Recovery of the red-finned blue-eye: An endangered fish from springs of the Great Artesian Basin

The red-finned blue-eye (Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis) is endemic to a single complex of springs emanating from the Great Artesian Basin, Australia. The species has been recorded as naturally occurring in eight separate very shallow (generally <20 mm) springs, with a combined wetland area of ~0.3 ha. Since its discovery in 1990, five red-finned blue-eye (RFBE) populations have been lost and subsequent colonisation has occurred in two spring wetlands. Current population size is estimated at <3000 individuals. Artesian bores have reduced aquifer pressure, standing water levels and spring-flows in the district. There is evidence of spatial separation within the spring pools where RFBE and the introduced fish gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) co-occur, although both species are forced together when seasonal extremes affect spring size and water temperature. Gambusia was present in four of the five springs where RFBE populations have been lost. Four out of the five remaining subpopulations of RFBE are Gambusia free. Circumstantial evidence suggests that gambusia is a major threat to red-finned blue-eyes. The impact of Gambusia is probably exacerbated by domestic stock (cattle and sheep), feral goats and pigs that utilise the springs and can negatively affect water quality and flow patterns. Three attempts to translocate RFBE to apparently suitable springs elsewhere within the complex have failed. Opportunities to mitigate threats are discussed, along with directions for future research to improve management of this extremely threatened fish and habitat.

Buoyancy and germination of pond apple (Annona glabra L.) propagules in fresh and salt water

Stephen Setter, Melissa Setter, Michael Graham and Joe Vitelli recently published their paper 'Buoyancy and germination of pond apple (Annona glabra L.) propagules in fresh and salt water' in Proceedings of the 16th Australian Weeds Conference. Stephen also presented this paper at the conference. Pond apple is an aggressive woody weed which has invaded many wetlands, drainage lines and riparian systems across the Wet Tropics bioregion of Far North Queensland. Most fruit and seed produced by pond apple during the summer wet season fall directly into creeks, river banks, flood plains and swamps from where they are dispersed. They reported that pond apple seeds can float for up to 12 months in either fresh or salt water, with approximately 38% of these seeds germinating in a soil medium once removed from the experimental water tanks at South Johnstone. Their study suggested that the removal of reproductive trees from areas adjacent to creeks and rivers will have an immediate impact on potential spread of pond apple by limiting seed input into flowing water bodies.

Queensland Coastal Wetland Resources: the Northern Territory Border to Flinders River

Protection of coastal wetland environments is an important prerequisite to effective and sustainable fisheries management and conservation of habitats for the use of future generations. Mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrasses directly support local and offshore fisheries through the provision of food, shelter, breeding and nursery grounds. As such, these vegetated wetland environments along with sandbars, mudflats, rocky foreshores and reefs have significant economic value as well as their intrinsic aesthetic and ecological values. This report summarises the results of the mapping undertaken in the Gulf of Carpentaria Region from the Queensland/Northern Territory border eastwards to the western bank of the Flinders River (hereafter called the Gulf Study Area). The study was undertaken in order to: 1. document and map coastal wetlands of the Gulf Study Area; 2. document levels of existing disturbance to and protection of these wetlands; 3. examine existing recreational, indigenous and commercial fisheries of the region; 4. evaluate the conservation values of the areas investigated from the viewpoint of fisheries productivity and as habitat for important and/or threatened species for future FHA/Marine Protected Area (MPA) declaration. Dataset URL Link: Queensland Coastal Wetlands Resources Mapping data. [Dataset]

Queensland Coastal Wetland Resources: Sand Bay to Keppel Bay.

Protection of coastal wetland environments is an important prerequisite to effective and sustainable inshore fisheries management and conservation of habitats for use by future generations. Mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrasses and non vegetated habitats directly support local and regional inshore and offshore fisheries through the provision of food, shelter, breeding and nursery grounds. As such, these wetland environments have significant economic value as well as their intrinsic aesthetic and ecological values. This report summarises the results of the mapping undertaken in the Central Queensland Coast from Sand Bay to Keppel Bay (hereafter referred to as the Study Area). The study was undertaken in order to: 1. document and map the coastal wetland communities along the Queensland coastline from Sand Bay (20.93°S, 149.04°E) to Keppel Bay (23.65°S, 151.07°E); 2. document levels of existing disturbance to and protection of the wetlands; 3. examine existing recreational and commercial fisheries in the region; and 4. evaluate the conservation values of the areas investigated from the viewpoint of fisheries productivity and as habitat for important and/or threatened species. Dataset URL Link: Queensland Coastal Wetlands Resources Mapping data. [Dataset]

