Journal articles on the topic 'Wetlands – Queensland'
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1
Greenway, Margaret, and John S. Simpson. "Artificial wetlands for wastewater treatment, water reuse and wildlife in Queensland, Australia." Water Science and Technology 33, no. 10-11 (May 1, 1996): 221–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1996.0678.
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Queensland, Australia has a subtropical-tropical climate with dry winters and wet monsoonal summers. Arid climatic conditions prevail inland with hot dry days and cold nights. The climatic conditions are conducive to high plant growth rates and hence offer great potential for constructed wetlands for water pollution control. The water (a scarce resource during the dry season and in arid regions) can also be used to irrigate crops, playing fields, parks and gardens or golf courses. The water discharged from the wetlands is also of an acceptable quality to flow into estuarine and riverine environments. Many natural wetlands are only seasonally inundated and during the dry season wildlife has to seek alternative refuges. Artificial wetlands receiving sewage effluent provide permanent wildlife habitats and improve the landscape amenity. The Queensland government's Department of Primary Industries has initiated an Artificial Wetlands for Water Pollution Research Program. Under this scheme 10 experimental pilot artificial wetlands have been established and a further 6 university research projects are being conducted on various aspects of artificial wetlands including nutrient and heavy metal uptake and bioavailability in wetland plants, sediment biogeochemistry and mass balances. One gold mine rehabilitation project has an artificial wetland to treat mine leachate. This paper presents 3 case studies which include significant results with respect to wastewater polishing and re-use.
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Fensham, R. J., R. J. Fairfax, and P. R. Sharpe. "Spring wetlands in seasonally arid Queensland: floristics, environmental relations, classification and conservation values." Australian Journal of Botany 52, no. 5 (2004): 583. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt03171.
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The vegetation and environmental setting of permanent spring wetlands are described from a survey of 269 spring complexes throughout seasonally arid Queensland. Wetlands associated with springs in the western and southern discharge areas of the Great Artesian Basin are floristically distinct from other spring wetlands. Ordination analysis suggests that the biogeographic regions and the broad geological substrates that support spring wetlands provide a meaningful representation of floristic range. An existing classificatory system that defines ‘regional ecosystems’ on the basis of the biogeographic region and broad geological substrate is adopted to define 15 spring-wetland types in seasonally arid Queensland. The conservation value of the springs is assessed by a scheme that weights plant species populations on the basis of their endemicity and isolation from other populations, demonstrating that both Great Artesian Basin and non-Great Artesian Basin springs have similar conservation values.
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Halford, J. J., and R. J. Fensham. "Vegetation and environmental relations of ephemeral subtropical wetlands in central Queensland, Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 62, no. 6 (2014): 499. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt14115.
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An extensive network of ephemeral wetlands exists within arid and semiarid Australia. These wetlands provide important resources to local and migratory species; however, they are poorly studied, particularly in terms of their vegetation–environmental relations. To better understand these relationships, a flora survey was conducted in a large complex of ephemeral, subtropical wetlands in central Queensland, in an attempt to describe the vegetation patterns present, and determine their underlying environmental conditions. In total, eight vegetation groups were identified, with water depth having the greatest influence over vegetation patterns, with slope, assumed to affect drainage, having a secondary influence. Aquatics, such as Nymphaea gigantea Hook. and Vallisneria nana R.Br., characterise the deepest zone, grasslands and sedgelands characterise intermediate depths and a herbfield including many ephemeral terrestrial species characterises the shallow zone. The geography of the wetland-dependant species indicates mostly tropical affinities. All wetland-dependant species present are broadly distributed, with none requiring special conservation considerations. There are no significant infestations of exotic species, including ponded pasture species, that have spread throughout other tropical and subtropical wetlands. The complex of wetlands extending over a large catchment area in the upper Dawson River catchment is in excellent natural condition, and as such, it forms a very important component of the network of wetlands extending along the east coast of Australia.
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Fensham, R. J., R. J. Fairfax, D. Pocknee, and J. Kelley. "Vegetation patterns in permanent spring wetlands in arid Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 52, no. 6 (2004): 719. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt04043.
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A transect-based quadrat survey was conducted within 11 spring wetlands fed by permanent groundwater flows from the Great Artesian Basin at Elizabeth Springs in western Queensland. Flow patterns within individual wetlands change with sedimentation associated with mound building, siltation of abandoned drains and changes in aquifer pressure associated with artificial extraction from bores. The pattern of floristic groups for the wetland quadrats was poorly related to soil texture, water pH, slope and topographic position. Patterns were most clearly related to wetland age as determined from aerial photography, with a clear successional sequence from mono-specific stands of Cyperus laevigatus on newly formed wetland areas to more diverse wetland assemblages. However, evidence from other Great Artesian Basin springs suggests that succession can also result in reduced species richness where the palatable tall reed Phragmites australis develops mono-specific stands.
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Moss, Patrick, John Tibby, Felicity Shapland, Russell Fairfax, Philip Stewart, Cameron Barr, Lynda Petherick, Allen Gontz, and Craig Sloss. "Patterned fen formation and development from the Great Sandy Region, south-east Queensland, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 67, no. 6 (2016): 816. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf14359.
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The Great Sandy Region (incorporating Fraser Island and the Cooloola sand-mass), south-east Queensland, contains a significant area of Ramsar-listed coastal wetlands, including the globally important patterned fen complexes. These mires form an elaborate network of pools surrounded by vegetated peat ridges and are the only known subtropical, Southern Hemisphere examples, with wetlands of this type typically located in high northern latitudes. Sedimentological, palynological and charcoal analysis from the Wathumba and Moon Point complexes on Fraser Island indicate two periods of swamp formation (that may contain patterned fens), one commencing at 12 000 years ago (Moon Point) and the other ~4300 years ago (Wathumba). Wetland formation and development is thought to be related to a combination of biological and hydrological processes with the dominant peat-forming rush, Empodisma minus, being an important component of both patterned and non-patterned mires within the region. In contrast to Northern Hemisphere paludifying systems, the patterning appears to initiate at the start of wetland development or as part of an infilling process. The wetlands dominated by E. minus are highly resilient to disturbance, particularly burning and sea level alterations, and appear to form important refuge areas for amphibians, fish and birds (both non-migratory and migratory) over thousands of years.
