Although the accuracy decreased with the increased angles and distance for both systems, the precision of the GoPros was improved for marine life at less than five metres with an optical angle of 25 degrees. 

Researchers also examined the capacity of both cameras to estimate fish length by measuring the same fish on a coral reef with two baited remote underwater video systems, one fitted with a GoPro and one with a traditional camera.  The measurements were largely similar, supporting the use of the GoPro small action camera when used in combination with measurement protocols.

Lead author, fish ecologist Dr Tom B. Letessier said the research indicated that while the GoPros were generally less accurate than other cameras, the difference was not significant. 

“This study supports the use of small action cameras such as the GoPro system, which are cheaper and easy to use, compared with traditional and more expensive handheld cameras,” said Dr Letessier.

“The cheaper and easy to use cameras allows for more data collection, which is particularly good when we study rare big predator fish that are of conservation concern.”  

The study was originally published in international journal Journal of Experiment Marine Biology and Ecology.

Story courtesy: UWA Oceans Institute