Queensland Coastal Wetland Resources: Cape Tribulation to Bowling Green Bay

This report provides key resource data for the ongoing assessment of the requirement for additional Marine Protected Areas (e.g. FHAs under the Queensland Fisheries Act 1994) in regions of high fish habitat value in northern Queensland from Cape Tribulation to Bowling Green Bay (hereafter referred to as the Study Area). The study also provides baseline information on the coastal wetlands within this Study Area for consideration in the Ramsar site nomination process. The Study Area extends from Cape Tribulation (16o 6’S, 145o 24’E) to Bowling Green Bay (19o 30’S, 147o 24’E) in tropical north Queensland. The project aimed to: 1. document and map the coastal wetland communities of the Study Area; 2. document levels of existing disturbance to and protection of the wetlands; 3. examine existing recreational, indigenous and commercial fisheries resources in the region; 4. evaluate the conservation values of the areas investigated from the viewpoint of fisheries productivity and as habitat for important and/or threatened species for future FHA/MPA declaration. Dataset URL Link: Queensland Coastal Wetlands Resources Mapping data. [Dataset]

Queensland Coastal Wetland Resource Investigation of the Bowen Region: Cape Upstart to Gloucester Island

The wetland resources of the Queensland coastline have been mapped as a baseline dataset for Marine Protected Area investigation and particularly Fish Habitat Area (FHA) declaration, Ramsar site nomination and continued monitoring of these important fish habitats. This report summarises the results of the mapping undertaken in the Bowen region from the East Coast of Cape Upstart (Abbot Bay) to Gloucester Island (encompassing Edgecumbe Bay). The study was undertaken in order to: 1. document and map the coastal wetland communities within the Bowen region; 2. document levels of existing disturbance to and protection of the wetlands; 3. examine existing recreational and commercial fisheries in the region; and 4. evaluate the significance of the coastal wetlands in the region. Dataset URL Link: Queensland Coastal Wetlands Resources Mapping data. [Dataset]

Efficacy of exclusion fencing to protect ephemeral floodplain lagoon habitats from feral pigs (Sus scrofa)

Foraging by feral pigs can strongly affect wetland vegetation assemblages and so too wider ecological processes, although their effects on freshwater ecosystems have seldom been tudied. We assessed the ecological effects of pig foraging in replicate fenced and unfenced ephemeral floodplain lagoons in tropical north-eastern Australia. Pig foraging activities in unfenced lagoons caused major changes to aquatic macrophyte communities and as a consequence, to the proportional amounts of open water and bare ground. The destruction of macrophyte communities and upheaval of wetland sediments significantly affected wetland turbidity, and caused prolonged anoxia and pH imbalances in the unfenced treatments. Whilst fencing of floodplain lagoons will protect against feral pig foraging activities, our repeated measures of many biological, physical and chemical parameters inferred that natural seasonal (i.e. temporal) effects had a greater influence on these variables than did pigs. To validate this observation requires measuring how these effects are influenced by the seemingly greater annual disturbance regime of variable flooding and drying in this tropical climate.

Resource Assessment of the Tidal Wetland Vegetation of Western Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland, Report to Ocean Rescue 2000

A project to allow the resource assessment of tidal wetland vegetation of western Cape York Peninsula, in north Queensland, was undertaken as part of the longterm assessment of the coastal fisheries resources of Queensland. The project incorporated a littoral invertebrate fauna component. Extending from May 1993 to December 1994, fieldwork was undertaken in May 1993, November 1993 and April 1994. The aims of this project were to: • obtain baseline information on the distribution of marine plants of western Cape York Peninsula; • commence a preliminary assessment of the littoral invertebrate fauna and their habitat requirements with a view to extending knowledge of their biogeographic affinities; • perform biogeographic classification of the tidal wetlands at a meso and local scale for marine conservation planning; • evaluate the conservation values of the areas investigated from the viewpoint of fisheries productivity and as habitat for important/threatened species. Dataset URL Link: Queensland Coastal Wetlands Resources Mapping data. [Dataset]

Marine Vegetation of Cape York Peninsula. Cape York Peninsula Land Use Strategy, Office of Co-ordinator General of Queensland, Brisbane, Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, Canberra

The Cape York Peninsula Land Use Strategy (CYPLUS) is a joint Queensland/Commonwealth initiative to provide a framework for making decisions about how to use and manage the natural resources of Cape York Peninsula in ways that will be ecologically sustainable. As part of the Natural Resources Analysis Program (NRAP) of CYPLUS, the Fisheries Division of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries has mapped the marine vegetation (mangroves and seagrasses) for Cape York Peninsula. The project ran from July 1992 to June 1994. Field work was undertaken in November 1992, May 1993, and April 1994. Final report on project: NRO6 – Marine Plan (Seagrass/Mangrove) Distribution. Dataset URL Link: Queensland Coastal Wetlands Resources Mapping data. [Dataset]