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T. Kingsford, Richard, Rachael F. Thomas, and Alison L. Curtin. "Conservation of wetlands in the Paroo and Warrego River catchments in arid Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 7, no. 1 (2001): 21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc010021.
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Irrigation proposals to divert water from the Paroo and Warrego Rivers in arid Australia will affect their aquatic ecosystems. These two are the last of 26 major rivers in the Murray-Darling Basin without large dams and diversions. Knowledge of the extent of their biodiversity value is critical to assessing likely impacts. During the 1990 flood, 1.73 million ha of wetlands, or 12.5% of the land surface of the Paroo and Warrego River catchments, were flooded. Flooded wetland area in the respective catchments was 781 330 ha and 890 534 ha. Most of the wetland area (97%) was floodplain, with 37 freshwater lakes (>50 ha) occupying 2.5% of the wetland area and 177 salt lakes covering 0.8%. A high diversity and abundance of biota depend on these wetlands. Only 7% of the wetland area, all in the Paroo catchment, is in conservation reserves. New South Wales has a high proportion of the wetland area on the Paroo (60%) and a substantial proportion of the wetland area on the Warrego River (23%). Queensland, the upstream state, will influence the ecology of the entire catchment areas of both river systems through its proposed water management plan. Any resulting extraction practices will have detrimental ecological consequences within a decade. Conservation of wetlands is usually site-focused and reflects a paradigm of conservation based on reservation of parcels of land. However, wetlands are dependent on water that is seldom adequately protected. Intergovernment co-operation should protect the entire catchment of the Paroo River from major diversions and stop further development on the Warrego River. This would do more for the conservation of wetlands than the formal reservation of small parts of their catchments.
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Greenway, M. "Suitability of macrophytes for nutrient removal from surface flow constructed wetlands receiving secondary treated sewage effluent in Queensland, Australia." Water Science and Technology 48, no. 2 (July 1, 2003): 121–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2003.0101.
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From a botanical perspective the major difference between waste stabilisation ponds and wetlands is the dominance of algae or floating plants in the former and emergent plants in the latter. Algae, floating and submerged plants remove nutrients directly from the water column whereas emergent species remove nutrients from the sediment. Water depth is a crucial factor in determining which plant types will become established. Surface flow constructed wetlands offer the greatest potential to grow a wide variety of different types of macrophytes. In assessing the suitability of plant species for nutrient removal, consideration must be given not only to nutrient uptake for growth but also storage of nutrients as plant biomass. A survey of macrophytes in 15 surface flow constructed wetlands treating secondary effluent was conducted in Queensland; 63 native species and 14 introduced species were found. Emergent species have been able to tolerate deeper water than in their natural environment and permanent waterlogging. All species grew well in the higher nutrient enriched wastewater. Submerged, floating leaved-attached and free floating species had the highest tissue nutrient content, followed by aquatic creepers. All these species remove nutrients from the water column. Emergent species had lower nutrient content but a greater biomass and were therefore able to store more nutrients per unit area of wetland. In order to maximise the efficiency of constructed wetlands for nutrient removal, a range of species should be used. Native species should be selected in preference to introduced/exotic species.
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Biggs, A. J. W., K. Bryant, and K. M. Watling. "Soil chemistry and morphology transects to assist wetland delineation in four semi-arid saline lakes, south-western Queensland." Soil Research 48, no. 3 (2010): 208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr09127.
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Soils at 4 saline lakes (Wyara, Numalla, Wombah and Bindegolly) in semi-arid south-western Queensland were described and sampled to determine soil attributes that assist in the delineation of wetlands. Up to 4 sites were described in transects perpendicular to the lake edge. Samples from fixed depths were analysed for limited ionic chemistry and, in some cases, selected acid sulfate soil parameters. Lakebed soils were alkaline Hypersalic Hydrosols, changing to a variety of soils, including alkaline Rudosols and Podosols on adjacent lunettes and beach ridges. Gley colours and mottling were indicative of lakebed soils, while redder colours and stratification were common in soils outside the wetland. Evaporative concentration of salts at the soil surface was common in lakebed and transition zone soils, whereas leaching of salts was common in sandier soils outside the wetlands. Analysis of acid sulfate soil parameters and field evidence in the beds of Lakes Wyara and Wombah confirmed the presence of unoxidised sulfidic sediments and extensive neutralising capacity. Wave action formation of beach ridges appeared to be the most prevalent land-forming process at 3 lakes, but wind-driven deflation with associated lunette-building was evident at Lake Bindegolly. The data confirmed the value of pedological features such as texture, colour, and salinity trends in determining the boundaries of these wetlands, but also highlighted the transient nature of these features.
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Personnaz, V. C., R. B. McKenzie, and I. A. A. Kikkert. "An integrated sewage treatment pond-wetland challenges conventional process treatment performance." Water Practice and Technology 11, no. 1 (March 1, 2016): 10–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2016.005.
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This paper presents a case example showing how integrating a constructed free water surface (FWS) wetland with sewage treatment ponds system can deliver effluent quality results that rival conventional sewage treatment plants (STP). Treatment ponds, commonly used in regional and remote communities, provide low cost and operationally simple wastewater treatment. Despite the benefits of sewage ponds, many systems struggle to achieve modern environmental standards. This paper focuses on the treatment performance of a pond-wetland STP throughout the initial 15-month establishment period of a 2,000 sqm FWS wetland at Helidon Queensland, Australia. The pre-existing STP comprised a two-stage pond with chlorination. In 2013, a two-cell FWS wetland was built to achieve long-term licence compliance at the STP for biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS) and pH. Post establishment, the effluent quality out of the wetlands was BOD <10 mg/L; SS < 20 mg/L; pH of 7–8 despite the influent BOD and TSS levels being well above the values used for the system's design. This paper demonstrates that FWS wetlands can easily integrate into existing or new sewage pond systems to deliver high quality and reliable treatment outcomes.
