MTSRF
Impacts of the MTSRF
Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility
The Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) was a $40m component of the Australian Government's Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities, managed by the then Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
Although the four-year term of the MTSRF officially concluded on 30 June 2010, this Australian Government investment will continue to deliver sustainability dividends into the future. This ongoing delivery will occur directly, through continued Australian Government funding - with a number of MTSRF projects receiving short term additional 'transition funding' until December 2010 - and also indirectly, through the continued activity of the RRRC and consortium members.
Through a consortium of fifteen research agencies, involving around three hundred scientists, the MTSRF delivered scientific solutions for the problems facing North Queensland's key environmental assets: the Great Barrier Reef and its catchments, tropical rainforests including the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and Torres Strait.
Publications from the MTSRF program can be downloaded here, including the Impacts of the MTSRF brochure.
| MTSRF 1.1.1 | Identification of indicators and thresholds of concern for ecosystem health on a bioregional scale for the GBR | Michelle Waycott, JCU and Hugh Sweatman, AIMS |
| MTSRF 1.1.2 | Condition and trend of the GBR ecosystem: Indicators, thresholds of potential concern and ecological influence of GBR Zoning Plan on mid and outer reefs | Hugh Sweatman, AIMS and Marie-Lise Schläppy, Reef Check |
| MTSRF 1.1.3 | Condition, trend and risk in coastal habitats: Seagrass indicators, distribution and thresholds of potential concern | Michelle Waycott, JCU and Len McKenzie, QDPI&F |
| MTSRF 1.1.4 | Dating and mapping historical changes in GBR coral communities | Jian-Xin Zhao, UQ |
| MTSRF 1.1.5 | The e-Atlas: Risk, Resilience and Response | Katharina Fabricius, AIMS |
| MTSRF 1.2.1 | Status and trends of biodiversity and ecosystem services | James Butler, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 1.3.1 | Traditional knowledge systems and climate change in the Torres Strait | Kevin Parnell and Karen McNamara, JCU |
| MTSRF 1.3.2 | Ecological role and potential economic value of sponges to the Torres Strait | Steve Whalan, AIMS |
| MTSRF 1.3.3 | Economic analysis of alternative uses, trade-offs | James Butler, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 1.3.4 | Communication, community engagement and enhanced delivery | Vic McGrath, TSRA |
| MTSRF 1.3.5 | Data integration and synthesis for development of reports on ecosystem health in the Torres Strait region | James Butler, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 1.4.1 | Condition trends and projected futures of marine species of conservation concern | Mark Hamann, JCU |
| MTSRF 1.4.2 | Sustainable use of marine species of conservation concern | Helene Marsh, JCU |
| MTSRF 1.4.3 | Rainforest threatened species and communities and ecosystem processes | Dan Metcalfe, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 2.5i.1 | Hydrodynamics at the whole-of-GBR scale | Richard Brinkman, AIMS |
| MTSRF 2.5i.2 | Early warning and assessment system for thermal stress on the GBR | Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, UQ |
| MTSRF 2.5i.3 | Resilience to climate change | Terry Hughes, JCU and Julian Caley, AIMS |
| MTSRF 2.5i.4 | Tools to support resilience-based management in the face of climate change | Scott Wooldridge, AIMS |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.1 | Regional climate projections for tropical rainforests | RamasamySuppiah, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.2 | Climate change: scaling from trees to ecosystems | Michael Liddell, JCU |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.3 | Understanding climate change threat to ecosystems and ecological processes | David Hilbert, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 2.5ii.4 | Impacts of climate change on biodiversity | Steve Williams, JCU |
| MTSRF 2.6.1 | Understanding threats and impacts of invasive pests in the GBR | David Blair, JCU |
| MTSRF 2.6.2 | Identification and impact of invasive pests in the Wet Tropics rainforests | David Westcott, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 3.7.1 | Marine and estuarine indicators and thresholds of concern | Katharina Fabricius, AIMS |
| MTSRF 3.7.2 | Connectivity and risk: tracing materials from the upper catchment to the reef | Jon Brodie, JCU |
| MTSRF 3.7.3 | Freshwater indicators and thresholds of concern | Richard Pearson, JCU and Angela Arthington, GU |
| MTSRF 3.7.4 | Wetlands and floodplains: connectivity and hydro-ecological function | Jim Wallace, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 3.7.5 & 3.7.6 | Socio-economic constraints to and incentives for the adoption of land use and management options for water quality improvement | Peter Roebeling, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 3.7.7 | Analysis and synthesis of information for reporting credible estimates of loads for compliance against targets and tracking trends in loads | Bronwyn Hatch, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 4.8.1 | Resilience and connectivity | Terry Hughes, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.8.2 | Influence of the GBR Zoning Plan on inshore habitats and biodiversity, of which fish and corals are indicators | Peter Doherty, AIMS and Garry Russ, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.8.3 | Evaluation of the resiliency of key inter-reefal fish species | Colin Simpfendorfer, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.8.4 | Evaluation of the impacts from industry and community uses on inshore biodiversity | Andrew Tobin, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.8.5 | Incorporating stakeholders and their values, knowledge and aspirations in the care and development of the GBR Marine Park | Stephen Sutton, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.8.6 | Analysis of recreational and tourism use and impact on the GBR for managing sustainable tourism | Bruce Prideaux, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.8.7 | Forecasting risk of exposure to Irukandji | Michael Kingsford, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.8.8 | Investigation of the motivations of commercial and recreational fishers to comply with Great Barrier Reef Marine Park zoning | Renae Tobin, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.9.1 | Indigenous landscapes of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area | Steve Turton, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.9.2 | Nature based tourism: planning and management | Bruce Prideaux, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.9.3 | Impacts of urbanisation on North Queensland environments: management and remediation | Steve Turton, JCU |
| MTSRF 4.9.4 | Integrating ecology, economics and people in forest and landscapes | Nick Emtage and John Herobhn, UQ |
| MTSRF 4.9.5 | Restoring tropical forest landscapes | Carla Catterall, GU |
| MTSRF 4.9.6 | Strategic Natural Resource Management and land use planning | Cathy Robinson, CSIRO |
| MTSRF 4.9.7 | Understanding social resilience and identification of social resilience indicators for management | H. Ross, UQ, T. Lynam, CSIRO and M. Gooch, JCU |
| MTSRF 5.10 | Enhancing delivery of the MTSRF | Suzanne Long, RRRC |
| MTSRF 5.10.1 | Visual Documentation of MTSRF Projects | Suzanne Long, RRRCQ |
| MTSRF 5.10.2 | Communication, engagement and enhanced delivery for tourism operators in the Wet Tropics rainforests | Annie Riddet, TTNQ |
| MTSRF 5.10.3 | Communication, community engagement and enhanced delivery for Indigenous knowledge of the MTSRF Region | Jean Fenton and Melissa George, George Fenton Consultants |
Impacts of the MTSRF