School of Life and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science and Technology
CoastsResearch within the Coasts theme encompass linkages between landscape processes & coastal ecosystem processes (seascape ecology) as driven by inputs from the landscape, with applications covering human impacts on coastal ecosystems and coastal management. A particular focus of the program is the link between catchments and their adjacent coastal zones, especially how catchment management practices affect estuaries, shorelines and nearshore oceanic ecosystems.
Research areas within this theme include:
Southern Australia’s marine flora and fauna are highly diverse when compared to other places in the world, highly endemic and still poorly documented (many species have not been named by scientists and/or little is known about their lifecycle). Populations of marine mammals and seabirds that breed along this coast are of international significance.
Tourism and population shifts are transforming Australia’s rural coastal environments and towns. Sustainable development of these areas requires a clear planning framework.
Estuaries are generally heavily impacted by humans. They are the receiving waters for catchment-wide activities. Agriculture, towns and cities, ports and harbours and recreational activities all have the potential to interfere with estuarine ecosystems. These highly valued aquatic resources must be carefully managed to minimise human disturbances. This will involve the linking of estuarine ecosystem processes to catchment land and water use.
Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers an area of ocean equal to twice our land area. Federal and State Governments are increasingly concerned that the resources of the marine environment be sustainably utilised. A new, at times controversial management tool involves the creation of ‘no-take’ marine reserves. There is a need for research into the changes that accompany declaration of MPA’s to determine if they meet their ecological objectives.
Fisheries worldwide are in decline – over-fishing and other threats have seen the collapse of some fisheries completely. There is an urgent need to understand the ecology of fish species and to develop ecosystem-based fisheries management regimes based on this information. Aquaculture is Australia’s fastest growing primary industry and offers an alternative supply of fish as wild stocks decline. There are a range of research needs for the industry including:
a) Genetic selection of brood stocks for hatcheries
b) Development of suitable feeds that not only meet the dietary requirements of aquaculture species but which are economically viable.
c) Improvement to aquaculture systems to reduce costs, improve water quality, conserve water, minimise waste water impacts on the environment and reduce stress on aquaculture species.