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Greenway, M., P. Dale, and H. Chapman. "An assessment of mosquito breeding and control in four surface flow wetlands in tropical-subtropical Australia." Water Science and Technology 48, no. 5 (September 1, 2003): 249–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2003.0330.
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In Queensland, Australia, the tropical-subtropical climate is ideal to promote macrophyte growth in surface flow wetlands; however, there have been concerns that constructed wetlands are potential breeding sites for disease-bearing mosquitoes. The aim of this study was to assess whether mosquitoes were breeding in these constructed wetlands, and if so, where they breed, and what parameters might influence breeding: e.g. water quality, vegetation, or macroinvertebrate communities. A study of four surface flow constructed wetlands located in different climatic regions was undertaken. Mosquito larvae were sampled using 240 ml dippers and macroinvertebrates using dip nets. The wetland with the greatest biodiversity of macrophytes and macroinvertebrates had the least number of mosquito larvae (< 1% of all dips). Samples with most mosquito larvae occurred amongst dense mats of Paspalum grass or dead Typha. Despite the presence of larvae in some parts of these wetlands very few late instars or pupae were found i.e. completion of the mosquito life cycle to adult mosquitoes was unsuccessful. This study has shown that the presence of mosquito larvae can be minimised by increasing macro-invertebrate biodiversity, by planting a variety of macrophyte types and species, excluding aggressive plant species, and maintaining at least 30% open water. Macroinvertebrates are probably a crucial factor in the control of mosquito larvae ensuring that predation of the early instars prevents or limits the development of pupae and the emergence of adults.
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Chamberlain, Debbie A., Stuart R. Phinn, and Hugh P. Possingham. "Mangrove Forest Cover and Phenology with Landsat Dense Time Series in Central Queensland, Australia." Remote Sensing 13, no. 15 (August 2, 2021): 3032. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs13153032.
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Wetlands are one of the most biologically productive ecosystems. Wetland ecosystem services, ranging from provision of food security to climate change mitigation, are enormous, far outweighing those of dryland ecosystems per hectare. However, land use change and water regulation infrastructure have reduced connectivity in many river systems and with floodplain and estuarine wetlands. Mangrove forests are critical communities for carbon uptake and storage, pollution control and detoxification, and regulation of natural hazards. Although the clearing of mangroves in Australia is strictly regulated, Great Barrier Reef catchments have suffered landscape modifications and hydrological alterations that can kill mangroves. We used remote sensing datasets to investigate land cover change and both intra- and inter-annual seasonality in mangrove forests in a large estuarine region of Central Queensland, Australia, which encompasses a national park and Ramsar Wetland, and is adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage site. We built a time series using spectral, auxiliary, and phenology variables with Landsat surface reflectance products, accessed in Google Earth Engine. Two land cover classes were generated (mangrove versus non-mangrove) in a Random Forest classification. Mangroves decreased by 1480 hectares (−2.31%) from 2009 to 2019. The overall classification accuracies and Kappa coefficient for 2008–2010 and 2018–2020 land cover maps were 95% and 95%, respectively. Using an NDVI-based time series we examined intra- and inter-annual seasonality with linear and harmonic regression models, and second with TIMESAT metrics of mangrove forests in three sections of our study region. Our findings suggest a relationship between mangrove growth phenology along with precipitation anomalies and severe tropical cyclone occurrence over the time series. The detection of responses to extreme events is important to improve understanding of the connections between climate, extreme weather events, and biodiversity in estuarine and mangrove ecosystems.
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Greenway, Margaret, and Anne Woolley. "Constructed wetlands in Queensland: Performance efficiency and nutrient bioaccumulation." Ecological Engineering 12, no. 1-2 (January 1999): 39–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0925-8574(98)00053-6.
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Fensham, R. J., and R. J. Fairfax. "Spring wetlands of the Great Artesian Basin, Queensland, Australia." Wetlands Ecology and Management 11, no. 5 (October 2003): 343–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/b:wetl.0000005532.95598.e4.
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Greenway, Margaret. "Nutrient content of wetland plants in constructed wetlands receiving municipal effluent in tropical Australia." Water Science and Technology 35, no. 5 (March 1, 1997): 135–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1997.0182.
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Several pilot wetlands have been constructed in Queensland to treat municipal wastewater. The wetlands are in tropical, subtropical and arid geographical locations. Most wetlands are free water surface and contain a variety of macrophyte types and species. A total of 49 native and 11 exotic species of wetland plants have been identified. This paper examines tissue nutrient content in different species and plant components from 7 wetlands. Most species translocated to the constructed wetlands flourished indicating their ability to tolerate nutrient enriched waters, and tended to have higher tissue nutrient concentrations than their controls in natural wetlands. Submerged and free floating species exhibited higher nutrient concentrations than floating leaved and emergent species. Maximum dry weight nutrient concentrations (mg.g−1) were recorded in duckweed 18 mgP.g−1; 58 mgN.g−1; Ceratophyllum 14 mgP.g−1, 35 mgN.g−1; Monochoria cyanea (a native relative of the water hyacinth) 13 mgP.g−1, 30 mgN.g−1; waterlilies: Nymphoides indica 16 mgP.g−1, 40 mgN.g−1; aquatic vines Ipomoea diamantinensis 10 mgP.g−1, 53 mgN.g−1, I. aquatica 9.5 mgP.g−1, 53 mgN.g−1; Ludwigia peploides 10 mgP.g−1, 52 mgN.g−1; and the water ferns Ceratopteris thalictroides 10 mgP.g−1, 31 mgN.g−1,Marsilea 10 mgP.g−1, 43 mgN.g−1. Emergent species with the highest nutrients (P or N) were Eleocharis sphacelata 9.4 mgP.g−1, 31.7 mgN.g−1, Baumea articulata 8.7 mgP.g−1, 24 mgN.g−1,Typha domingensis 7.2 mgP.g−1, 51.8 mgN.g−1 and Cyperus involucratus 7 mgP.g−1, 44.6 mgN.g−1. Pooled data showed no significant difference between tissue nutrient content in plant components, though nitrogen was highest in the leaves and phosphorus highest in the roots of most species. There was some evidence of spatial variation in tissue nutrient content between different wetlands but it has not been possible to correlate this with nutrient loadings or removal efficiencies.
