Research Project Summaries 2002-2009 - Marine Parks Authority ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Commonwealth Science Industry Research Organisation, Geoscience Australia andDefence Science Technology Organisation.This report summarises research programs and studies conducted in these marineparks over their five-year zoning plan review period (2002–2007). A full list of allrelevant research projects in the marine parks within this period is presented in Section7, and a list of publications directly relevant to these marine parks, including thosepublished before 2002, is available at www.mpa.nsw.gov.au.The intention of this report is to summarise research projects (both MPA and external)conducted within these two marine parks that are considered relevant to their zoningreview. The report indicates the direction and type of research conducted from 2002 to2009, since the last overviews were carried out by the MPA (NSW MPA 2000, Zann2000, NSW MPA 2001).Many of the described projects have built on research conducted before 2002, but suchresearch is generally not detailed in this report. A broader description is found in therelated reports Natural values of the Solitary Islands Marine Park (NSW MPA 2008a)and Natural values of the Jervis Bay Marine Park (NSW MPA 2008b).Further details of many earlier studies in Solitary Islands Marine Park region are alsopresented in Rule et al (2007), and in the Jervis Bay Marine Park in Breen et al (2005).A number of projects that aim to provide information relevant to the zoning review arefound within the Solitary Islands Marine Park and Jervis Bay Marine Park Zoning PlanReview Reports.Several other reports or manuscripts, in conjunction with this report, provide specificinformation relevant to zoning reviews for these marine parks. These are:Malcolm, HA, Smith, SDA, Jordan A (2010). Using patterns of reef fish assemblages torefine a Habitat Classification System for marine parks in NSW, Australia. AquaticConservation: Marine and Freshwater EcosystemsMalcolm HA, Jordan A, Smith SDA (in press). Biogeographical and cross-shelf patternsof reef fish assemblages in a transition zone, Marine BiodiversityNSW MPA (2010). Mapping of seabed habitats in the Solitary Islands and Jervis BayMarine Parks.This report is structured around the research categories identified in the NSW MarineParks Strategic Research Plan 2005–2010, although it is recognised that someresearch projects may fit under more than one category. A brief description of availablestudy or studies and findings are provided. The principal researcher/s and theiraffiliation are listed for all studies described in this report (see Appendices).2 Solitary Island and Jervis Bay Marine Parks Research Projects Summaries 2002–2009
2. Biodiversity and ecological processesThe primary criteria for establishing marine parks in Australia are that they contain acomprehensive, adequate and representative selection of marine biodiversity.Comprehensiveness is the extent of the full range of ecosystems and habitats in andacross all bioregions; adequacy is the degree to which the size, boundaries andlocation of marine parks are adequate to maintain biodiversity and ecological patternsand processes, particularly in relation to managing impact on such patterns andprocesses; and representativeness is a reflection of the range of biological diversity ofcommunities within ecosystems and habitats (ANZECC TFMPA 1998).To ensure zoning arrangements meet the above objectives most effectively, it isimportant to include biodiversity and ecological information when planning. In manyregions, data on biotic composition or species distribution come from surveys atindividual sites, examining communities or life-history of abundant and ofteneconomically important species. However, detailed spatial information on thedistribution of a wide range of species is generally limited. There is increasing evidencethat habitats may act as effective ‘surrogates’ for species diversity in the planningprocess, provided they are appropriately validated (Ward et al 1999), and allrepresentative habitats are included (Roff et al 2003). Therefore, mapping the extent,structure and distribution of seabed habitats can be a cost-effective method ofbiodiversity assessment.However, since biological diversity can be defined at multiple levels, habitats must bemapped and classified at levels within a hierarchical framework. In the context ofseabed mapping, the upper levels in the hierarchy are specifically delineated throughremote sensing and associated ground truthing (visual observations of the seabed toidentify or validate features mapped remotely, e.g. using swath acoustic sonar), andare commonly based on geophysical features (Zacharias et al 1998, Greene et al 1999,Roff and Taylor 2000, Bax and Williams 2001) or a combination of biological andphysical features (Allee et al 2000). Recent advances in swath acoustic methods haveallowed increased resolution and spatial coverage of the seabed and examination ofthe biophysical extent and structure of various habitats (Kostylev et al 2001, Brown etal 2002, Beaman et al 2005). These advancements have led a number of seabedmapping programs in NSW providing important information on the planning andassessment of marine park zones.The zoning plans in Solitary Islands and Jervis Bay marine parks used a habitatclassification system as a surrogate for biodiversity, and this is likely to remain a keyplanning tool in NSW marine parks. However, its effectiveness will depend to someextent on how well it represents patterns of biodiversity (Gladstone 2002, Smith 2005,Winberg et al 2007a). The habitat classification system primarily uses depth todifferentiate habitat types; depth has been demonstrated to strongly influenceassemblages and species in different taxonomic groups including fishes (Connell andLincoln-Smith 1999, Williams and Bax 2001) and benthic organisms (Garrabou et al2002). While depth and habitat are often closely linked, if other factors were shown tohave a strong influence, a system based solely on depth may not be an ideal planningtool. Reefs can also be classified into different ‘reef types’ based on broadgeomorphologic categories, including whether it is attached to emergent rock (e.g.headlands, islands, islets, rocks) or is fully submerged at all tides.An important component of a marine ecosystem’s biological diversity and ecologicalfunction is reef-associated fishes (Shears and Babcock 2002). These fishes also havesocial, cultural and economic value, therefore are relevant for marine park planning intheir own right (Gladstone 2007). Combining information on spatial patterns ofSolitary Island and Jervis Bay Marine Parks Research Projects Summaries 2002–2009 3
Page 1 and 2: Solitary Islands andJervis Bay Mari
Page 3 and 4: ContentsSummaryiii1. Introduction 1
Page 5 and 6: SummaryBuilding a network of marine
Page 7: 1. IntroductionA network of marine
Page 11 and 12: habitats outside the estuaries of t
Page 13 and 14: Reef fish assemblagesReef fish are
Page 15 and 16: To further examine the influence of
Page 17 and 18: Different types of ASUs supported d
Page 19 and 20: noted that colonies of Turbinaria m
Page 21 and 22: Solitary Island and Jervis Bay Mari
Page 23 and 24: Figure 3. Study locations of three
Page 25 and 26: elatively short lifecycle (three to
Page 27 and 28: competition permit, had to submit d
Page 29 and 30: Sea turtlesSea turtles include vuln
Page 31 and 32: periodicity for acroporid corals. T
Page 33 and 34: 3.2.2 Population biology and assess
Page 35 and 36: Otolith microchemistry analysis of
Page 37 and 38: Assessing potential impacts associa
Page 39 and 40: y the MPA on reefs throughout the m
Page 41 and 42: Since the completion of this monito
Page 43 and 44: 6. Socio-economic influencesUnderst
Page 45 and 46: Figure 5. Hot spot analysis of over
Page 47 and 48: This study found that marine touris
Page 49 and 50: Visitor monitoring survey - NSW MPA
Page 51 and 52: Marine pests - University of Wollon
Page 53 and 54: Brown J (2000) Non-destructive asse
Page 55 and 56: Gladstone W (2007) Requirements for
Page 57 and 58: Lynch TP (2006), Incorporation of r
Page 59 and 60:
Otway NM, Burke AL, Morrison NS, Pa
Page 61 and 62:
Smart E (2000) An investigation int
Page 63 and 64:
Wilkes K (2009) Boulder assemblages
show all

Research Project Summaries 2002-2009 - Marine Parks Authority ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?