NERP TE Project 6.3 - Critical seabird foraging locations and trophic relationships for the Great Barrier Reef, 2011-2014 (JCU)

Research Project

Researchers: Australian Institute of Marine Science (Associated with) ,  Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) (Associated with) ,  Brad Congdon (Point of contact, principalInvestigator) ,  Congdon, Brad, Dr (Key party responsible for gathering information and conducting research) ,  James Cook University (Associated with)
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Full description The program aims to identify key foraging locations and biophysical characteristics for shearwaters and boobies in the GBR and Coral Sea, assess prey availability and its climate-driven variations, and understand the conditions necessary for viable reproduction and potential anthropogenic interactions.

Overall the key objectives of this program are to:

1. Identify and map the principal foraging locations for shearwaters and boobies breeding at the most important colonies of the GBR, both within and between breeding seasons, using a combination of different Geolocation, GPS and Satellite PTT data loggers;
2. Obtain detailed information on the biophysical oceanographic characteristics of these foraging habitats in both the GBR and Coral Sea regions using a range of biophysical parameters derived from satellite and in situ data;
3. Quantify how prey availability at these sites varies with climate driven changes in biophysical oceanography;
4. quantifying the level of prey availability and associated oceanographic conditions required to maintain viable reproduction at significant breeding colonies; and
5. establish potential linkages and interactions between these areas/processes and other anthropogenic activities.

Notes Credit
This project was funded by the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment through the National Environmental Research Program Tropical Ecosystems Hub with co-investment from project partners and collaborators.

Data time period: 2011-07-01 to 31 12 2014

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