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Hegerl, Edward J. "Human impacts on the tidal wetlands of Southern Moreton Bay." Australian Journal of Environmental Education 2 (June 1986): 21–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0814062600004365.
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AbstractUrban expansion in south-east Queensland poses a major threat to the tidal wetlands of Southern Moreton Bay. Significant features of the area and useful information sources are summarized. Conservation issues and the environmental impacts associated with urbanization are discussed, and reference is made to educational use of such areas.
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Danilchenko, Boris. "Wetlands studies: an arts-aesthetic view." Australian Journal of Environmental Education 2 (June 1986): 35–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0814062600004407.
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Abstract:Watch young children at play. With bright eyes and boundless energy, they rush like whirlwinds from place to place, accompanied by a constant stream of excited chatter as they explore their surroundings with a wholehearted zest for life.This article grows out of a fascination for the innate learning style of children and the wonder created by a unique and diverse wetlands setting. It explores how a group of educators, from Jacobs Well Field Study Centre (in south-east Queensland), developed an arts-aesthetic approach to environmental education as a joint project with the staff of Numinbah Valley Field Study Centre. ‘Project Ozone’ and the Boat Project are described as examples of what can be achieved by insight, and commitment to new directions in environmental education.
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Bino, G., R. T. Kingsford, and K. Brandis. "Australia's wetlands – learning from the past to manage for the future." Pacific Conservation Biology 22, no. 2 (2016): 116. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc15047.
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Australia has diverse wetlands with multiple threats. We reviewed knowledge about the extent of wetlands, representativeness, impacts and threats to integrity and options for effective conservation. Natural Australian wetlands cover an estimated 33 266 245 ha (4.4%), with 55% palustrine (floodplains and swamps), followed by 31% lakes, 10% estuarine systems, and 5% rivers and creeks. The Lake Eyre (1.1%), Murray–Darling (0.73%), Tanami–Timor Sea Coast (0.71%) and the Carpentaria Coast (0.55%) drainage divisions have more wetlands, also reflected in the distributions among states and territories. Ramsar sites and wetlands in protected areas were generally biased towards the southern continent. Overall representation of mapped wetlands was good for lacustrine (40.6%) and estuarine (34.4%), fair for riverine (16.8%), but inadequate for palustrine (10.8%) wetlands. Within drainage divisions, representation varied considerably, with shortfalls from the Aichi target of 17%. Agriculture, urbanisation, pollution and invasive species have degraded or destroyed wetlands, particularly in the developed south-east, south-west and north-east of the continent. Water resource developments, primarily the building of dams, diversion of water and development of floodplains, seriously threaten Australian wetlands, with all threats exacerbated by climate change impacts of rising sea levels and high temperatures. Management and policy for wetlands is dependent on data on distribution, type and extent of wetlands, a key national constraint. Some States are well advanced (e.g. Queensland) and others lack any comprehensive data on the distribution of wetlands. Mitigation of increasing development (e.g. northern Australia) will be critical for conservation, along with increased representativeness in protected areas and restoration, particularly with environmental flows.
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Naish, Suchithra, Kerrie Mengersen, Wenbiao Hu, and Shilu Tong. "Wetlands, climate zones and Barmah Forest virus disease in Queensland, Australia." Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 106, no. 12 (December 2012): 749–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trstmh.2012.08.003.
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Chamberlain, Debbie, Stuart Phinn, and Hugh Possingham. "Remote Sensing of Mangroves and Estuarine Communities in Central Queensland, Australia." Remote Sensing 12, no. 1 (January 6, 2020): 197. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs12010197.
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Great Barrier Reef catchments are under pressure from the effects of climate change, landscape modifications, and hydrology alterations. With the use of remote sensing datasets covering large areas, conventional methods of change detection can expose broad transitions, whereas workflows that excerpt data for time-series trends divulge more subtle transformations of land cover modification. Here, we combine both these approaches to investigate change and trends in a large estuarine region of Central Queensland, Australia, that encompasses a national park and is adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage site. Nine information classes were compiled in a maximum likelihood post classification change analysis in 2004–2017. Mangroves decreased (1146 hectares), as was the case with estuarine wetland (1495 hectares), and saltmarsh grass (1546 hectares). The overall classification accuracies and Kappa coefficient for 2004, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, and 2017 land cover maps were 85%, 88%, 88%, 89%, 81%, and 92%, respectively. The cumulative area of open forest, estuarine wetland, and saltmarsh grass (1628 hectares) was converted to pasture in a thematic change analysis showing the “from–to” change. We generated linear regression relationships to examine trends in pixel values across the time series. Our findings from a trend analysis showed a decreasing trend (p value range = 0.001–0.099) in the vegetation extent of open forest, fringing mangroves, estuarine wetlands, saltmarsh grass, and grazing areas, but this was inconsistent across the study site. Similar to reports from tropical regions elsewhere, saltmarsh grass is poorly represented in the national park. A severe tropical cyclone preceding the capture of the 2017 Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) image was likely the main driver for reduced areas of shoreline and stream vegetation. Our research contributes to the body of knowledge on coastal ecosystem dynamics to enable planning to achieve more effective conservation outcomes.
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Bolton, Keith G. E., and Margaret Greenway. "A feasibility study of Melaleuca trees for use in constructed wetlands in subtropical Australia." Water Science and Technology 35, no. 5 (March 1, 1997): 247–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1997.0209.
