Dredging Science Program

About the Program

The $19 million Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) Dredging Science Node has delivered one of the largest single issue environmental research programs in Australia. This world-class research will vastly improve the planning and regulation of major dredging operations in Western Australia, nationally and internationally.

Perhaps no other environmental issue has been subject to more public debate and controversy in WA over the past decade than the potential impacts on our sensitive marine environment of dredging associated with construction and expansion projects in the mining, energy and port sectors.

The WAMSI project has been a remarkable collaboration between industry, government and research resulting in the unprecedented sharing of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of environmental monitoring data collected during four large-scale dredging projects (Pluto, Cape Lambert, Gorgon and Wheatstone) and provided by Chevron, Woodside and Rio Tinto Iron Ore.

Using in-depth analysis and applied science the project has delivered outputs that will be directly applied to improve the social, environmental and financial outcomes of major marine dredging activities, most notably in the form of improved Environmental Impact Assessment guidelines.

The outcomes are already finding valuable applications in the assessment of current marine dredging proposals in Western Australia and elsewhere, leading to greater confidence for government and industry and delivering practical and real ways to better protect and manage our marine environment.

The WAMSI Dredging Science Node has been made possible through $9.5 million invested by Woodside, Chevron and BHP as environmental offsets and a further $9.5 million co-invested by the WAMSI Joint Venture partners.

Program Management

Name: Dr Ross Jones, AIMS
Project Role: Science Lead
Contact: r.jones@aims.gov.au

Name: Dr Ray Masini, EPA WA
Project Role: Policy Lead
Contact: info@wamsi.org.au

WAMSI DSN Impact 2018

Projects and Reports

Select from all projects within this program, or filter by theme below.

All 42 /1. Review and Consolidation 1 /2/3. Characterising and Predicting Pressure Field 10 /4. Ecological Response: Corals 10 /5. Ecological Response: Primary Producers 10 /6. Ecological Response: Filter Feeders 5 /7. Sensitivity: Corals 4 /8. Sensitivity: Finfish 1 /9. Sensitivity: Other Organisms 1

1. Review and Consolidation

Review and consolidation of available environmental data collected for dredging projects.

2 / 3 Synthesis: Characterising and predicting the pressure field

Predicting and measuring the characteristics of sediments generated by dredging, plus characterisation and prediction of dredge-generated sediment plume dynamics and fate.

2.1 Review: Generation and Release of Sediments by Hydraulic Dredging

A review of available knowledge on the generation of particle size characteristics when material is subjected to dredging processes, dredge-induced sediment resuspension and the early stages of dredge plume development.

2.2 Estimating dredge source terms: Review

A review of contemporary practice in the context of Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia.

3.1.1 Optical remote sensing for dredge plume monitoring: Review

A review of the potential of remote sensing to support dredge plume monitoring, and the availability of existing in situ data that may support further research into the development and validation of applicable remote sensing products.

3.1.2 Sediment transport processes – A Review

In this review we summarise the current state of knowledge and gaps in the various components required to predict sediment transport within coral reef and vegetated coastal ecosystems.

3.1.3 Review – numerical modelling of dredge plumes

This review provides a synthesis of the current knowledge on several key processes for sediment transport modelling, and standard practice of sediment transport modelling around the world.

3.2.1 Plume Characterisation (field studies)

A field program was undertaken during a large scale capital dredging program near Onslow, northwestern Australia (the Wheatstone Project) to collect in situ total suspended solids (TSS) concentration and coincident optical data. These data have been used to develop and test relationships between surface reflectance and TSS.

3.2.2 Plume Characteristics (laboratory studies)

Comparative measurements using various common turbidity sensors, including optical scattering and acoustic scattering instrumentation

3.3 Sediment transport processes over benthic ecosystems

The aim of this project was to build on ‘conventional’ knowledge of sediment transport over bare sandy beds to develop new transport formulations.

