Identifying knowledge gaps in seagrass research and management: An Australian perspective

York, Paul H.; Smith, Timothy M.; Coles, Robert G.; McKenna, S.A.; Connolly, Rod M.; Irving, Andrew D.; Jackson, Emma L.; McMahon, Kathryn; Runcie, John W.; Sherman, Craig D. H.; Sullivan, Brooke K.; Trevathan-Tackett, Stacey M.; Brodersen, Kasper Elgetti; Carter, Alex B.; Ewers, C.; Lavery, Paul S.; Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Sinclair, Elizabeth A.; Strydom, Simone; Tanner, Jason E.; Dijk, Kor‐jent van; Warry, Fiona Y.; Waycott, Michelle; Whitehead, Sam

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.06.006

Cited by 74 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 111 publications

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“…Therefore, understanding those environmental cues that reduce time to germination and increase the maximum number of germinated seeds is essential to determine the potential for seagrass recovery via sexual reproduction. Germination cues have recently been identified as an important knowledge gap in Australian seagrass research (York et al, 2016). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed germination in a southern Australian temperate seagrass

Cumming

Jarvis

Sherman

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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In a series of experiments, seeds from a temperate seagrass species, Zostera nigricaulis collected in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia were exposed to a range of salinities (20 PSU pulse/no pulse, 25 PSU, 30 PSU, 35 PSU), temperatures (13 °C, 17 °C, 22 °C), burial depths (0 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm) and site specific sediment characteristics (fine, medium, coarse) to quantify their impacts on germination rate and maximum overall germination. In southern Australia the seagrass Z. nigricaulis is a common subtidal species; however, little is known about the factors that affect seed germination which is a potential limiting factor in meadow resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Overall seed germination was low (<20%) with germination decreasing to <10% when seeds were placed in the sediment. When germination of Z. nigricaulis seeds was observed, it was enhanced (greater overall germination and shorter time to germination) when seeds were exposed to a 20 PSU pulse for 24 h, maintained at salinity of 25 PSU, temperatures <13 °C, in sediments with fine or medium grain sand and buried at a depth of <1 cm. These results indicate that germination of Z. nigricaulis seeds under in situ conditions may be seasonally limited by temperatures in southern Australia. Seed germination may be further restricted by salinity as freshwater pulses reaching 20 PSU are typically only observed in Port Phillip Bay following large scale rainfall events. As a result, these populations may be particularly susceptible to disturbance with only a seasonally limited capacity for recovery.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed germination in a southern Australian temperate seagrass

Cumming

Jarvis

Sherman

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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“…Seagrasses have a high light requirement (Longstaff 1999) and their accelerating global decline has been attributed primarily to human activities that reduce light and water quality, such as eutrophication, sediment loading and dredging (Erftemeijer & Robin Lewis 2006, Orth et al 2006, Waycott et al 2009), as well as climatic stochastic events (extreme temperatures and rainfall) (Fraser et al 2014, Thomson et al 2015. While the effects of reduced light intensity are well documented (Ralph et al 2007, McMahon et al 2013, very little is known about how shifts in light quality affect seagrass growth and reproduction (York et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seagrass Halophila ovalis is affected by light quality across different life history stages

Strydom¹,

McMahon²,

Kendrick³

et al. 2017

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Seagrass meadows provide crucial ecosystem services to the coastal zone but are threatened globally. Seagrass loss to date has mainly been attributed to anthropogenic activities that reduce light quantity (amount of photosynthetic photon flux density), such as dredging, flooding and eutrophication. However, light quality (wavelengths of light within the visible spectrum) is also altered by these anthropogenic stressors. This study addressed the effect of light quality changes on seagrasses. Aquarium-based experiments were conducted to determine whether the seagrass Halophila ovalis (R.Br.) Hook f. responds to different light quality treatments. Separate experiments were performed in which adults, seeds or seedlings were subjected to monochromatic light treatments in the blue (peak λ = 451 nm), green (peak λ = 522 nm), yellow (peak λ = 596 nm) and red (peak λ = 673 nm) wavelengths with a control of full-spectrum light (λ = 400 − 700 nm, at 200 µmol photons m −2 s −1). This study is unique in that it measured seagrass responses to light across several plant scales (physiology, productivity, morphology and biomass) as well as across life-history stages (seeds, seedlings, adults and flowering). Adult plants responded differently to seeds and seedlings but were generally consistent with terrestrial angiosperms: blue light decreased below-ground productivity; green light influenced morphology (through increased rhizome internode length); red light enhanced seed germination and survival. The findings indicate that both natural and human-induced changes in light quality could significantly affect seagrass growth and reproduction. As a range of anthropogenic activities are currently contributing to the global losses of seagrasses, this research provides timely information on how light quality influences different seagrass life history stages.