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Three tree species from the genus Melaleuca are being examined for use in constructed wetlands in subtropical SE Queensland, Australia. Growth responses of Melaleuca to secondary treated effluent (100% - approximately 5mgPL−1 and 8mgNL−1), half strength (50%), P enriched (+P) and N enriched (+N) secondary treated effluents were monitored in a 2 year pot trial. A growth index was derived from measurements of height, girth diameter, branch number and new leaf number. Highest rates of growth were achieved in the +N and 100% treatments, and lowest rates in the +P and 50% treatments. Seasonal growth trends were evident. Continuously waterlogged trees had slightly higher growth rates than those subjected to aeration cycles, demonstrating their suitability to wetland environments. An aerated network through the bark extending to the roots may provide a mechanism of root aeration. Biomass and nutrient partitioning were measured in an experimental constructed Melaleuca wetlands receiving pure effluent. Biomass nutrient accumulation rates were comparable to studies of other macrophytes. M. alternifolia stored approximately three times more N and P than M. quinquenervia. However, M. quinquenervia had higher rates of litter fall induced by severe insect damage, increasing the rate of transfer of nutrients to the long term sediment sink. P concentrations in the senescent leaves were highly responsive to external concentrations, and may be used as an indicator of P loading rates in constructed wetlands. Since senescent leaves provide a major pathway of biomass nutrients into the sediment sink, this provides a self regulating P storage mechanism.
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Sun, Guangzhi, Tanveer Saeed, Guangxin Zhang, and Nagaratnam Sivakugan. "Water quantity and quality assessment on a tertiary treatment wetland in a tropical climate." Water Science and Technology 71, no. 4 (November 27, 2014): 511–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2014.479.
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This study aimed to assess the quantity and quality of water in a surface flow constructed wetland in Australia's far north Queensland. Owing to tropical climate in the region, the wetland provided dual functions: retention of a treated wastewater for zero discharge during the dry season and tertiary treatment prior to discharge during the wet season. Rainfall data, permeability of wetland soil, evaporation, inflow and outflow were analysed in a water balance analysis; the results showed that based on a 72-year-average rainfall pattern, daily wastewater inflow of 85 m3/d is the maximum this wetland can cope with without breaching its discharge certificate. In water quality analysis, the K-C* model was used to predict changes of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD, suspended solids (SS), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and faecal coliforms (FC) in the wetland. Model predictions were compared with field sampling results. It was found that the wetland was effective in removing FC (>99.9%), TN (70.7%) and TP (68.2%), for which the predictions by the K-C* model were consistent with field testing results. However, significant disparities between the predictions and testing results were found for BOD and SS. A revised K-C* equation was proposed to account for the internal generation of organics in constructed wetlands with a long retention time.
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Tyrrell, Wendy R., David R. Mulligan, Lindsay I. Sly, and L. Clive Bell. "Trialing wetlands to treat coal mining wastewaters in a low rainfall, high evaporation environment." Water Science and Technology 35, no. 5 (March 1, 1997): 293–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1997.0220.
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The large number of wetlands treating mining wastewaters around the world have mostly been constructed in temperate environments. Wetlands have yet to be proven in low rainfall, high evaporation environments and such conditions are common in many parts of Australia. BHP Australia Coal is researching whether wetlands have potential in central Queensland to treat coal mining wastewaters. In this region, mean annual rainfall is < 650 mm and evaporation > 2 000 mm. A pilot-scale wetland system has been constructed at an open-cut coal mine. The system comprises six treatment cells, each 125 m long and 10 m wide. The system is described in the paper and some initial results presented. Results over the first fourteen months of operation have shown that although pH has not increased enough to enable reuse or release of the water, sulfate reduction has been observed in parts of the system, as shown by the characteristic black precipitate and smell of hydrogen sulfide emanating from the wetlands. These encouraging signs have led to experiments aimed at identifying the factors limiting sulfate reduction. The first experiment, described herein, included four treatments where straw was overlain by soil and the water level varied, being either at the top of the straw, at the top of the soil, or about 5 cm above the soil. The effect of inoculating with sulfate-reducing bacteria was investigated. Two controls were included, one covered and one open, to enable the effect of evaporation to be determined. The final treatment consisted of combined straw/cattle manure overlain with soil. Results showed that sulfate reduction did occur, as demonstrated by pH increases and lowering of sulfate levels. Mean pH of the water was significantly higher after 19 days; in the controls, pH was < 3.3, whereas in the treatments, pH ranged from 5.4 to 6.7. The best improvement in sulfate levels occurred in the straw/cattle manure treatment.
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Braithwaite, LW, M. Maher, SV Briggs, and BS Parker. "An Aerial Survey of 3 Game Species of Waterfowl (Family Anatidae) Populations in Eastern Australia." Wildlife Research 13, no. 2 (1986): 213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9860213.
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Populations of waterfowl of three game species, the Pacific black duck Anus superciliosa, grey teal A. gibberifrons, and maned duck Chenonetta jubata, were assessed by aerial survey in October 1983 within a survey region of 2 697 000 km2 of eastern Australia. The numbers of each species were assessed on all surface waters of over 1 ha, and on a sample of smaller surface waters within 10 survey bands each 30 km wide and spaced at intervals of 2� latitude from 20�30' to 38�30'S. The area within the survey bands was 324 120 km2, which gave a sampling intensity of 12.0% of the land surface area. The area of features shown as wetlands or water impoundments within the survey bands on 1 : 2 500 000 topographic maps was 19 200 km2 or 11.2% of the total area of these features in the survey region. The area of surface waters surveyed was assessed at 465 300 ha. Assessments of populations of each species were tallied for wetlands by grid cells of 6 min of 1� longitude along the survey bands (258-309 km2 depending on latitude). Distributions were then mapped, with log*10 indices of populations in each cell. Distributions of the black duck and grey teal showed a pattern of intense aggregation in limited numbers of cells, that of the maned duck was more evenly distributed. The major concentrations of the Pacific black duck were recorded in northern New South Wales and the south-eastern, western, central eastern and central coastal regions of Queensland; those of the grey teal were in south-western, western and northern New South Wales and central-eastern Queensland; the maned duck was broadly distributed over inland New South Wales with the exception of the far west, inland southern Queensland, and central northern Victoria.
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Kutt, A. S. "Terrestrial vertebrate survey in the coastal wetlands surrounding Cairns International Airport, North Queensland." Australian Zoologist 30, no. 3 (March 1997): 300–309. http://dx.doi.org/10.7882/az.1997.005.
