NESP MB Project C2 - Continental-scale tracking of threats to shallow Australian reef ecosystems

Research Project

Researchers: Edgar, Graham (Principal investigator) ,  Edgar, Graham (Principal investigator) ,  Edgar, Graham, Assoc/Prof (Principal investigator) ,  Edgar, Graham, Assoc/Prof (Principal investigator) ,  Edgar, Graham, Dr (Principal investigator)
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Brief description This record provides an overview of the scope and research output of NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub Project C2 - "Continental-scale tracking of threats to shallow Australian reef ecosystems". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The project will integrate Australia’s largest, most detailed datasets of shallow-water tropical and temperate marine biodiversity, and assess how pollution, fishing, rising sea temperatures and introduced species are impacting associated natural values. An initial outcome will be the identification of state-of-the-environment indicators for inclusion in the 2016 State of the Environment report, with subsequent activities aimed at contributing additional data products needed for other NESP projects, Parks Australia, and the Essential Environmental Measures initiative. The project will also describe a national shallow-water baseline of biodiversity in Commonwealth Marine Reserves for assessment of change through the long term. Planned Outputs Publications describing: • Environmental values at all sites investigated in Commonwealth waters by Reef Life Survey divers • Compatibility of survey data obtained through LTMP, RLS and LTMPA programs, and corrections factors needed when linking outputs of these monitoring programs • Time series data depicting interannual variation over the past two decades in ecological indicators specific to individual threats • Relationships between anthropogenic stressors and reef condition, with emphasis on impacts of sewage and heavy metal pollution, fishing, warming sea temperature, urbanisation and introduced species • Sensitive and cost effective indicators of threats to environmental condition. • Coherent marine ecological data streams that feed into SoE reporting, the Essential Environmental Measures initiative, and future evaluation of Commonwealth Marine Reserves.

Lineage Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded

Notes Credit
Graham Edgar (UTAS), Rick Stuart-Smith (UTAS), Hugh Sweatman (AIMS), Neville Barrett (UTAS), Alan Jordan (NSW DPI), Peter Davies (NSW DPI)

Notes Credit
National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub

Notes Credit
Department of the Environment and Energy, Australian Government

Notes Credit
In addition to NESP (DoE) funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.

Notes Purpose
This project will align and validate outputs of the major shallow reef monitoring programs underway around Australia, most notably AIMS Long Term Monitoring Program (LTMP), Reef Life Survey (RLS), and UTAS Long Term Marine Protected Area Monitoring Program (LTMPA). The project will use these data and co-located data on pollutants, natural environmental stressors and socio-economic conditions to clarify relationships between magnitude of major anthropogenic stressors (pollution, sea temperature rise, fishing, introduced species) and ecological change. It will identify key ecological indicators that are sensitive to different environmental stressors, and that can be used by all major marine ecological monitoring programs for consistent continent-wide State of the Environment reporting. Through regular consultation with Department staff and Marine theme leaders, Year 1 project outputs will be tailored to align and feed into 2016 SoE reporting. Research plans for Years 2 and 3 are designed to efficiently fill outstanding knowledge gaps associated with data needs of other Marine Biodiversity Hub projects, ongoing environmental condition reporting, the Essential Environmental Measures initiative, the National Monitoring Blueprint, and evaluation of biodiversity conservation goals associated with Commonwealth Marine Reserves.

Data time period: 2015-07-01 to 2017-12-31

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133.330078125,-27.573980775455

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