3.4 Numerical Modelling of Dredge Plumes

The project sought to improve the modelling of the dynamics and fate of total suspended solids (TSS) in the passive dredge plumes.

4 Synthesis: Coral response to dredging

There is a critical need to establish quantitative relationships between dredging-relating pressures and the responses for key biota.

4.1 Assessing impacts of dredging on corals

Information from several major dredging projects was used to describe sediment particle sizes in the water column/seabed.

4.2 Effects of dredging on water quality

Establishing an evidence-based footprint of water quality impacts associated with dredging is clearly important for a range of stakeholders.

4.3 Estimating sediment deposition fields

Smothering of benthic organisms by high levels of sediment deposition is known to be one of the key cause-effect pathways associated with dredging activities.

4.4 Monitoring of sediment deposition

Design, calibration, laboratory testing, and then subsequent field deployment of an in situ optical backscatter (OBS) sediment deposition sensor.

4.5 Coral Biogeography

To guide the choice of coral species for the laboratory experiments on the effects of dredging activities on adult and juvenile corals, the biogeographic distribution of hard corals in Western Australia was examined.

4.6 Effects of sediments on corals (laboratory studies)

The exposure conditions used in these studies were based on the recent detailed studies of spatial and temporal patterns of dredging plumes from several large scale capital dredging projects.

4.7 Coral demography

Baseline data on demographic processes to improve our understanding of the fundamental population dynamics in relation to recruitment, growth and survival of reef building corals in the Pilbara.

4.8 Mucous sheet production in Porites

The function and biological role of the mucous sheet has been previously explored, yet studies involving exposure to altered environmental conditions have produced equivocal results.

4.9 Effects of dredging activities on water quality: Coral

A three-part report including analysis of the Barrow Island coral health data set.

5 Synthesis: Primary producer response to dredging

Through a combination of laboratory and field experiments, plus field surveys, this theme determines the levels of dredging-related pressures that produce the earliest observable effects on two species of seagrasses considered most ecologically important in the northwest of Western Australia.

5.1.1 Review: dredging and seagrasses

This review summarises our understanding, from a northwest of Western Australia and global perspective, the pressures seagrasses are exposed to from dredging, their tolerance thresholds and responses to dredging related stressors, and the bioindicators of dredging related stressors.

5.1.2 Seagrass Biogeography

This review was undertaken to identify which seagrass primary producers (species or different functional groups) that collectively cover the bio-geographic range of key primary producers in the northwest of Western Australia are most appropriate for the focus of subsequent research into thresholds and indicators of response to dredging-related pressures

5.2 Seagrass genetics

This study was the first of its kind to examine the patterns of genetic diversity in seagrasses in the Pilbara region of WA.

5.3 Seagrass natural dynamics

This study was undertaken to improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns in seagrass composition, abundance and reproductive phenology in the Pilbara.

5.4 Seagrass Recovery Mechanisms

Examining the capacity, duration and mechanisms of recovery of seagrass from a severe localised disturbance.

5.5.1 Light stress thresholds for seagrass

This report presents findings from a controlled burial experiment that aimed to determine the effects of burial by sediments on the growth of two seagrass species.

5.5.2 Sediment burial stress thresholds for seagrass

This report presents findings from a controlled light experiment that aimed to determine the effects of low light stress on the growth of three seagrass species.

5.5.3 Seagrass light frequency reduction experiment

This report presents findings from a controlled mesocosm experiment that aimed to determine the responses of seagrasses to, and recovery from, differences in the pattern of the delivery of light.

5.5.4 Seagrass burial by organic and inorganic sediments under low light

Seagrasses can be negatively affected by dredging-associated deterioration in water clarity due to suspended sediments and burial by the subsequent deposition of those sediments. This report presents findings from a controlled sediment burial experiment.

6 Synthesis: Filter feeder responses to dredging

Extensive dredging projects pose an environmental risk to local filter feeder communities through turbidity and light reduction, impediments to filtration organs and smothering by sedimentation. This project aimed to investigate the nature and thresholds of such risks.