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Greenway, M. "Litter accession and accumulation in a Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake wetland in south-eastern Queensland." Marine and Freshwater Research 45, no. 8 (1994): 1509. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf9941509.
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Litterfall and litter accumulation were investigated over two years in a Melaleuca quinquenewia wetland in south-eastern Queensland. In 1992, a seasonally wet year, litterfall was 809 � 135 g m-2 yr-1 at the floodplain site and 764 �192 g m-2 yr-1 at the riparian site, of which Melaleuca leaf litter made up 65% and 56% respectively. Litterfall was significantly lower and more variable in 1993, a drought year, being 725�106 g m-2 and 675 � 216 g m-2 year-1. There was a distinct seasonal pattern, with peak leaf litterfall occurring in spring in 1992 but extending into summer in 1993. Melaleuca leaf fall was significantly lower in 1993, possibly because drought conditions caused greater leaf longevity. Litter accumulation on the forest floor was 3457 g m-2 at the floodplain site and 2320 g m-2 at the riparian site; there was no significant difference between years, although the organic matter content of the litter was lower in 1992, possibly as a result of leaching during flooding. Carbon content decreased with decreasing particle size of the litter, whereas nitrogen and phosphorus increased. There was no evidence to suggest leaching of nitrogen or phosphorus, and the high C: N: P ratios indicate slow rates of litter decay. The high accumulation of litter mass suggests that these woody wetlands may function as nutrient sinks.
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Ward, I., C. Cuff, A. Pomeroy, and A. Spain. "Porewater chemistry and inferred metastability of coastal wetlands in the Townsville region, North Queensland." Wetlands Australia 18, no. 1 (January 8, 2010): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.31646/wa.225.
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MCGREGOR, GLENN B. "Freshwater Cyanobacteria of North-Eastern Australia: 2. Chroococcales." Phytotaxa 133, no. 1 (September 20, 2013): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.133.1.1.
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This volume provides the first detailed account of the Chroococcales of north-eastern Australia. It provides keys, morphological and ecological data for 6 families, 33 genera and 112 species, and photomicrographs and original illustrations to enable the identification of natural populations based on stable and recognizable characters observable with the aid of light microscopy. Distributional data are based on extensive surveys at 270 sites representing the major freshwater habitats including rivers and streams, palustrine and lacustrine wetlands, thermal springs, and man-made reservoirs in Queensland and the Northern Territory as well as a review of the Australian phycological literature.
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Houston, Wayne, Robert Black, Rod Elder, Leif Black, and Richard Segal. "Conservation value of solar salt ponds in coastal tropical eastern Australia to waterbirds and migratory shorebirds." Pacific Conservation Biology 18, no. 2 (2012): 100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc120100.
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Some human-altered habitats such as saltfields support significant numbers of shorebirds and waterbirds, but their values in tropical eastern Australia are poorly understood. With the continuing loss of shorebird habitats in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, identification of important habitats and management is important for their conservation. The habitat value of two saltfields associated with the Fitzroy River estuary, Queensland (23.520S, 150.860E) was evaluated by monthly surveys over 33 months and by comparison to previous surveys of nearby natural wetlands. Saltfields supported as many waterbirds and species as freshwater and naturally saline lagoons. Numbers of migratory shorebirds peaked during the southern migration period (September to November), when wetlands in tropical northern Australia are at their lowest extent, thus elevating the conservation value of tropical saltfields to shorebirds. Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were regularly present in numbers exceeding international levels for staging, while Red-necked Stints were just below the staging criterion. Salinity regime was found to influence waterbird communities associated with saltfield pools: piscivores dominating metasaline pools, and shorebirds hypersaline pools. A seasonal pattern of occurrence occurred in some guilds with greatest numbers in the drier months (cormorants, pelicans, ducks and egrets, all significantly negatively correlated with the previous month’s rainfall), most of which bred in nearby natural wetlands during the wet season. Furthermore, cormorants were abundant in the saltfields and fluctuated less compared with natural lagoons during the critical drier months. Overall, saltfields are an integral component of the ecology of the landscape, providing complementary resources to that of the natural wetlands.
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Mo, Matthew. "Red-eared Sliders Trachemys scripta elegans in southern Sydney, including new incursions." Australian Zoologist 40, no. 2 (December 2019): 314–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.7882/az.2018.022.
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The invasive Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans has spread extensively, forming naturalised populations on all continents except Antarctica. Ranked among the 100 worst invasive species, there are biosecurity concerns that native turtles become outcompeted and displaced, as well as other speculative impacts. The actual ecological impacts in Australia have not been properly studied, however impacts shown in other countries are concerning. Incursions have presented in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. A number of sightings have been reported from southern Sydney, including six sites where more than one slider has persisted. The incursions at Yeramba Lagoon in the Georges River National Park and the Centennial Parklands have been the most documented, whereas incursions in the Lime Kiln Bay Wetland, Rockdale Wetlands Corridor and Audley in the Royal National Park appear to have occurred recently. To date, breeding in southern Sydney has only been confirmed at Yeramba Lagoon. A range of removal techniques have been successfully applied to eradicate isolated incursions in Brisbane and Melbourne. However, these options are difficult to implement in southern Sydney sites where incursions occur in high visitation public lands.
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Boer, H. "Policy options for, and constraints on, effective adaptation for rivers and wetlands in northeast Queensland." Australasian Journal of Environmental Management 17, no. 3 (September 2010): 154–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2010.9725262.
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Dickman, Christopher R., and Libby Robin. "Putting Science in its Place: The Role of Sandringham Station in Fostering Arid Zone Science in Australia." Historical Records of Australian Science 25, no. 2 (2014): 186. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/hr14014.
