Northern Australian seagrass meadows support dugongs, green turtles, fish, prawns and other important species. Understanding their distribution and health now, and over time, is essential so regional planners have information to make the right decisions about community activities and economic development.
Unfortunately, for large areas of the coast, data on these important habitats is lacking. Few large-scale surveys have been done, and only a handful of ongoing seagrass monitoring programs exist.
Presently, regional planning often proceeds without accurate seagrass information, and therefore, with very minimal understanding of potential effects on these critically important ecosystems.
This project addresses gaps in seagrass knowledge by consolidating existing data, identifying the gaps, producing new data sets, and making data more widely available.
Approach
Project 3.5 will work collaboratively with Traditional Owners, Indigenous rangers, managers, and others to collect and analyse existing data to understand seagrass distribution across northern Australia. It will prioritise regions where there is no data, or minimal information, then undertake field surveys by helicopter, drone or boat.
Emerging monitoring technologies will be evaluated, alongside innovations in modelling and analysis.
Accessibility and useability of data will be increased through information products which will be developed and made publicly available.
Information sharing will be tailored to the various groups that utilise seagrass data.
Expected outcomes
- Regional planners and managers supported with accurate information on seagrass distribution.
- Indigenous rangers and Traditional Owners participating in surveys and reporting.
- Innovative technology and processes that support Indigenous rangers and managers in remote areas.
Project location
Project leaders
Research partners
TropWATER
James Cook University
Charles Darwin University
Edith Cowan University
Research users
Queensland Government
Northern Territory Government
Coastal councils
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Torres Strait Regional Authority
Land and sea rangers
Land managers
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Journal article – Project 3.5
Seagrass spatial data synthesis from north-east Australia, Torres Strait and Gulf of Carpentaria, 1983 to 2022
A Carter, S McKenna, MA Rasheed, H Taylor, C van de Wetering, K Chartrand, C Reason, C Collier, L Shepherd, J Mellors, L McKenzie, NC Duke, A Roelofs, N Smit, R Groom, D Barrett, S Evans, R Pitcher, N Murphy, M Carlisle, M David, S Lui, Torres Strait Indigenous Rangers, RG Coles (2024). Seagrass spatial data synthesis from north‐east Australia, Torres Strait and Gulf of Carpentaria, 1983 to 2022. Limnology and Oceanography Letters. 9/1/7-22. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10352.
Other – Project 1.13 – Project 3.5
Mapping seagrass in the Torres Strait and Gulf of Carpentaria Community Poster
NESP Marine and Coastal Hub (2024). Mapping seagrass in the Torres Strait and Gulf of Carpentaria Community Poster. Project 1.13 and 3.5 Community poster. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Cairns, Queensland.
Fact sheet – Project 3.5
Project 3.5 Information sheet
NESP Marine and Coastal Hub (2023). Partnerships for seagrass research and protection. Project 3.5 Information sheet. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Cairns, Queensland.