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Research Programs
The NERP Tropical Ecosystems Hub research program is structured around three Themes with 38 research projects organised around twelve Research Programs. The research concentrates on three geographic nodes: the Great Barrier Reef and its catchments, Torres Strait, and the Wet Tropics Rainforests.
Theme 1: 'Assessing Ecosystem Condition and Trend'
A clear understanding of the ecological condition and trends of environmental assets of the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait and the Wet Tropics rainforests is fundamental to ecologically sustainable use of those assets by industry and communities, support by appropriate management and policy settings. Theme 1 is comprised of three inter-related Programs, each of which concentrates on a specific component of North Queensland’s natural and cultural heritage, and delivers reports on the condition and trend of key ecosystems and natural living resources.
Program 1 'Historical and current condition of the Great Barrier Reef'
Program 2 'Natural Resources of the Torres Strait land and sea'
Program 3 'Condition and trends of North Queensland rainforests'
Theme 2: 'Understanding Ecosystem Function and Cumulative Pressures'
Theme 2 builds on research undertaken through the MTSRF and other programs that have identified many of the primary risks and threats to the environmental assets of North Queensland. These pressures do not occur in isolation to each other and it is clear that a greater understanding of the cumulative and synergistic impact of these pressures is required for improved management. These pressures are not static, therefore predicting and preparing for change is a significant challenge for environmental decisions makers charged with stewardship of Queensland’s natural environment. Changing climates, extreme natural events, changes in natural resource use and population growth are some of the pressures facing these ecosystems. Theme 2 is comprised of four Programs that will increase the understanding of ecosystem function and the impact of synergistic and cumulative pressures on the system. This understanding is essential in developing effective management responses that promote ecosystem resilience.
Program 4 'Water quality of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait'
Program 5 'Cumulative impacts on benthic biodiversity'
Program 6 'Movements and habitat use by marine apex predators'
Program 7 'Threats to rainforest health'
Theme 3: 'Managing for Resilient Tropical Systems'
Research undertaken within Theme 3 will provide knowledge and options to assist key decision makers in government, industry and the community in managing the complex ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics rainforest (including the World Heritage Area) and Torres Strait. Theme 3 draws on the assessment of ecological condition and trends undertaken in Theme 1 and the improved understanding of ecosystem function and cumulative pressures from Theme 2. Theme 3 will provide tools and information for evidence-based decision making that address the pressures and sustains resilient ecological, social and economic systems.
As the NERP TE Hub research activities will span several years, the Annual Work Plan is the key document that defines, justifies, budgets for and schedules activities on an annual basis. It relates to the Hub’s Multi-Year Research Plan which broadly describes the scope of the research work program over four years (July 2011 to December 2014).
Latest News
- Laws protecting the Great Barrier Reef to be introduced next week, Queensland Premier says - Thu 28th May 2015
- Let’s get serious about protecting wildlife in a warming world - Thu 28th May 2015
- We’ve only monitored a fraction of the Barrier Reef’s species - Thu 28th May 2015
- Great Barrier Reef: warmer waters helping coral-eating starfish thrive - Fri 13th Feb 2015
- You are what you eat—if you're a coral reef fish - Wed 17th Dec 2014
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Related Projects
- Project 1.1 'Monitoring status and trends of coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef' (5)
- Project 1.2 'Marine wildlife management in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area' (2)
- Project 10.2 'Socio-economic systems and reef resilience' (1)
- Project 11.1 'Building resilient communities for Torres Strait futures' (2)
- Project 11.2 'Improved approaches for detection of disease and prevention of spread in Torres Strait' (1)
- Project 13.1 'e-Atlas for the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait' (1)
- Project 2.1 'Marine turtles and dugongs of the Torres Strait' (4)
- Project 2.2. 'Mangrove and freshwater habitat status of Torres Strait islands' (1)
- Project 2.3 'Monitoring the health of Torres Strait coral reefs' (3)
- Project 3.1 'Rainforest Biodiversity' (1)
- Project 3.3 'Targeted surveys for missing and critically endangered rainforest frogs in ecotonal areas, and assessment of whether populations are recovering from disease' (1)
- Project 4.2 'The chronic effects of pesticides and their persistence in tropical waters' (2)
- Project 4.3 'Ecological risk assessment of pesticides, nutrients and sediments on water quality and ecosystem health - Phase 1' (2)
- Project 4.4 'Hazard assessment for water quality threats to Torres Strait marine waters, ecosystems and public health' (1)
- Project 5.2 'Experimental and field investigations of combined water quality and climate effects on corals and other reef organisms' (1)
- Project 5.3 'Vulnerability of seagrass habitats in the Great Barrier Reef to flood plume impacts: light, nutrients, salinity' (1)
- Project 6.2 'Drivers of juvenile shark biodiversity and abundance in inshore ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef' (1)
- Project 7.2 'Invasive species risks and responses in the Wet Tropics' (1)
- Project 7.3 'Climate change and the impacts of extreme climatic events on Australia's Wet Tropics biodiversity' (1)
- Project 8.2 'Do no-take marine reserves contribute to biodiversity and fishery sustainability? Assessing the effects of management zoning on inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park' (2)
- Project 8.3 'Significance of no-take marine protected areas to regional recruitment and population persistence on the Great Barrier Reef' (1)
- Project 9.3 'Prioritising management actions for Great Barrier Reef islands' (1)
- Project 9.4 'Conservation planning for a changing coastal zone' (1)