Project Leader and Host
Organisation
Dr Jim Wallace, CSIRO Land and Water
Project Description and Objectives
For detailed descriptions of the outputs for
this project for Year 4 (2009/2010) of the MTSRF Research
Programme, see the Annual Research
Plan.
Floodplains and wetlands are important physical and biological
links in the aquatic continuum, providing unique and essential
habitat and connectivity for specialist and wide-ranging fauna. Yet
very little is known about the hydrological dynamics of these
systems, and about the dynamics of the physical and biological
connectivity through them. These systems provide access to and
vital habitat for iconic species such as Barramundi, but they are
typically poorly managed, highly impacted and, in the case of
freshwater wetlands, severely depleted (~75% of such wetlands in
Great Barrier Reef catchments having been lost to agricultural and
other development). Proper management will depend on understanding
the biophysical relationships and connectivities in these
systems.
This project will develop a core floodplain hydrological model
to quantify two important aspects of hydro-ecological functioning:
(i) sources, sinks and transport of sediments and nutrients across
floodplains, and (ii) connectivity of wetland systems within
floodplains. In parallel, we will develop conceptual models of the
ecological dynamics of these systems and how these interact with
the hydrological processes. Ecological work to test the models of
ecological processes and dynamics and links to estuarine systems
will depend on the level of co-investment in the project.
The overall objective of Project 3.7.4 is to
develop the capability to predict the impacts of changes in land
use, management and climate on the flow and water quality regimes
and ecological dynamics in the wetlands and floodplains of
catchments adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. This is to be
achieved via the following key objectives:
-
Quantifying how the flood regime affects the main sinks and
sources of sediment and nutrient and their transport across
floodplains;
-
Development of a model to predict how the hydrological response
and connectivity of tropical floodplains are affected by land use,
land and water management and climate; and
-
Development of models that link ecological structure (e.g.
biodiversity, community patterns) and processes to the core
floodplain hydrology model to quantify the consequences of changes
in water body connectivity between freshwater and saline waterways
for biodiversity, biological connectivity and proper ecological
function.
This project will make links with several other
MTSRF and non-MTSRF Projects, particularly Project 3.7.2, and
CSIRO and other wetland-orientated research. Our hydrological
workshop will involve representatives from all of the MTSRF-funded
water quality projects and there will be particularly strong links
with Projects
3.7.1 and 3.7.2, as they will be
working in the marine environment adjacent to the Tully-Murray
catchments.
The biophysical information generated by this
project will be linked with appropriate socio-economic aspects of
land use change via the economic case studies that Project 3.7.5 will
carry out in the Wet Tropics. Socio-economic links will also be
strengthened via the geographical co-location of Project 3.7.4 and
social and economic studies funded by CSIRO Water for a
Healthy Country (WFHC) in the Tully-Murray catchments. Our main
contribution to the Integrated Reporting will be delivered via our
wetland connectivity index Decision Support System (DSS). This DSS
will then be used to clarify how the current Queensland Wetlands
program assessment could be improved. Subject to co-investment to
support additional components, this project will develop its
ecological scope in close collaboration with Project 3.7.3.
