Program Leaders: Dr David Westcott, CSIRO Sustainable
Ecosystems and Dr David Blair, James Cook University
The Great Barrier Reef is a multiple use marine park where
shipping, coastal development and an expanding aquaculture industry
present potential risks to local biodiversity through the import of
invasive species (e.g. the Asian green mussel) and/or aquatic
pollution.
Program 6 will report on the current and
potential risks and mitigation of invasive marine species in the
Great Barrier Reef through a desktop study based on published and
grey literature. The Program will also develop a set of protocols
for translocation of genetic material within the Great Barrier Reef
to minimise the risks of genetic contamination based on current
understanding of the spatial structure of Great Barrier Reef
populations.
New or imminent incursions of invasive
terrestrial pests require immediate management action without the
luxury of data collection in the field. First responses to
incursions are crucial yet are most effective if based on some
knowledge of the invading species. In particular, knowing how
fast and how far an invasive species can spread is fundamental to
first response as it can set search areas and locations of
risk.
Program 6 will develop a rapid response
strategy to incursion by detailing ecological dispersal traits
(e.g. introduction history, distribution, abundance, taxonomy,
population parameters, reproduction, environmental tolerances,
habitat preferences, movement, feeding habits), and a statement of
current or potential impact of native and exotic species.
These functional classifications of traits that influence the
invasive spread potential of pre-emergent or new invasives will
allow for data-based predictions of likely dispersal
characteristics to be developed. This will be done for
vertebrate-dispersed plants and fish. The resulting
classifications will allow managers to assign pre-emergent or new
species to risk categories based on the spread characteristics of
similar species already in Australia, and to develop management
response strategies based on these classifications. This
analysis will also identify gaps in our knowledge of invasive
species, and will be used to guide future research in the MTSRF
Programme.
Program 6 involves two Projects:
Project 2.6.1 - Identification and impact of invasive pests
in the Great Barrier Reef (Research Providers: JCU)
Project 2.6.2 - Identification and impact of invasive pests
in Wet Tropics rainforests (Research Providers: CSIRO,
DPI&F, FNQ NRM Ltd, JCU)