6.1 Review: Dredging and sponges

This review generated an enhanced understanding of shorter-term physiological and longer-term ecological responses of filter feeders to sediment and mechanical effects of dredging gear, and has identified physiological and ecological indicators for use in future work.

6.2 Sponge Biogeography

This study presents information on the biodiversity of sponges in marine environments off northwest Western Australia.

6.3 Field surveys: sponges

Changes in turbidity, sedimentation and light over a two year large scale capital dredging program at Onslow, northwestern Australia, were quantified to assess their effects on filter feeder communities, in particular sponges.

6.4 Pressure/response relationships: sponges

Results of these individual experiments contributed to the derivation of trigger values that can be used to interrogate models for impact prediction and in water quality monitoring programs to alert dredging proponents to levels of stressors that, if continued, could detrimentally impact sponge populations.

7 Synthesis: Dredging pressures on coral

This project aimed to address the environmental effects of sediments on the early life-history stages of corals, coral spawning Environmental Windows and shutdown procedures as applied to large-scale dredging projects in WA.

7.1 Review: Coral spawning in WA

This review examines the effects of turbidity on all aspects of the coral life cycle of corals from gamete development to the early post settlement stage. The focus is on the effects of sediments on broadcast spawning species which usually dominate the tropical coral reef environment.

7.2 Review: Reproductive cycle and dredging – coral

This review provides a brief summary of the methods and sampling protocol for quantifying patterns of reproduction in corals and an approach to quantifying the relative significance of periods of reproductive output that may occur throughout the year.

7.3-7.5 Fertilisation studies – coral

All biologically plausible cause-effect pathways whereby sediment could affect the four broad life phases were identified. A series of experiments were designed and conducted to validate the pathways and determine pressure-response relationships.

8 Review: Dredging pressures on finfish

Dredging can have significant impacts on aquatic environments, but the direct effects on fish have not been critically evaluated. Here, a meta-analysis is used to understand how dredging-related stressors directly influence the effect size and the response elicited in fish.

9.1 Dredging pressures on organisms other than fish and coral

This study reviewed environmental windows for organisms other than corals and fish such as sessile invertebrates, macroalgae and seagrasses. Environmental windows are periods of critical importance to the life history of a marine species, like reproduction and recruitment.

Research Articles

2021

Schönberg C (2021) No taxonomy needed: Sponge functional morphologies inform about environmental conditions. Ecological Indicators https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107806

2020

Jones R, Giofre N, Luter H, Neoh TL, Fisher R, Duckworth A (2020) Responses of corals to chronic turbidity. Scientific Reports https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61712-w

2019

Fisher R, Bessell-Browne P, Jones R (2019) Synergistic and antagonistic impacts of suspended sediments and thermal stress on corals. Nature communications 10:2346. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10288-9

Fromont J, Zoltowska-Aksamitowska S, Galli R, Meissner H, Erpenbeck D, Vacelet J, Diaz C, Tsurkan MV, Petrenko I, Youssef DTA, Ehrlich H (2019) New family and genus of a Dendrilla-like sponge with characters of Verongiida. Part II. Discovery of chitin in the skeleton of Ernstilla lacunosa. Zoologischer Anzeiger doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2019.03.002

Jones R, Fisher R, Bessell-Browne P (2019) Sediment deposition and coral smothering. PLoS ONE 14(6): e0216248. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216248

Vacelet J, Erpenbeck D, Diaz C, Ehrlich H, Fromont J (2019) New family and genus for Dendrilla-like sponges with characters of Verongiida. Part I redescription of Dendrilla lacunosa Hentschel 1912, diagnosis of the new family Ernstillidae and Ernstilla n. g. Zoologischer Anzeiger doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2019.03.001

2018

Dufois F, Lowe R, Rayson M, Branson P. (2018) A numerical study of tropical cyclone-induced sediment dynamics on the Australian North West Shelf. Journal of Geophysical Research. doi:10.1029/2018JC013939

