Understanding the stock-recruitment relationship to reverse the decline in the southern rock lobster. Declines in southern rock lobster fisheries across three Australian states show that we need to understand the flow and survival of larvae. The project aims to identify the fundamental links between recruitment and spawning stock, to enable predictions of recruitment for the management of adult stocks, safeguarding the future of the fishery.
Enhancement of fish stock by habitat manipulation in artificial coastal waterways. Human settlement significantly changes the spatial characteristics of natural coastal waterways. The value of artificial waterways, such as canals, as a habitat for fish is poorly known. We will evaluate the significance of artificial canals as a fish habitat, and test the effect of habitat modification by artificial reef installation on fish distribution and abundance. We will investigate whether artificial reefs ....Enhancement of fish stock by habitat manipulation in artificial coastal waterways. Human settlement significantly changes the spatial characteristics of natural coastal waterways. The value of artificial waterways, such as canals, as a habitat for fish is poorly known. We will evaluate the significance of artificial canals as a fish habitat, and test the effect of habitat modification by artificial reef installation on fish distribution and abundance. We will investigate whether artificial reefs enhance fish production in canals, rather than simply acting as fish aggregation devices. This research will address an important question in fisheries ecology and help formulate management guidelines for artificial waterways.Read moreRead less
Lost at sea? Understanding adaptation and dispersal in spiny lobsters. Continual recruitment of young is fundamental to the replenishment of populations, especially when a stock is fished. Existing theory suggests that species with very long planktonic larval stages disperse widely, ensuring their genes are well mixed. However, recently identified genetic differences between populations of rock lobster challenge this paradigm and demonstrate that despite larvae mixing in the ocean for years, loc ....Lost at sea? Understanding adaptation and dispersal in spiny lobsters. Continual recruitment of young is fundamental to the replenishment of populations, especially when a stock is fished. Existing theory suggests that species with very long planktonic larval stages disperse widely, ensuring their genes are well mixed. However, recently identified genetic differences between populations of rock lobster challenge this paradigm and demonstrate that despite larvae mixing in the ocean for years, local recruitment and/or adaptation are at play. Recent developments in genomics and bioinformatics should allow this project to understand the ecological processes underpinning these genetic signatures and determine their evolutionary implications. Such findings could direct targeted rebuilding of depleted fisheries stocks.Read moreRead less
The importance of edge effects in determining the value of seagrass landscapes as fish nurseries. Seagrasses are a conspicuous element of Australian marine environments, and are crucial in the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity. Degradation of seagrass ecosystems from climatic extremes, increased sediment and nutrients in the water, and other pollutants results in loss and fragmentation of meadows. These changes to seagrass are linked with increased coastal erosion, severe loss of bio ....The importance of edge effects in determining the value of seagrass landscapes as fish nurseries. Seagrasses are a conspicuous element of Australian marine environments, and are crucial in the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity. Degradation of seagrass ecosystems from climatic extremes, increased sediment and nutrients in the water, and other pollutants results in loss and fragmentation of meadows. These changes to seagrass are linked with increased coastal erosion, severe loss of biodiversity, and collapse of fisheries. Increased understanding of how biological processes such as predation and food availability influence animal associations with seagrasses, and how these effects change with landscape structure, will have important applications in the sustainable management of Australia's threatened coastal habitats.Read moreRead less
Resilience of Moreton Bay to climate change: Links between nutrient inputs and plankton dynamics. A healthy Moreton Bay, with its lucrative fishing, iconic turtles, dugongs and seabirds, helps support the $9 billion per annum tourist industry in SE Queensland. Moreton Bay is under increasing threat from nutrients produced by a mushrooming coastal population and from climate change impacts. Here we investigate nutrient-plankton relationships and develop a simple model to evaluate future impacts o ....Resilience of Moreton Bay to climate change: Links between nutrient inputs and plankton dynamics. A healthy Moreton Bay, with its lucrative fishing, iconic turtles, dugongs and seabirds, helps support the $9 billion per annum tourist industry in SE Queensland. Moreton Bay is under increasing threat from nutrients produced by a mushrooming coastal population and from climate change impacts. Here we investigate nutrient-plankton relationships and develop a simple model to evaluate future impacts on bay health. This project will put Australian scientists at the forefront of research focused on the adaptation of coastal marine environments to climate impacts, and ensure that Moreton Bay remains healthy now and into the futureRead moreRead less
