Project 3.7.3 - Freshwater indicators and thresholds of concern
Project Leaders: Professor Richard Pearson, James Cook
University and Professor Angela Arthington, Griffith
University
Key objectives of Project 3.7.3 include:
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Field and laboratory research to develop physical, chemical and
ecological indicators of freshwater ecosystem health in the Wet and
Dry Tropics as part of an Integrated Water Quality Report Card that
meets end-user needs and objectives;
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The identification of thresholds of potential concern relating
to land use, water quality, riparian condition, habitat and food
web structure in freshwater ecosystems of the Wet and Dry
Tropics;
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Provision of an interactive Web database that documents the
distribution and ecological requirements of freshwater biota in the
Wet and Dry Tropics, to assist river health assessments and inform
a range of end users;
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Training new young researchers through PhD programs who will be
integral to the identification and testing of efficient and
effective freshwater condition indicators in the Wet and Dry
Tropics; and
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Provision of monitoring methods, manuals and guidelines of
relevance to a range of skills and end-users.
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 Project 3.7.3 JCU Pearson, R. GU Arthington, A. (2008) March Milestone Report
A project progress report on the field sampling program which commenced in the Tully-Murray wetlands in December 2007, with subsequent laboratory work to identify potential indicators of ecosystem health. A workshop was held with Burdekin Dry Tropics staff in January 2008 to review the current sate of knowledge of aquatic systems in the Burdekin catchment, to develop conceptual models of biophysical processes in Burdekin waterways, and to identify potential partnerships between MTSRF research programs and Board research needs. [pdf 104.4 kb]
Project 3.7.3 JCU Pearson,R. GU Arthington, A. (2008) June Milestone Report
A project progress report detailing the field sampling program continued in the Tully-Murray wetlands, with subsequent laboratory work to identify potential indicators of ecosystem health, where the potential of several biological indicators was identified, namely zooplankton, macroinvertebrates and juvenile and small fish. [pdf 534.7 kb]
Projects 3.7.3/3.7.4 CSIRO Wallace, J. (2007) Hydro-ecological modeling in coastal catchments: Connectivity and hydro-ecological function
Report from the MTSRF Projects 3.7.3 and 3.7.4 Workshop held at CSIRO Davies Laboratory, Townsville, 19-20 April 2007, which summarises the presentations, discussion and recommendations made. The key objective of the workshop was to initiate the development of an integrated package of conceptual and quantitative models, supported by field-based research, to predict the key hydro-ecological functions in Wet Tropics rivers, wetlands and floodplains. [pdf 647.1 kb]
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