• European Marine Science

The Lord Howe Island survey SS06-2008 in April 2008 aboard the RV Southern Surveyor was a collaboration between the University of Wollongong and Geoscience Australia. The survey was also an activity of the Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities' (CERF) Marine Biodiversity Hub, of which Geoscience Australia is a partner, and will contribute to the revised Plan of Management for the Lord Howe Marine Parks. The objectives of the survey were to map the morphology and benthic environments of the shallow shelf that surrounds Lord Howe Island as well as the deeper flanks of this largely submarine volcano. Of particular interest was the apparent drowned reef structure on the shelf and the spatial distribution of seabed habitats and infauna. The data collected are required to better understand the history of reef growth at Lord Howe Island, which sits at the southernmost limit of reef formation, and links between the physical environment and ecological processes that control the spatial distribution of biodiversity on the shelf. The morphology of the flanks of the submarine volcano was also examined to reveal whether they provide evidence of major erosional and depositional processes acting on the volcano. This report provides a description of the survey activities and the results of the processing and initial analysis of the data and samples collected.

The Oceanic Shoals survey (SOL5650, GA survey 339) was conducted on the R.V. Solander in collaboration with Geoscience Australia, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), University of Western Australia and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory between 12 September - 5 October, 2012. This dataset comprises an interpreted geomorphic map. Interpreted local-scale geomorphic maps were produced for each survey area in the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) using multibeam bathymetry and backscatter grids at 2 m resolution and bathymetric derivatives (e.g. slope; 1-m contours). Six geomorphic units; bank, depression, mound, plain, scarp and terrace were identified and mapped using definitions suitable for interpretation at the local scale (nominally 1:10 000). Maps and polygons were manual digitised in ArcGIS using the spatial analyst and 3D analyst toolboxes. For further information on the geomorphic mapping methods please refer to Appendix N of the post-survey report, published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38: Nichol, S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L., Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).

The Strait of Messina is certainly a focal area for the biological cycle of the jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca in the Western Mediterranean Sea. By means of both original and literature data, a conceptual model outlining the biological cycle of this species is proposed. P. noctiluca reproduces from late winter to late spring in the Aeolian Island Archipelago. From late spring to early summer, currents transport newly produced young individuals (20-30 mm bell diameter) eastwards, towards the Strait. The Strait of Messina ecosystem is not a suitable reproduction area for its intense hydrodynamism that would surely lead to a very low reproductive success due to gamete dispersion. This area, however, represents an optimal site for growth, due to its intensive primary and secondary production, but also for an optimal temperature range, lower in summer and higher in winter in respect to the surrounding basins. Pelagia remains all the summer inside the Strait, increasing in bell diameter (50-70 mm) and biomass. Subsequently, in late summer-early autumn, the mature specimens, taking advantage of a typical autumnal downwelling transport, move to deep Tyrrhenian waters where overwinter, to upwell in the Aeolian Archipelago by late winter to start a new cycle.

Plastic pollution originates from various sources. While many industries are taking steps to reduce their dependence on plastic, there is currently no reliable methodology to forecast specifically the extent of the marine plastic leakage from an industry or a country and map potential leakage hotspots throughout the value chain. This report offers, for the first time, a comprehensive framework to measure the inventory of marine plastic leakage, step-by-step and using a life-cycle perspective. It also offers generic data that can be used to calculate marine plastic leakage for a defined list of identified sources, including plastic waste, textile fibres, tyre dust, micro beads in cosmetics, and fishing nets. The approach discussed in this report focuses on inventorying plastic flows into the marine environment only. It does not look at plastic releases into the terrestrial environment, or any ecosystem or human health impacts that may result from marine plastic leakage.

