CURTIN’S NORTHWEST MARINE RESEARCH
WAMSI NORTH WEST MARINE SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM
21 February 2013WA Maritime MUSEUM
CMST, Remote Sensing, Department of Applied Geology, Agriculture and Environment Departments/Centres
CENTRE FOR MARINE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (CMST)
WWW.CMST.CURTIN.EDU.AU
• Dolphin acoustics in the northwest (WAMSI II project: joint project with Murdoch)
• Sydney/Kormoran Project: To create an immersive, virtual museum experience using deep sea imagine of the story of two ships that sank each other in 1941 (collaboration with UWA)
• Acoustic assessment of habitat and abundance in the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery
• WA IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System): collect oceannoise data sets to link with various physical, biological, man-made and climate driven processes
An acoustic assessment of habitat and abundance in the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery – FRDC Project 2011/022
Collaborators: CMST, Curtin; Kimberley Wildcatch, Licensee; Department of Fisheries, WA
Objectives:1. Characterise seafloor habitat associated with high fish abundance and fishing effort
distribution;2. Identify possible locations of significant biomass outside current areas of commercial effort;3. Determine relative demersal fish biomass and investigate changes through time.
Methods: Attach a multi-frequency (18, 38, 120 and 200 kHz) scientific, split-beam sonar system to a commercial vessel and collect acoustic backscatter during routine operations.
To date:1. >15,000 km of acoustic data collected. 2. Video ground-truth data on habitat and fish.3. Observed spatial relationships for acoustic habitats and in-water biomass.
WAMSI II Project 1.2.4 Distribution, abundance and genetic connectivity of Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins across the Kimberley
Murdoch University, Australian National University & Curtin University joint project
• Carry out concurrent passive acoustic and visual observations of dolphins
• Correlate acoustic and visual detection rates and behaviour
• Integrate both acoustic and visual data to validate species presence and correlate with relative abundance
• Investigate geographic variation of humpback and snubfin vocalisations.
Aims
Roebuck Bay, Cygnet Bay and Beagle BayLocations
Begins April 2013
Courtesy of Deborah Thiele
Montara Oil Spill, Timor SeaAug – Oct 2009 Scientific StudiesScientific Studies
Fish health assessed by biochemical
measurements in various organs
Four fish samplings conducted: Nov 2009-Nov 2011(total 90 days at sea)
Results show trend towards recovery by 2011
Full Report available on SEWPaC websitehttp://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/oilspi
ll/scientific-monitoring.html#four
Ecotoxicology Group, Curtin University
Environmental costs of PFW discharge from
offshore facilities- fish health
- growth - bioaccumulation
- geographical extent of impact- 2013 onwards
Ecotoxicology Group, Curtin University
Description of macrotidal reefs:• Remote sensing and ground truth• Seismic mapping• Holocene sea level curve and climate history
– reef building communities– chronology and growth patterns– History of sea level: oceanographic and biological
evolution; substrate/reef growth interactions
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
regional geomorphology growth patterns and substrates of inshore reefs
Description of macrotidal reefs:• Remote sensing and ground truth
http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
© A. Sandes. Montgomery Reef
Description of macrotidal reefs:• Remote sensing and ground truth• Seismic mapping
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
Collins et al., 2010
Description of macrotidal reefs:• Remote sensing and ground truth• Seismic mapping• Holocene sea level curve and climate history
Twiggs & Collins, 2010
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Growth history of Coral reefs of the Kimberley region
http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
Present SL
LGM Lowstand
Transgression
StableHolocene Highstand
Holocene highstand at 6ka(+0.7/2.5m, Nakada & Lambeck, 1989)
WAMSI II Project 1.3.1Drowning History
http://geology.curtin.edu.au/
• Kimberley wide database of reefs: classification based on Hopley et al (2007).
• Types of morphology differ distinctly from eastern Australian reefs
Juvenile
Mature
Senile
Montgomery Reef
• CMST: Chandra Salgado Kent [email protected]
• Curtin University, Department Environment and Agriculture: Monique Gagnon [email protected]
• Curtin University, Department of Applied Geology: Lindsay Collins [email protected]
• Curtin University, Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group: Peter Fearns [email protected]
Contacts