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A unique integrated approach to predicting fisheries recruitment. This projects plans to explore the causes of the worldwide decline in the highly lucrative spiny lobster fisheries that has occurred in recent decades. This decline has been attributed to ocean warming, however, the exact mechanism contributing to the demise of lobsters is not known. This project will use a hierarchy of oceanic models of increasing complexity combined with a unique spiny lobster data set to investigate the relatio ....A unique integrated approach to predicting fisheries recruitment. This projects plans to explore the causes of the worldwide decline in the highly lucrative spiny lobster fisheries that has occurred in recent decades. This decline has been attributed to ocean warming, however, the exact mechanism contributing to the demise of lobsters is not known. This project will use a hierarchy of oceanic models of increasing complexity combined with a unique spiny lobster data set to investigate the relationship between larval health, physiology and environmental variables and how this affects survival and successful recruitment into the fishery. An understanding of these complex relationships is expected to enable the first predictions of larval survival and settlement in a region of accelerated ocean warming, and provide critical information for sustainable fisheries management.Read moreRead less
Hydrodynamics of Intermittently Closing and Opening Lakes and Lagoons. Intermittently closing and open lakes and lagoons are shallow coastal water bodies that are connected intermittently to the ocean. Sixty of the 135 estuaries in New South Wales are considered to be ICOLL's. The closure of the Lake/Lagoon entrance to the ocean prevents water exchange that can lead to poor water quality. Detailed field and numerical model studies in two ICOLLS (Coila Lake and Wamberal Lagoon) are proposed us ....Hydrodynamics of Intermittently Closing and Opening Lakes and Lagoons. Intermittently closing and open lakes and lagoons are shallow coastal water bodies that are connected intermittently to the ocean. Sixty of the 135 estuaries in New South Wales are considered to be ICOLL's. The closure of the Lake/Lagoon entrance to the ocean prevents water exchange that can lead to poor water quality. Detailed field and numerical model studies in two ICOLLS (Coila Lake and Wamberal Lagoon) are proposed using modern instrumentation. It is recognised that a fundamental understanding of the circulation and mixing characteristics of ICOLLs is imperative for the development of proper management strategies for these systems.Read moreRead less
Effect of deep-sea drilling on sustainability of deep-sea ecosystems. Offshore oil and gas production makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy and enhances our energy security. Australia's vast deep-sea reserves of hydrocarbons lie on the NW Shelf and in Bass Strait, ecological 'hot spots' that are extremely vulnerable to the impact of exploration, extraction and production. Using deep-sea equipment, we will conduct the field experiments that are essential to understanding the ....Effect of deep-sea drilling on sustainability of deep-sea ecosystems. Offshore oil and gas production makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy and enhances our energy security. Australia's vast deep-sea reserves of hydrocarbons lie on the NW Shelf and in Bass Strait, ecological 'hot spots' that are extremely vulnerable to the impact of exploration, extraction and production. Using deep-sea equipment, we will conduct the field experiments that are essential to understanding these ecosystems and the impact of deep-sea structures. Our advances will produce data and develop methodologies that will make Australia a world leader in reconciling our deep-sea energy and environmental needs.Read moreRead less
Transitions in wave breaking from deep to shallow water . The predominant impact on coastal geomorphology, marine safety and coastal structures is from breaking waves, especially from storms. This project will provide the first unified formulation of breaking wave effects from deep to shallow water, which will increase wave forecast model accuracy and hence improve coastal zone design and safety outcomes.