The study investigated the potential impacts of dredging and marine excavation activities on the marine water quality of the Ajman Creek during the Stage 1 and Sector 2 of the South Marine works of the Al Zorah development in Ajman, UAE. Permission was secured from the Project Manager to use the information from the two (2) year environmental monitoring activity where the author was commissioned as the environmental consultant. This descriptive research used the marine water quality monitoring data collected during the two-year construction. Two (2) statistical analysis tools, ANOVA and bivariate correlation were used in this study. The main analytical method for this study is semi-quantitative in nature. Quantitative data was gathered from the laboratory sampling and chemical analysis, but the analysis was more descriptive supported by statistical analysis. The study was limited on the data gathered from the laboratory sampling and chemical analysis at three (3) sampling locations within the project site at the mid water depth, and physical water quality parameters measured were temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS). Sampling and testing were performed every two (2) weeks at the same three (3) locations. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), heavy metals and others were not tested. The result of the monitoring showed that pH had increased from the baseline of 6.16 to 8.30 at the end of Sector 2 phase; however, this was still within the standard set by authority. The percentage change in the salinity and TDS exceeded the limit during several monitoring activities (<5% and <2% respectively) due to release of carbonates from the excavation sites. TSS and turbidity readings also exceeded the limit; however, the average TSS and turbidity were within the maximum limit (EAD, <33 mg/L, DM 25 mg/L max for TSS; 10 NTU for turbidity). The DO reading was affected by both release of sediments from the excavation and decrease in the oxygen solubility due to increase in temperature of water. In general, DO was maintained at the allowable limit (>4 mg/L). As a conclusion, statistically there was no significant difference among three locations based on the following parameters: temperature, pH, conductivity, salinity, TSS, TDS, turbidity, and DO. Direct correlation among temperature, pH, conductivity, salinity, TDS, TSS, and turbidity was noted. However, there was an inverse correlation between temperature and DO. Results suggest that the construction of the quay walls, revetments and marinas during the Stage 1 and Sector 2 of the South Marine work were implemented sufficiently with mitigating measures in place. It is then recommended to include chemical marine water quality parameters such as BOD, COD, chlorophyll and heavy metals; extend to assess the potential impact on the benthic organisms and migratory bird species for ecological equilibrium.

Annex 4 is the data base of the study formed by 48 colummns. The name of each column correpond to a item of the MPA MEAT tool. The items of the MPA MEAT tool are detailed in annex 2. The surveys used in this study were not originally designed to be used for the MPA MEAT tool, an equivalence has been established between the items in our surveys and the items defined in the MPA MEAT survey form and this equivalence is also detailed in annex 2. THIS DATASET IS ARCHIVED AT DANS/EASY, BUT NOT ACCESSIBLE HERE. TO VIEW A LIST OF FILES AND ACCESS THE FILES IN THIS DATASET CLICK ON THE DOI-LINK ABOVE

This resource contains geochemistry data for the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea collected by Geoscience Australia during September and October 2012 on RV Solander (survey GA0339/SOL5650). This dataset comprises sediment oxygen demand data from the upper 2 cm of seabed sediments. The Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve survey was undertaken as an activity within the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and was the key component of Research Theme 4 - Regional Biodiversity Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans. Hub partners involved in the survey included the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, the University of Western Australia, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Data acquired during the survey included: multibeam sonar bathymetry and acoustic backscatter; sub-bottom acoustic profiles; physical samples of seabed sediments, infauna and epibenthic biota; towed underwater video and still camera observations of seabed habitats; baited video observations of demersal and pelagic fish, and; oceanographic measurements of the water column from CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) casts and from deployment of sea surface drifters. Further information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38: Nichol, S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L., Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 - Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).

This resource contains geochemistry data for the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea collected by Geoscience Australia during September and October 2012 on RV Solander (survey GA0339/SOL5650). This dataset comprises oxygen consumption rates and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) production rates measured on seabed sediments using incubated cores. The Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve survey was undertaken as an activity within the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and was the key component of Research Theme 4 - Regional Biodiversity Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans. Hub partners involved in the survey included the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, the University of Western Australia, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Data acquired during the survey included: multibeam sonar bathymetry and acoustic backscatter; sub-bottom acoustic profiles; physical samples of seabed sediments, infauna and epibenthic biota; towed underwater video and still camera observations of seabed habitats; baited video observations of demersal and pelagic fish, and; oceanographic measurements of the water column from CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) casts and from deployment of sea surface drifters. Further information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38: Nichol, S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L., Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 - Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).