Pomeroy A, Lowe R, Ghisalberti M, Winter G, Storlazzi C, Cuttler M (2018) Spatial Variability of Sediment Transport Processes Over Intratidal and Subtidal Timescales Within a Fringing Coral Reef System. Journal of Geophysical Research doi: 10.1002/2017JF004468

Ricardo G, Jones R, Clode P, Humanes A, Giofre N, Negri A (2018) Sediment characteristics influence the fertilisation success of the corals Acropora tenuis and Acropora millepora. Marine Pollution Bulletin https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.001

Statton J, McMahon K, Lavery P, Kendrick GA (2018) Determining light stress responses for a tropical multi-species seagrass assemblage. Marine Pollution Bulletin 128:508-518 DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.060

Strydom S, McMahon K, Kendrick GA, Statton J, Lavery PS (2018) Short-term responses of Posidonia australis to changes in light quality. Frontiers in Plant Science. Vol 8 17 Jan 2018 doi:10.3389/fpls.2017.02224

Wenger A, Rawson C, Wilson S, Newman S, Travers M, Atkinson S, Browne N, Clarke D, Depczynski M, Erftemeijer P, Evans R, Hobbs JP, McIlwain J, McLean D, Saunders B, Harvey E (2018) Management strategies to minimize the dredging impacts of coastal development on fish and fisheries. Conservation Letters https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12572

2017

Abdul Wahab MA, Fromont J, Gomez O, Fisher R, Jones R (2017) Comparisons of benthic filter feeder communities before and after a large-scale capital dredging program Marine Pollution Bulletin doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.041

Bessell-Browne P, Fisher R, Duckworth A, Jones R, (2017) Mucous sheet production in Porites: an effective bioindicator of sediment related pressures Marine Pollution Bulletin 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.02.023

Bessell-Browne P, Negri AP, Fisher R, Clode PL, Jones R (2017) Cumulative impacts: thermally bleached corals have reduced capacity to clear deposited sediment Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/s41598-017-02810-0

Bessell-Browne P, Negri AP, Fisher R, Clode PL, Duckworth A, Jones R (2017) Impacts of turbidity on corals: The relative importance of light limitation and suspended sediments Ecological Indicators 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.050

Bessell-Browne P, Negri AP, Fisher R, Clode PL, Jones R (2017) Impacts of light limitation on corals and crustose coralline algae Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/s41598-017-11783-z

Dorji P, Fearns P (2017) Impact of the spatial resolution of satellite remote sensing sensors in the quantification of total suspended sediment concentration: A case study in turbid waters of Northern Western Australia. PLoS ONE doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175042

Duckworth A, Giofre N, Jones R (2017) Coral morphology and sedimentation Marine Pollution Bulletin doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.08.036

Dufois F, Lowe R, Branson P, Fearns P. (2017) Tropical cyclone-driven sediment dynamics over the Australian North West Shelf. Journal of Geophysical Research. doi:10.1002/2017JC013518

Fisher R, Walshe T, Bessell-Browne P, Jones R. (2017) Accounting for environmental uncertainty in the management of dredging impacts using probabilistic dose–response relationships and thresholds. J Appl Ecol. doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12936

Fraser MW, Short J, Kendrick G, McLean D, Keesing J, Byrne M, Caley J, Clarke D, Davis A, Erftemeijer PLA, Field S, Gustin-Craig S, Huisman J, Keough M, Lavery P, Masini R, McMahon K, Mengersen K, Rasheed M, Statton J, Stoddart J, Wu P (2017) Effects of dredging on critical ecological processes for marine invertebrates, seagrasses and macroalgae, and the potential for management with environmental windows using Western Australia as a case study Ecological Indicators http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.03.026 For a copy of the reprint contact the author: matthew.fraser@uwa.edu.au.