New tools for managing ecosystem responses to climate change on the southern Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) underpins over $4 billions of economic activity each year. Recent evidence suggests that reefs like the GBR are vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself at both local and global scales. Providing the tools for tracking and understanding these changes is vitally important to effective reef management strategies. This project will provide a major advance in o ....New tools for managing ecosystem responses to climate change on the southern Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) underpins over $4 billions of economic activity each year. Recent evidence suggests that reefs like the GBR are vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself at both local and global scales. Providing the tools for tracking and understanding these changes is vitally important to effective reef management strategies. This project will provide a major advance in our understanding and the tools available to manage the impacts of climate change. In doing so, it will also produce the first comprehensive and multidisciplinary look at how environmental variability impacts coral reef organisms from corals to seabird populations.Read moreRead less
Assessing the risk of ocean acidification for the Great Barrier Reef. The increase in greenhouse gases such as CO2 represents a challenge for coral reefs such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR). While the impact of greenhouse warming on coral reefs has been partially explored, the potentially serious implications of a decrease in ocean pH due have not been properly assessed. Detecting and understanding changes to carbonate concentrations and reef calcification are of great importance if ....Assessing the risk of ocean acidification for the Great Barrier Reef. The increase in greenhouse gases such as CO2 represents a challenge for coral reefs such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR). While the impact of greenhouse warming on coral reefs has been partially explored, the potentially serious implications of a decrease in ocean pH due have not been properly assessed. Detecting and understanding changes to carbonate concentrations and reef calcification are of great importance if managers are to respond strategically to potential ecological changes. This project directly addresses National Research Priority 1 of achieving 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia' by addressing the priority goal of 'Responding to climate change and variability'.Read moreRead less
Winter temperature and salinity profile measurements in the Southern Ocean using elephant seals as ocean sampling platforms. As a result of the paucity of winter data in the Southern Ocean, sophisticated ocean models such as the GFDL MOM are hampered in their ability to properly represent the complex processes in the Antarctic sea ice zone. Elephant seals forage in the Southern Ocean throughout winter, and traverse the water column between 0 and 800 metres many times each day, providing an oppo ....Winter temperature and salinity profile measurements in the Southern Ocean using elephant seals as ocean sampling platforms. As a result of the paucity of winter data in the Southern Ocean, sophisticated ocean models such as the GFDL MOM are hampered in their ability to properly represent the complex processes in the Antarctic sea ice zone. Elephant seals forage in the Southern Ocean throughout winter, and traverse the water column between 0 and 800 metres many times each day, providing an opportunity to collect profiles of temperature and salinity. The resulting data will contribute to oceanographic studies of water mass formation and frontal variability, including comparisons with historical data and assimilation into a complex ocean model.Read moreRead less
An integrated examination of the drivers of movements of large filter feeding organisms of high ecotourism value: a case study. This aim is to define key drivers behind movements of large filter-feeding organisms, using the manta ray as a model system. As dive eco-tourism often depends on the presence of such charismatic filter-feeding animals, an understanding of why animals occupy particular sites at particular times is important, especially in the face of climate change.
Quantifying vertical and lateral ocean transport due to fronts and eddies. This project aims to quantify the intensity and location of ocean currents at unprecedented fine spatial scales by using data from a new generation of high-resolution satellites. These fine scales dominate the lateral and vertical transport of ocean-borne material, including heat, larvae and pollutants like oil and plastics, yet are poorly understood. New algorithms for processing satellite data will be developed and test ....Quantifying vertical and lateral ocean transport due to fronts and eddies. This project aims to quantify the intensity and location of ocean currents at unprecedented fine spatial scales by using data from a new generation of high-resolution satellites. These fine scales dominate the lateral and vertical transport of ocean-borne material, including heat, larvae and pollutants like oil and plastics, yet are poorly understood. New algorithms for processing satellite data will be developed and tested using in situ data in the significant North West Shelf region. Expected outcomes will be novel methods to identify ocean currents and a paradigm shift in quantification of fine-scale ocean dynamics. This will benefit operational oceanography in the areas of maritime safety, defence, fisheries and the offshore industry.Read moreRead less
Ocean response to tropical cyclone forcing on the Australian North West Shelf. Tropical cyclones are a major hazard for the offshore oil and gas industry. This project will develop the ability to predict the ocean response to tropical cyclones, leading to a paradigm shift in the way industry designs and operates both present and future offshore projects.