Research > Collaborative linkages program > State linkage projects > project description Research: Collaborative linkages State linkage project: Establishing Reference and Monitoring Sites to Assess a Key Indicator of Ecosystem Health (Seagrass Health) on the Central West Coast of Western Australia Introduction The Department of Environment has a responsibility to protect the Western Australian (WA) marine environment from threats posed by waste discharges and habitat loss. An environmental quality management framework (EQMF) which is consistent with the National Water Quality Management Strategy (ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000) documentation is a key policy tool being implemented to protect environmental quality in WA. The EQMF is underpinned by Environmental Values (EVs) and associated Environmental Quality Objectives (EQOs) which are established through community consultation as recommended by ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000). Each EV and its associated EQOs have sets of environmental quality requirements. These are the Environmental Quality Criteria (EQC) that are used to evaluate whether EQOs are being achieved. A reference site approach has been adopted for developing some of the EQC. This approach requires targeted collection of ecological data at unimpacted reference sites. To maximise utility over time it is preferable that these sites are located where they will be offered long term protection such as in sanctuary zones in marine conservation reserves. This project has been specifically designed to provide sufficient baseline data to derive EQC for seagrass health, which is a fundamental indicator of ecosystem health in coastal environments of southwest WA. Specifically, we aim to broaden geographic coverage of seagrass health monitoring in WA by establishing reference sites in the mid-west region of WA. The Jurien area has been selected as the focal point for this work because it is within the Jurien Bay Marine Park and is an area that is predicted to be a centre for urban expansion in the future. We also aim to monitor the Jurien sites in a manner that ensures the data complement those collected in Perth. The project design should allow us to evaluate the potential for transferability of indicators and EQC between regions. Aims/objectives 1. Quantify the natural spatial and inter-annual variability in proposed seagrass health indicators on the central west coast of WA for a period of three years; Major findings/outcomes This objective has been achieved. Two permanent reference sites for monitoring seagrass health have been established in the Jurien Bay Marine Park. The sites were established in April 2003 and are located within Posidonia sinuosa meadows in the Fisherman Islands Sanctuary Zone and the Boullanger Island Special Purpose (Puerulus) Zone. At each site, 24 permanent relocatable quadrats have been established at each of three discrete depths (2.5 m, 3.5 m and 5.5 m) using methods described by Lavery and Westera (2003). The coordinates for each site are shown in Table 5. A range of seagrass health indicators (ie. seagrass shoot density, shoot height, percent cover) were monitored at the reference sites in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The data provide valuable new information about the natural spatial and temporal variability of P. sinuosa meadows in the mid-west of WA. Figure 44 shows natural variation in the shoot density of P. sinuosa meadows at three depths at Fisherman Islands and Boullanger Islands measured in 2003 and 2004. The data show minimal interannual variation at all sites except Fisherman Is. 2.5 m. As well as displaying the greatest interannual variation, average seagrass shoot density at Fisherman Is. 2.5 m is higher than at the other sites in Jurien for both years. Early exploratory analysis of the 2005 data indicate a similar and persistent pattern at this site. Data reports containing summary figures and raw data have been submitted to the SRFME Research Director each year of the program. 1. Enable comparisons to be made between natural variability in seagrass health indicators at sites in the vicinity of the proposed JBMP and in Perth’s southern metropolitan coastal waters; Major findings/outcomes This objective has been largely achieved. The three-year data set for seagrass health in the Jurien Bay Marine Park will enable comparisons to be made between natural variability in Jurien and Perth. 2. Provide an information base to make an assessment of the transferability of proposed seagrass health indicators and proposed criteria to the central west coast of WA and other areas of WA’s coastal marine waters; Major findings/outcomes This objective has been achieved. The data set that has been collected in the Jurien Bay Marine Park will enable an assessment to be made of the potential for cross-regional transferability of seagrass health indicators and criteria. 3. Enable Government agencies to broaden the geographic coverage of the environmental quality management framework currently being implemented in Perth’s coastal waters; Major findings/outcomes This objective has been largely achieved. The seagrass health data collected during this project will form the basis of environmental quality criteria that underpin the environmental quality management framework that is being implemented throughout the State on a priority basis. 