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For the past fifty years, Sandringham Station has provided a major focus for scientific work in southwestern Queensland, an arid region that includes the Simpson Desert and the Channel Country (together 'Desert Channels'). This paper explores the role of place, chance and private enterprise in supporting science in this region. Unlike other parts of inland Australia, where government initiatives were prominent, science in Queensland's arid country was privately supported, and research there had an ecological or eco-physiological rather than an economic focus. It began later than elsewhere (1960s), and its scientific questions were different from those framed in research stations set up to address agricultural and pastoral imperatives. The location of Sandringham on the ecological edge between the ephemeral wetlands of the anastomosing channels and the dune country of the Simpson Desert created an ecotonal area that was rich in animals adapted to living in Australian desert country, and a particular opportunity to observe their adaptations to the boom-and-bust ecological conditions. The role of local observers, particularly station managers and naturalists, has been critical in studying the often cryptic animals of the region, and the ongoing support of the station itself was essential to investigations that were mostly on private leasehold lands.
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Flint, N., R. G. Pearson, and M. R. Crossland. "Embryos of eastern rainbowfish Melanotaenia splendida splendida (Peters, 1866) tolerate fluctuating hypoxia." Marine and Freshwater Research 69, no. 6 (2018): 987. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf17192.
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Hypoxia can have profound sublethal effects on reproduction and embryonic development of some freshwater fish. In the present study, the effects of diel fluctuating hypoxia on embryo viability were investigated for the eastern rainbowfish Melanotaenia splendida splendida, a small-bodied species common in wetlands of tropical Queensland. After daily hypoxic exposure (minimum 5% saturation) from fertilisation until hatch, no effects were found on egg incubation time, egg and larval mortality, and viability and size of hatching larvae. Older life history stages of the species are vulnerable to this level of hypoxia. Embryos of phytolithophilic species are likely exposed to fluctuating dissolved oxygen saturations in their natural habitat, and hypoxia tolerance may be a requirement for fish species that spawn predominantly on submerged plant material.
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Russell, D. J., and S. A. Helmke. "Impacts of acid leachate on water quality and fisheries resources of a coastal creek in northern Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 53, no. 1 (2002): 19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf00100.
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Reclamation of ~700 ha of mostly tidal wetlands in north Queensland in the early 1970s disturbed potential acid sulfate soils resulting in acid leaching into coastal waterways. The wetlands had been isolated from tidal inundation through the construction of a levee with tidal gates on the major creeks. Acid leachate caused the pH values in impounded, freshwater reaches of Firewood Creek to drop to <4 for much of the year and increased total dissolved aluminium and iron concentrations. Flood rains caused large volumes of acid water from the creek to discharge into its tidal reaches, resulting in environmental problems including episodic fish kills. Factors contributing to the fish mortalities included a temporary reduction of pH, elevated iron and aluminium concentrations and occasional low dissolved-oxygen concentrations. Fish kills were observed on three occasions in three years but did not occur every time acid water was discharged. Fish species diversity in the tidal reaches also declined during the wet season and this correlated with high concentrations of dissolved aluminium. Although episodic flood events resulted in the acidification of the tidal reaches of Firewood Creek, no major deleterious effects on the main estuary were found. Rehabilitation options for this site include restoration of full or partial tidal flooding.
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Peacock, David, Gresley A. Wakelin-King, and Ben Shepherd. "Cane toads (Rhinella marina) in south-western Queensland: invasion front, spread and how Cooper Creek geomorphology could enable invasion into north-eastern South Australia." Australian Journal of Zoology 62, no. 5 (2014): 366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo14025.
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The invasion of northern Australia by the poisonous cane toad is well recognised, as is its devastating impacts on numerous local native species. However, there is little recognition that the toads are spreading into south-western Queensland. Utilising local knowledge, a limited survey was undertaken within the Cooper Creek catchment to locate the invasion front. Dispersal during 2010–11 floods has established cane toads as far south as Jundah. Integrating this information with landform mapping indicates that cane toad invasion can continue south-west down the Cooper Creek. Though arid, Cooper Creek’s geomorphology renders it partially independent of local climate, and permanent and semipermanent waterholes (including RAMSAR-listed wetlands) are found downstream from Windorah and into the Strzelecki Desert. Natural landforms provide potential daytime shelter and breeding sites, and additional suitable habitat created by human activity is also widespread. Even unsuccessful attempts at breeding may be detrimental to regional ecology, especially fish populations, at critical stages of their boom/bust cycle. We conclude that there is no reason why cane toads cannot penetrate further down the Cooper Creek, threatening wetlands in north-eastern South Australia. Published models of cane toad expansion, which conclude that north-eastern South Australia is too dry for cane toad populations to establish, are based on climatic parameters that significantly under-represent true habitat availability.
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Lynch, A. J. J. "The Usefulness of a Threat and Disturbance Categorization Developed for Queensland Wetlands to Environmental Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation." Environmental Management 47, no. 1 (October 8, 2010): 40–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00267-010-9562-7.
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Chapman, H. "Removal of endocrine disruptors by tertiary treatments and constructed wetlands in subtropical Australia." Water Science and Technology 47, no. 9 (May 1, 2003): 151–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2003.0514.
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The controversial topic of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) in aquatic environments is of international and Australian significance with the need for sustainable management of water resources increasing. The issues have been highlighted on the major continents of Europe and North America but so far have received less attention in Australia. A major source of these compounds has been identified as sewage effluent, which is treated prior to release to the environment with a primary focus on pathogen and nutrient removal. Sewage effluent is a complex mixture, which can contain many organic and inorganic compounds some of which may remain after treatment processes. More recently, technologies such as ozonation, UV treatment and advanced filtration have improved the quality of effluent discharged to the environment but there are still unresolved issues relating to poorly understood chemistries relating to EDCs in effluent discharges and the possible impacts in aquatic environments and to human health. This paper reports on an investigation of the removal from sewage effluent of selected chemicals that are known or suspected environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) by sand filtration, ozonation and UV treatment at the Landsborough Water Reclamation Plant in Queensland, Australia. Compounds detected in the raw effluent included pesticides, herbicides, some heavy metals and the human hormones 17bestradiol and estrone. Most of these were removed by the advanced treatments at the water reclamation plant, with only trace concentrations of some compounds present in the final effluent. Removal of toxicants by a free water surface wetland is also reported on. Some of the constraints of direct chemical measurements are discussed and some solutions proposed.