Hernawan U, Van Dijk K, Kendrick G, Feng M, Biffin E, Lavery P, McMahon K (2017) Historical processes and contemporary ocean currents drive genetic structure in the seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Molecular Ecology DOI:10.1111/mec.13966

McMahon K, Evans R, van Dijk K, Hernawan U, Kendrick G, Lavery P, Lowe R, Puotinen M, Waycott M (2017) Disturbance Is an Important Driver of Clonal Richness in Tropical Seagrasses Frontiers in Plant Science doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.02026

Pineda MC, Strehlow B, Kamp J, Duckworth A, Jones R, Webster N.S. (2017) Effects of combined dredging-related stressors on sponges: a laboratory approach using realistic scenarios Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05251-x

Pineda MC, Strehlow B, Sternel M, Duckworth A, den Haan J, Jones R, Webster N.S. (2017) Effects of sediment smothering on the sponge holobiont with implications for dredging management Scientific Reports 7, Article number: 5156 doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05243-x

Pineda MC, Strehlow B, Sternel M, Duckworth A, Jones R, Webster N.S. (2017) Effect of suspended sediments on the sponge holobiont with implications for dredging management. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05243-x

Pomeroy AW, Lowe RJ, Ghisalberti M, Storlazzi C, Symonds G, Roelvink D (2017), Sediment transport in the presence of large reef bottom roughness Journal of Geophysical Research 10.1002/2016JC011755

Ricardo GF, Jones RJ, Nordborg M, Negri AP (2017) Settlement patterns of the coral Acropora millepora on sediment-laden surfaces. Science of The Total Environment doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.153

Strehlow BW, Pineda M, Duckworth A, Kendrick GA, Renton M, Abdul Wahab M.A., Webster NS, Clode PL. (2017) Sediment tolerance mechanisms identified in sponges using advanced imaging techniques. PeerJ 5:e3904 doi: 10.7717/peerj.3904

Wu P, Caley M.J., Kendrick G. A., McMahon K, Mengersen K (2018) Dynamic Bayesian Network Inferencing for Non homogeneous Complex Systems. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society C: Applied Statistics 67(2): 417-434. DOI 10.1111/rssc.12228

Strydom S, McMahon K, Kendrick G, Statton J, Lavery P (2017) Seagrass Halophila ovalis is affected by light quality across different life history stages. Marine Ecology Progress Series DOI: 10.3354/meps12105

Strydom S, McMahon K, Lavery P (2017) Response of the seagrass Halophila ovalis to altered light quality in a simulated dredge plume. Marine Pollution Bulletin doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.05.060

Wenger A, Harvey E, Wilson S, Rawson C, Newman SJ, Clarke D, Saunders BJ, Browne N, Travers MJ, Mcilwain JL, Erftemeijer PLA, Hobb JPA, Mclean D, Depczynski M, Evans RD (2017) A critical analysis of the direct effects of dredging on fish. Fish Fish. 2017;00:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.1221/full

Wu P, McMahon K, Rasheed M, Kendrick G, York P, Chartrand K, Caley J, Mengersen K (2017) Managing seagrass resilience under cumulative dredging affecting light: Predicting risk using dynamic Bayesian networks. Journal of Applied Ecology DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13037

Wu P, Mengersen K, McMahon K, Kendrick G, Chartrand K, York P, Rasheed M, Caley J (2017) Timing anthropogenic stressors to mitigate their impact on marine ecosystem resilience. Nature Communication doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01306-9

2016

Adams MP, Hovey RK, Hipsey MR, Bruce LC, Ghisalberti M, Lowe RJ, Gruber RK, Ruiz-Montoya L, Maxwell PS, Callaghan DP, Kendrick GA, O’Brien KR (2016), Feedback between sediment and light for seagrass: Where is it important?. Limnology and Oceanography., 61: 1937–1955. doi:10.1002/lno.10319

Cuttler MVW, Lowe RJ, Falter JL, Buscombe D (Dec 2016) Estimating the settling velocity of bioclastic sediment using common grain?size analysis techniques Sedimentology 10.1111/sed.12338