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“…Seagrass beds, coral reefs, mangroves and other inshore ecosystems provide essential habitat for many species such as fish, turtles and dugongs and facilitate critical environmental and biological processes (Bell and Lovelock, 2013;Costanza et al, 1997;Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, 2011a;Jackson et al, 2001;Ogden et al, 1983;Olds et al, 2014;Polidoro et al, 2010;Schaffelke et al, 2005;Short and WyllieEcheverria, 1996;Thayer et al, 1982Thayer et al, , 1984Waycott et al, 2005;York et al, 2016).…”

Section: Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In terms of seagrass biodiversity, tropical and sub-tropical Australia has one of the richest areas in the world (Environment Australia, 2003;Waycott et al, 2005;York et al, 2016).…”

Section: Seagrassmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effectiveness of rehabilitation post catastrophic environmental events as a conservation strategy for marine turtles

Flint¹

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School of Veterinary Science 2In-water monitoring of the health and well-being of marine vertebrates is usually expensive and therefore may not be undertaken by management agencies with financial constraints.However, the use of stranding data can provide a cost-effective alternative estimation of disease and mortality. Strandings for marine turtles in Queensland are recorded in a web based database (StrandNet) managed by the Queensland Government's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP). Data recorded in StrandNet for marine turtles stranded from the entire east coast of Queensland between 1996 and 2013 were investigated for patterns of stranding in an attempt to identify which factors, such as extreme weather events, may cause stranding of marine turtle species and, further, use these patterns to predict stranding and the required responses to mitigate the negative impact mass mortalities have on endangered species such as marine turtles.Significant stranding trends in Queensland between 1996-2013 were: (i) an increase in the number of animals reported stranded within the study site; (ii) a species (loggerhead and green marine turtles) prevalence for stranding; (iii) a seasonal effect on different age classes stranding with most overall strandings occurring between August and November; and (iv) stranding hotspots (Moreton Bay, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton region and Cleveland Bay) persisting throughout the study timeframe.One strategy to mitigate the negative effects of marine turtle stranding is to provide medical care to those that strand alive in the hopes they can return to the functional population. Rehabilitation of marine turtles in Queensland is multifaceted. It treats individual animals, serves to educate the public, and contributes to conservation. Of 13854 marine turtles reported as stranded during the 18-year period of investigation, 5022 of these turtles stranded alive with the remainder verified as dead or of unknown condition. A total of 2970 (59%) of these live strandings were transported to a rehabilitation facility.The original cause of stranding has an impact on the success of rehabilitation and this may influence where treatment efforts are directed. For example, of the turtles admitted to rehabilitation exhibiting signs of disease (natural cause of illness) (18% of all animals admitted to rehabilitation), 88% of them died either unassisted or by euthanasia. Sixty-six percent of turtles admitted for unknown causes of stranding died either unassisted or by 3 euthanasia. By contrast, all turtles recorded as having a buoyancy disorder with no other presenting problem or disorder recorded, were released alive.One hundred and one of the turtles released from rehabilitation were reencountered: 77 reported as restrandings (20 dead, 13 alive subsequently died, 11 alive subsequently euthanized, 33 alive) and 24 recaptured during normal marine turtle population monitoring or fishing activities. Considering the high mortality rate and low successful recapture rate, rehabilitation may not be...

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Identifying knowledge gaps in seagrass research and management: An Australian perspective

Cited by 74 publications

References 111 publications

Seed germination in a southern Australian temperate seagrass

Seed germination in a southern Australian temperate seagrass

Seagrass Halophila ovalis is affected by light quality across different life history stages

The effectiveness of rehabilitation post catastrophic environmental events as a conservation strategy for marine turtles

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