4. Enhance strong collaboration between university researchers, key Government natural resource management agencies and SRFME researchers. Major findings/outcomes This project strengthens previously established collaborative research arrangements involving the Department of Environment and Edith Cowan University. It has also provided established sites and baseline data that have benefited other collaborative research projects in the area (eg. Funded under an ECU/Industry Partnership program). The project has also exposed Department of Conservation and Land Management regional staff to contemporary seagrass monitoring methods which will be essential for monitoring the Park in the future. The project also initiated tangible collaborations with SRFME staff who utilised the Department’s research vessel in Jurien. Problems that transpired during dredging for the Geraldton Port Enhancement Project highlighted the importance of baseline seagrass health data. Recognising the need for robust seagrass health data for environmental management, collaborators working on this project contributed to the development of a large strategic seagrass research project in Jurien which has been jointly funded by the SRFME Collaborative Projects fund and the Geraldton Port Authority. The project involves strong collaboration between ECU and CSIRO researchers and aims to address questions about the effects of light availability on seagrass health. Discussion Two permanent reference sites have been established within the Jurien Bay Marine Park and data have been collected over three years to develop environmental quality criteria that underpin the environmental quality management framework being implemented in WA. Importantly, by enabling collection of data in advance of significant urban and industrial expansion in the mid-west region, this project allows the State to act strategically to counter and manage threats to environmental quality before or as they emerge, rather than needing to seek solutions to problems after they arise. Data collected during this project enhances our understanding of natural variability of key seagrass health indicators and broadens the geographic coverage of reference data which will be used to derive criteria by 100’s of kilometers. However, due to the relatively short period of time since collecting the year three data we have not yet undertaken the detailed analyses necessary to evaluate variability of seagrass health indicators between Jurien and Perth and assess the potential for transferability of indicators and criteria. We plan to undertake more detailed analyses of data to address these issues in coming months. Some minor variations to the project have occurred during its implementation. One such variation involved changing the monitoring times from April when the sites were established to January. The decision to monitor the Jurien sites in January was taken so that seagrass health data were collected in Perth and Jurien were at similar times of the year and the effects of seasonal variation could be eliminated from the cross-regional comparisons of the data. A minor variation to the project proposal is that reference sites have not been established at 7 m depth. Despite carrying out site selection surveys over broad areas of the Jurien Bay Marine Park, suitable P. sinuosa meadows were not found at 7 m depth. Data loggers were deployed to measure photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and temperature at the sites during 2003 and 2004. Unfortunately, the loggers either failed or the data from these deployments is considered to be too unreliable for use. The Department is currently investigating the purchase of higher quality PAR and temperature loggers. When purchased these could be deployed at the reference sites to gather physical data that may assist in the interpretation of seagrass health data. Accordingly, the Department is committed to explore opportunities to undertake an additional field program in January 2006 to monitor seagrass health and, if possible, gather PAR and temperature data from the sites. Summary and Conclusions The objectives set for the project have been largely achieved, though further work is necessary to make cross-regional comparisons of natural variability and to evaluate potential for transferability of seagrass health criteria. References ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000). Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality. National Water Quality Management Strategy Document Volume 4. Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, 2000. Lavery P. and Westera M. (2003). A survey of Selected Seagrass Meadows in the Fremantle to Warnbro Sound Region, 2003. Centre for Ecosystem Management Report 2003-08. Conferences attended, or presentations given R. Masini. Presentation of progress at the Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment Symposium, 18 February 2004, CSIRO Floreat. Publications and/or outcomes to date J. How and P. Lavery (2004). Seagrass Health Monitoring in the Jurien Bay Marine Park: Year two baseline sampling, March 2004. Centre for Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University Report for Department of Environment and Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment. J. How and P. Lavery (2003). Seagrass Health Monitoring in the Jurien Bay Marine Park: Year two baseline sampling, March 2003. Centre for Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University Report for Department of Environment and Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment. Principle Investigator Adjunct Prof. Ray Masini, Marine Ecosystems Branch, Policy and Coordination Division, Department of Environment Co-Investigators Dr Cam Sim, Marine Ecosystems Branch, Policy and Coordination Division, Department of Environment Assoc. Prof. Paul Lavery, School of Natural Sciences, Edith Cowan University Dr Chris Simpson, Marine Conservation Branch, Department of Conservation and Land Management [collaborative linkages program]

 

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research | Department of Premier and Cabinet| Department of Conservation & Land Management | Department of Fisheries WA| Department of Environment | Department of Industry & Resources SRFME is a joint venture between the Western Australian State Government and CSIRO