Marine Reserves as Fisheries Management Tools: A Long-term, Experimental Approach. Marine reserves, areas permanently closed to fishing, are potentially valuable fisheries management tools. Reserves may sustain fisheries external to them by containing undisturbed breeding stocks and becoming net exporters of adults and propagules. Our studies in the Philippines suggest that such benefits may only eventuate after 5-15 years of effective protection. This project will continue our long-term (17-25 ....Marine Reserves as Fisheries Management Tools: A Long-term, Experimental Approach. Marine reserves, areas permanently closed to fishing, are potentially valuable fisheries management tools. Reserves may sustain fisheries external to them by containing undisturbed breeding stocks and becoming net exporters of adults and propagules. Our studies in the Philippines suggest that such benefits may only eventuate after 5-15 years of effective protection. This project will continue our long-term (17-25 year) studies of abundance and yield at 3 established reserves, and use a replicated experiment at 3 new reserves, to test if reserves can enhance local fish biomass and catch. We will also compare effects of reserves in Australia and the Philippines.Read moreRead less
The resilience of marine ecosystems and fisheries to climate change: exploring adaptation strategies. This project will underpin Australia's commitment to maintaining environmental biodiversity and sustainability in the face of climate change. The Fellowship investigates the consequences of climate change on marine plants and animals, harvested resources and ecosystem functioning by identifying vulnerable species and habitats. It will provide management advice on balancing biodiversity and econo ....The resilience of marine ecosystems and fisheries to climate change: exploring adaptation strategies. This project will underpin Australia's commitment to maintaining environmental biodiversity and sustainability in the face of climate change. The Fellowship investigates the consequences of climate change on marine plants and animals, harvested resources and ecosystem functioning by identifying vulnerable species and habitats. It will provide management advice on balancing biodiversity and economic output under climate change. This information is of immediate use to a range of stakeholders including national, state and local government agencies. With its focus on ecological, economic and social impacts, this project will put Australian scientists at the forefront of research on the adaptation of marine ecosystems to climate change.Read moreRead less
Integrating climate and ecosystem models to predict climate change impacts on Australian marine systems. This project will underpin Australia's commitment to maintain environmental sustainability and biodiversity in the face of climate change. We will describe the consequences of climate change on harvested marine resources, biodiversity, ecosystem structure and function, and sensitive species and habitats. We will provide practical management solutions to maintain ecosystem integrity and enhanc ....Integrating climate and ecosystem models to predict climate change impacts on Australian marine systems. This project will underpin Australia's commitment to maintain environmental sustainability and biodiversity in the face of climate change. We will describe the consequences of climate change on harvested marine resources, biodiversity, ecosystem structure and function, and sensitive species and habitats. We will provide practical management solutions to maintain ecosystem integrity and enhance resilience under a changing climate. This information is of immediate use by a range of Australian stakeholders including national, state and local government agencies and authorities. The project will put Australian scientists at the forefront of research focused on adapting to marine climate impacts.Read moreRead less
Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Grant ID: DI0882986
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$160,000.00
Summary
The impact of climate change on the resilience of Australian marine systems: linking climate and ecosystem models. This project will underpin Australia's long-term commitment to maintain environmental biodiversity and sustainability in the face of climate change. We will describe the consequences of climate change on marine processes, harvested resources and ecosystem functioning by identifying vulnerable species and habitats. We will provide management advice on balancing ecosystem integrity, e ....The impact of climate change on the resilience of Australian marine systems: linking climate and ecosystem models. This project will underpin Australia's long-term commitment to maintain environmental biodiversity and sustainability in the face of climate change. We will describe the consequences of climate change on marine processes, harvested resources and ecosystem functioning by identifying vulnerable species and habitats. We will provide management advice on balancing ecosystem integrity, economic efficiency, and ecosystem resilience under climate change. This information is of immediate use by a range of Australian stakeholders including national, state and local government agencies. The project will put Australian scientists at the forefront of research focused on the adaptation of marine ecosystems to climate impacts.Read moreRead less
Assessing linkages across arid zone estuarine landscapes. We aim to understand the degree of connectivity between the terrestrial environment and estuaries in the arid tropics of Australia. We will investigate the impact of terrestrial-estuarine linkages on near shore food webs, which include a diverse fauna, some of which are commercially important. Human activities in the land-ocean interface have to have the capacity to alter greatly the timing, magnitude, and composition of inputs from water ....Assessing linkages across arid zone estuarine landscapes. We aim to understand the degree of connectivity between the terrestrial environment and estuaries in the arid tropics of Australia. We will investigate the impact of terrestrial-estuarine linkages on near shore food webs, which include a diverse fauna, some of which are commercially important. Human activities in the land-ocean interface have to have the capacity to alter greatly the timing, magnitude, and composition of inputs from watersheds to estuaries, thereby greatly altering the function of estuaries. The results of this project will fill a gap in our knowledge of how arid zone estuaries function, and will contribute to developing management strategies needed to maintain estuary productivity.Read moreRead less