Queensland Coastal Wetland Resources: The Whitsunday Region

This report provides key resource data for the ongoing assessment of the requirement for additional Marine Protected Areas (e.g. FHAs under the Queensland Fisheries Act 1994) in regions of high fish habitat value in the Whitsunday Region from Gloucester Island to Cape Hillsborough (hereafter referred to as the Study Area). The study also provides baseline information on the coastal wetlands within this Study Area for consideration in the Ramsar site nomination process. The project aimed to: 1. document and map the coastal wetland communities of the Study Area; 2. document levels of existing disturbance to and protection of the wetlands; 3. examine existing recreational, indigenous and commercial fisheries resources in the region; 4. evaluate the conservation values of the areas investigated from the viewpoint of fisheries productivity and as habitat for important and/or threatened species for future FHA/MPA declaration.

Queensland Coastal Wetland Resources: Round Hill Head to Tin Can Inlet

The wetland resources of the Queensland coastline have been mapped by the Resource Condition and Trend Unit, Fisheries Group, Department of Primary Industries Queensland. This process is being undertaken in order to provide a baseline dataset for Fish Habitat Area (FHA) declaration, Ramsar site nomination and continued monitoring of these important fish habitats. This report summarises the results of the mapping undertaken from Round Hill Head to Tin Can Inlet. The study was undertaken in order to: 1. document and map the coastal wetland communities from Round Hill Head (24°S) to Tin Can Inlet (26°S); 2. document levels of existing disturbance to and protection of the wetlands; 3. examine existing recreational and commercial fisheries in the region; and 4. evaluate the conservation values of the areas investigated from the viewpoint of fisheries productivity and as habitat for important and/or threatened species.

Burnt area mapping in insular Southeast Asia using medium resolution satellite imagery

Burnt area mapping in humid tropical insular Southeast Asia using medium resolution (250-500m) satellite imagery is characterized by persisting cloud cover, wide range of land cover types, vast amount of wetland areas and highly varying fire regimes. The objective of this study was to deepen understanding of three major aspects affecting the implementation and limits of medium resolution burnt area mapping in insular Southeast Asia: 1) fire-induced spectral changes, 2) most suitable multitemporal compositing methods and 3) burn scars patterns and size distribution. The results revealed a high variation in fire-induced spectral changes depending on the pre-fire greenness of burnt area. It was concluded that this variation needs to be taken into account in change detection based burnt area mapping algorithms in order to maximize the potential of medium resolution satellite data. Minimum near infrared (MODIS band 2, 0.86μm) compositing method was found to be the most suitable for burnt area mapping purposes using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. In general, medium resolution burnt area mapping was found to be usable in the wetlands of insular Southeast Asia, whereas in other areas the usability was seriously jeopardized by the small size of burn scars. The suitability of medium resolution data for burnt area mapping in wetlands is important since recently Southeast Asian wetlands have become a major point of interest in many fields of science due to yearly occurring wild fires that not only degrade these unique ecosystems but also create regional haze problem and release globally significant amounts of carbon into the atmosphere due to burning peat. Finally, super-resolution MODIS images were tested but the test failed to improve the detection of small scars. Therefore, super-resolution technique was not considered to be applicable to regional level burnt area mapping in insular Southeast Asia.

Archaea, Bacteria, and methane production along environmental gradients in fens and bogs