Dorji P, Fearns PA (2016) Quantitative Comparison of Total Suspended Sediment Algorithms: A Case Study of the Last Decade for MODIS and Landsat-Based Sensors. Remote Sensing. 2016; 8(10):810 doi:10.3390/rs8100810

Dorji P, Fearns P, Broomhall M (2016) A Semi-Analytic Model for Estimating Total Suspended Sediment Concentration in Turbid Coastal Waters of Northern Western Australia Using MODIS-Aqua 250 m Data. Remote Sensing. 2016; 8(7):556 doi:10.3390/rs8070556

Fromont J, Abdul Wahab MA, Gomez O, Ekins M, Grol M, Norman Ashby Hooper J. (2016) Patterns of Sponge Biodiversity in the Pilbara, Northwestern Australia Diversity 2016, 8(4), 21; doi: 10.3390/d8040021

Gilmour J, Speed CW, Babcock R (2016) Coral reproduction in Western Australia. PeerJ 4:e2010 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2010

Lafratta A, Fromont J, Speare P, Schönberg C (Feb 2016) Coral bleaching in turbid waters of north-western Australia Marine and Freshwater Research doi.org/10.1071/MF15314

Lowe RJ and Falter JL (2015) Oceanic Forcing of Coral Reefs Annual Review of Marine Science DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-010814-015834

Pineda MC, Strehlow BW, Duckworth A, Doyle J, Jones R, Webster NS Effects of light attenuation on the sponge holobiont- implications for dredging management Scientific Reports (2016) doi:10.1038/srep39038

Pomeroy AWM, Lowe RJ, Ghisalberti M, Storlazzi CD, Cuttler M, Symonds G (2015) Mechanics of sediment suspension and transport within a fringing reef. Coastal Sediments 2015: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/9789814689977_0086

Ricardo GF, Jones RJ, Clode PL, Negri AP (2016) Mucous Secretion and Cilia Beating Defend Developing Coral Larvae from Suspended Sediments. PLoS ONE 11(9): e0162743. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0162743

Ricardo G, Jones, Negri A, Stocker R (Feb 2016) That sinking feeling: Suspended sediments can prevent the ascent of coral egg bundles. Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/srep21567

Strehlow BW, Jorgensen D, Webster NS, Pineda MC, Duckworth A Using a thermistor flowmeter with attached video camera for monitoring sponge excurrent speed and oscular behaviour PeerJ (2016) Dec DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2761

Whinney J, Jones R, Duckworth A, Ridd P (Dec 2016) Continuous in situ monitoring of sediment deposition in shallow benthic environments Coral Reefs DOI 10.1007/s00338-016-1536-7

2015

Fisher R, Stark P, Ridd P, Jones R (Dec 2015) Spatial Patterns in Water Quality Changes during Dredging in Tropical Environments PLOS DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143309

Jones R, Bessell-Browne P, Fisher R, Klonowskic W, Slivkoffc M (Dec 2015) Assessing the impacts of sediments from dredging on corals Marine Pollution Bulletin doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.049

Jones R, Fisher R, Stark C, Ridd P (Oct 2015) Temporal Patterns in Seawater Quality from Dredging in Tropical Environments PLOS DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137112

Jones R, Ricardo GF, Negri AP (Sept 2015) Effects of sediments on the reproductive cycle of corals. Marine Pollution Bulletin doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.08.021

Pineda MC, Duckworth A, Webster N (Jan 2015) Appearance matters: sedimentation effects on different sponge morphologies Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315414001787

Ricardo G, Jones R, Clode P, Humanes A, Negri A. (Dec 2015) Suspended sediments limit coral sperm availability Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/srep18084

Schönberg CHL (Sept 2015) Happy relationships between marine sponges and sediments – a review and some observations from Australia Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315415001411

Schönberg CHL (Dec 2014) Self-cleaning surfaces in sponges Marine Biodiversity DOI: 10.1007/s12526-014-0302-8