Environment modelling of Great Barrier Reef habitats using Autonomous Transect Surveying. This project has as its goal the development of algorithms and methods capable of modeling unstructured, reef environments using data collected by an autonomous robotic system capable of surveying the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) currently has a small research Umanned Underwater Vehicle capable of undertaking such survey work. Under the proposed project, this vehicle ....Environment modelling of Great Barrier Reef habitats using Autonomous Transect Surveying. This project has as its goal the development of algorithms and methods capable of modeling unstructured, reef environments using data collected by an autonomous robotic system capable of surveying the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) currently has a small research Umanned Underwater Vehicle capable of undertaking such survey work. Under the proposed project, this vehicle will be equipped with appropriate sensors (such as vision systems, sonar, depth and temperature sensors). The proposed grant will support an APA (I) whose aim will be the construction of comprehensive models of the state of the reef over which the vehicle will operate.Read moreRead less
Port Stephens Flood Tide Delta: Shoreline Management Issues. The results of this project will contribute substantially to the knowledge of flood tide delta morphodynamics and specifically to those deltas exposed to ocean waves which are most typical throughout eastern and southern Australia. The model generated by the project will be used to test solutions to the problems in Port Stephens and more generally to similar systems elsewhere in Australia. The model will permit the assessment of the re ....Port Stephens Flood Tide Delta: Shoreline Management Issues. The results of this project will contribute substantially to the knowledge of flood tide delta morphodynamics and specifically to those deltas exposed to ocean waves which are most typical throughout eastern and southern Australia. The model generated by the project will be used to test solutions to the problems in Port Stephens and more generally to similar systems elsewhere in Australia. The model will permit the assessment of the responses of the deltas and shoreline to climate change, changing wave climate and reinvigorated sediment budgets, thereby addressing National Research priority-Responding to climate change and variability. The project will is provide training for one APDI and two APAIs in a range of skills.Read moreRead less
Improving the success of hybrid living shorelines for coastal protection. This project aims to improve the success of hybrid living shorelines that combine the restoration of mangroves and oysters with engineered structures to enhance restoration outcomes and coastal hazard resilience. It expects to generate new knowledge on the effectiveness of innovative coastal-manager-led solutions that have not yet been robustly evaluated. Expected outcomes of this project include delivery of the technical ....Improving the success of hybrid living shorelines for coastal protection. This project aims to improve the success of hybrid living shorelines that combine the restoration of mangroves and oysters with engineered structures to enhance restoration outcomes and coastal hazard resilience. It expects to generate new knowledge on the effectiveness of innovative coastal-manager-led solutions that have not yet been robustly evaluated. Expected outcomes of this project include delivery of the technical guidelines needed to practically design and implement nature-based coastal protection at scale. This should provide significant socio-economic and environmental benefits through improving Australia’s capacity to adapt to increased erosion and flood risk caused by climate change and coastal urbanisation.Read moreRead less
Surplus baitfish? The consumption and bioenergetics of a predatory fish. This project aims to improve fisheries management of economically important baitfish by increasing our understanding of the ecosystem demand of predatory fish. The ecosystem demand of predatory fish is currently not understood, because it fails to include the considerable impact of juvenile fish, especially when they reside in an estuary. The project intends to implant acoustic transmitters, calibrated in a flume, to discov ....Surplus baitfish? The consumption and bioenergetics of a predatory fish. This project aims to improve fisheries management of economically important baitfish by increasing our understanding of the ecosystem demand of predatory fish. The ecosystem demand of predatory fish is currently not understood, because it fails to include the considerable impact of juvenile fish, especially when they reside in an estuary. The project intends to implant acoustic transmitters, calibrated in a flume, to discover bioenergetic rates in the field by determining the diet and the size- and temperature-dependent growth and biogenetics of a predatory fish species, from juvenile to adult, from estuary to the open sea. The outcomes include an ecosystem synthesis of related pelagic fish predators from catchment to coast.Read moreRead less
Marine predators, marine parks and marine hotspots: is zoning an effective conservation tool in a changing environment? Southeast Australia is a marine hotspot in terms of climate change, and is an important habitat for seals, seabirds, sharks and other predators. This project will use state-of-the-art technology to assess their feeding requirements in relation to marine park zoning and the changing oceanographic environment.
An end-to-end ocean weather information system for the blue economy. This project aims to develop a state-of-the-art ocean weather information system for marine industries. The project will design an end-to-end solution that integrates ocean observations, operational forecasting, and data delivery. By addressing industry needs, this project will provide a rapid pathway from research to economic benefit.
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
Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. This project aims to understand the effects of climate change on marine food webs, from plankton production to predation by iconic marine fauna, by integrating data on oceanographic conditions and fish distribution with the foraging patterns and breeding success of seabirds. Warming waters due to strengthening western boundary currents have unk ....Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. This project aims to understand the effects of climate change on marine food webs, from plankton production to predation by iconic marine fauna, by integrating data on oceanographic conditions and fish distribution with the foraging patterns and breeding success of seabirds. Warming waters due to strengthening western boundary currents have unknown consequences for coastal marine food webs. Innovative prey capture signatures from accelerometers, and advanced movement models from satellite locations will show how predators locate and prey upon fish schools. Anticipated outcomes are insight into how changing resource availability in the oceans affects ecosystem resilience; improved viability for coastal industries; and ecosystem-based conservation management strategies.Read moreRead less
Marine urban development: how can ecology inform the design of multifunctional artificial structures? This project aims to experimentally manipulate the design of artificial structures to achieve multipurpose ecological objectives. Artificial structures such as buildings and roads have featured in terrestrial urban landscapes for many years, but have only more recently begun encroaching on aquatic environments. Most marine artificial structures lack the innovative design solutions required to mi ....Marine urban development: how can ecology inform the design of multifunctional artificial structures? This project aims to experimentally manipulate the design of artificial structures to achieve multipurpose ecological objectives. Artificial structures such as buildings and roads have featured in terrestrial urban landscapes for many years, but have only more recently begun encroaching on aquatic environments. Most marine artificial structures lack the innovative design solutions required to mitigate their ecological impacts and provide essential ecosystem services such as pollution abatement. This project will investigate the efficacy of these designs with both classical measures of diversity and structure and novel measures of ecosystem function. The project aims to provide essential information to inform the design of future marine urban developments.Read moreRead less
The trophic ecosystem of a purpose-built, offshore artificial reef: do coastal currents supply sufficient nutrients for the local production of fish? Offshore artificial reefs may provide enhanced recreational fishing for an urbanized coast. This project will investigate the oceanographic and ecological processes around the new, design-specific, reefs off Sydney to determine if they actually produce fish, rather than simply attract fish. The project will influence the design of future reefs.