Metanogeenit ovat hapettomissa oloissa eläviä arkkien pääryhmään kuuluvia mikrobeja, joiden ainutlaatuisen aineenvaihdunnan seurauksena syntyy metaania. Ilmakehässä metaani on voimakas kasvihuonekaasu. Yksi suurimmista luonnon metaanilähteistä ovat kosteikot. Pohjoisten soiden metaanipäästöt vaihtelevat voimakkaasti eri soiden välillä ja yhden suon sisälläkin, riippuen muun muassa vuodenajasta, suotyypistä ja kasvillisuudesta. Väitöskirjatyössä tutkittiin metaanipäästöjen vaihtelun mikrobiologista taustaa. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin suotyypin, vuodenajan, tuhkalannoituksen ja turvesyvyyden vaikutusta metanogeeniyhteisöihin sekä metaanintuottoon kolmella suomalaisella suolla. Lisäksi tutkittiin ei-metanogeenisia arkkeja ja bakteereita, koska ne muodostavat metaanin tuoton lähtöaineet osana hapetonta hajotusta. Mikrobiyhteisöt analysoitiin DNA- ja RNA-lähtöisillä, polymeraasiketjureaktioon (PCR) perustuvilla menetelmillä. Merkkigeeneinä käytettiin metaanin tuottoon liittyvää mcrA-geeniä sekä arkkien ja bakteerien ribosomaalista 16S RNA-geeniä. Metanogeeniyhteisöt ja metaanintuotto erosivat huomattavasti happaman ja vähäravinteisen rahkasuon sekä ravinteikkaampien sarasoiden välillä. Rahkasuolta löytyi lähes yksinomaan Methanomicrobiales-lahkon metanogeeneja, jotka tuottavat metaania vedystä ja hiilidioksidista. Sarasoiden metanogeeniyhteisöt olivat monimuotoisempia, ja niillä esiintyi myös asetaattia käyttäviä metanogeeneja. Vuodenaika vaikutti merkittävästi metaanintuottoon. Talvella havaittiin odottamattoman suuri metaanintuottopotentiaali sekä viitteitä aktiivisista metanogeeneista. Arkkiyhteisön koostumus sen sijaan vaihteli vain vähän. Tuhkalannoitus, jonka tarkoituksena on edistää puiden kasvua ojitetuilla soilla, ei merkittävästi vaikuttanut metaanintuottoon tai -tuottajiin. Ojitetun suon yhteisöt kuitenkin muuttuivat turvesyvyyden mukaan. Vertailtaessa erilaisia PCR-menetelmiä todettiin, että kolmella mcrA-geeniin kohdistuvalla alukeparilla havaittiin pääosin samat ojitetun suon metanogeenit, mutta lajien runsaussuhteet riippuvat käytetyistä alukkeista. Soilla havaitut bakteerit kuuluivat pääjaksoihin Deltaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria ja Verrucomicrobia. Lisäksi löydettiin Crenarchaeota-pääjakson ryhmiin 1.1c ja 1.3 kuuluvia ei-metanogeenisia arkkeja. Tulokset ryhmien esiintymisestä hapettomassa turpeessa antavat lähtökohdan selvittää niiden mahdollisia vuorovaikutuksia metanogeenien kanssa. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittivat, että metanogeeniyhteisön koostumus heijastaa metaanintuottoon vaikuttavia kemiallisia tai kasvillisuuden vaihteluita kuten suotyyppiä. Soiden metanogeenien ja niiden fysiologian parempi tuntemus voi auttaa ennustamaan ympäristömuutosten vaikutusta soiden metaanipäästöihin.

Impacts of agriculture on amphibians at multiple scales

Agriculture-mediated habitat loss and degradation together with climate change are among the greatest global threats to species, communities, and ecosystem functioning. During the last century, more than 50% of the world's wetlands have been lost and agricultural activities have subjected wetland species to increased isolation and decreased quality of habitats. Likewise, as a part of agricultural intensification, the use of pesticides has increased notably, and pesticide residues occur frequently in wetlands making the exposure of wetland organisms to pesticides highly probable. In this thesis, a set of ecotoxicological and landscape ecological studies were carried out to investigate pesticide-effects on tadpoles, and species-habitat relationships of amphibians in agricultural landscapes. The results show that the fitness of R. temporaria tadpoles can be negatively affected by sublethal pesticide concentrations, and that pesticides may increase the costs of response to natural environmental stressors. However, tadpoles may also be able to compensate for some of the negative effects of pesticides. The results further demonstrate that both historic and current-day agricultural land use can negatively impact amphibians, but that in some cases the costs of living in agricultural habitats may only become apparent when amphibians face other environmental stressors, such as drought. Habitat heterogeneity may, however, increase the persistence of amphibians in agricultural landscapes. Hence, the results suggest that amphibians are likely to be affected by agricultural processes that operate at several spatial and temporal scales, and that it is probable that various processes related to current-day agriculture will affect both larval and adult amphibians. The results imply that maintaining dense wetland patterns could enhance persistence of amphibian populations in agricultural habitats, and indicate that heterogeneous landscapes may lower the risk of regional amphibian population declines under extreme weather perturbations.

Autonomous greenhouse gas sampling using multiple robotic boats

Accurately quantifying total greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. methane) from natural systems such as lakes, reservoirs and wetlands requires the spatial-temporal measurement of both diffusive and ebullitive (bubbling) emissions. Traditional, manual, measurement techniques provide only limited localised assessment of methane flux, often introducing significant errors when extrapolated to the whole-of-system. In this paper, we directly address these current sampling limitations and present a novel multiple robotic boat system configured to measure the spatiotemporal release of methane to atmosphere across inland waterways. The system, consisting of multiple networked Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) and capable of persistent operation, enables scientists to remotely evaluate the performance of sampling and modelling algorithms for real-world process quantification over extended periods of time. This paper provides an overview of the multi-robot sampling system including the vehicle and gas sampling unit design. Experimental results are shown demonstrating the system’s ability to autonomously navigate and implement an exploratory sampling algorithm to measure methane emissions on two inland reservoirs.