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Hamman, Evan, Jemma Purandare, and Revel Pointon. "Protecting and Restoring Queensland's Coastal Wetlands." University of Queensland Law Journal 39, no. 3 (December 10, 2020): 391–415. http://dx.doi.org/10.38127/uqlj.v39i3.5653.
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Coastal wetlands provide vital ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling, disaster risk reduction, and habitat for biodiversity, including shorebirds, seabirds, turtles and fish. How we design and implement policy approaches for the conservation of coastal wetlands and these ecosystem services matters enormously. This article joins a growing trend of literature that seeks to not only identify the importance of coastal wetlands, but also to consider how best to devise policy measures for their protection and restoration. The article focuses on Queensland’s coastal wetlands and suggests that the state has a real opportunity to become a national leader in wetland restoration. For that to occur, new legislative measures may be required to address issues such as tenure, land access, planning and risk management.
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Yao, Lu, Maria Fernanda Adame, and Chengrong Chen. "Resource stoichiometry, vegetation type and enzymatic activity control wetlands soil organic carbon in the Herbert River catchment, North-east Queensland." Journal of Environmental Management 296 (October 2021): 113183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113183.
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Horrigan, Nelli, Satish Choy, Jonathan Marshall, and Friedrich Recknagel. "Response of stream macroinvertebrates to changes in salinity and the development of a salinity index." Marine and Freshwater Research 56, no. 6 (2005): 825. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf04237.
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Many streams and wetlands have been affected by increasing salinity, leading to significant changes in flora and fauna. The study investigates relationships between macroinvertebrate taxa and conductivity levels (µS cm−1) in Queensland stream systems. The analysed dataset contained occurrence patterns of frequently found macroinvertebrate taxa from edge (2580 samples) and riffle (1367 samples) habitats collected in spring and autumn over 8 years. Sensitivity analysis with predictive artificial neural network models and the taxon-specific mean conductivity values were used to assign a salinity sensitivity score (SSS) to each taxon (1—very tolerant, 5—tolerant, 10—sensitive). Salinity index (SI) based on the cumulative SSS was proposed as a measurement of change in macroinvertebrate communities caused by salinity increase. Changes in macroinvertebrate communities were observed at relatively low salinities, with SI rapidly decreasing to ~800–1000 µS cm−1 and decreasing further at a slower rate. Natural variability and water quality factors were ruled out as potential primary causes of the observed changes by using partial canonical correspondence analysis and subsets of the data with only good water quality.
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JOHNSON, A. K. L., S. P. EBERT, and A. E. MURRAY. "Distribution of coastal freshwater wetlands and riparian forests in the Herbert River catchment and implications for management of catchments adjacent the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park." Environmental Conservation 26, no. 3 (September 1999): 229–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0376892999000314.
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Because coral reefs are sensitive to land derived inputs of nutrient and sediment, there is concern worldwide for the effects of anthropogenic change in river catchments on reefs. Thirty-one river catchments drain directly into the waters of the Great Barrier Reef, NE Australia. This case study was undertaken on the floodplain of the Herbert River catchment in north Queensland, utilizing remote sensing and GIS to assess both spatial and temporal changes in freshwater wetlands and riparian forests. We demonstrate that there has been a very large reduction in the area of these ecosystems since European settlement in the mid nineteenth century, with an 80% decline in their extent since 1943. We provide a range of quantitative measures to show that the landscape diversity of these ecosystems has also declined. These changes are of importance in terms of regional, national and international trends. We argue that policy, planning and management reform is required if the remaining ecological, economic and social values of these systems and the adjacent Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are to be maintained.
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Pearson, R. G., P. C. Godfrey, A. H. Arthington, J. Wallace, F. Karim, and M. Ellison. "Biophysical status of remnant freshwater floodplain lagoons in the Great Barrier Reef catchment: a challenge for assessment and monitoring." Marine and Freshwater Research 64, no. 3 (2013): 208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf12251.
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We investigated the biophysical environment, invertebrate fauna and ecosystem health of lagoons on the Tully–Murray floodplain in the Queensland Wet Tropics bioregion. These wetlands are biologically rich but have declined in area and condition with agricultural development and are poorly protected, despite being located between two World Heritage areas. Lagoons varied in size, habitats and water quality, with increasing signatures of agriculture (e.g. elevated nutrient concentrations) from the upper to lower floodplain. Zooplankton were abundant, but not diverse, and correlated variously with environmental variables, so were not useful in assessing lagoon condition. Benthic macroinvertebrates were abundant and diverse and correlated strongly with riparian condition, habitats, water quality and degree of agriculture in the catchment, but gradients in assemblage structure were not strong because the flow regime, with multiple annual floods, maintains higher water quality than in some tropical systems. The absence of pristine reference lagoons and the limited availability of replicate sites hamper the development of monitoring systems. Nevertheless, we show that appropriate sampling, analysis and knowledge of comparable systems allow inferences to be drawn regarding ecological condition. This is important because environmental managers need best available and timely advice whatever the opportunities for rigorous study design.
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Lovelock, Catherine E., Vicki Bennion, Alistair Grinham, and Donald R. Cahoon. "The Role of Surface and Subsurface Processes in Keeping Pace with Sea Level Rise in Intertidal Wetlands of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia." Ecosystems 14, no. 5 (May 13, 2011): 745–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10021-011-9443-9.
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Tibby, J., C. Barr, J. C. Marshall, G. B. McGregor, P. T. Moss, L. J. Arnold, T. J. Page, et al. "Persistence of wetlands on North Stradbroke Island (south-east Queensland, Australia) during the last glacial cycle: implications for Quaternary science and biogeography." Journal of Quaternary Science 32, no. 6 (August 2017): 770–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2981.
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Kibbler, H., and L. M. Bahnisch. "Physiological adaptations of Hymenachne amplexicaulis to flooding." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 39, no. 4 (1999): 429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea98127.
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The introduced grass Hymenachne amplexicaulis has been established for use in ponded pastures in Central Queensland. However, its ability to out compete native species and invade wetlands makes it a potential weed. To determine the characteristics that make it a successful ponded pasture species, the adaptation of H. amplexicaulis to flooding has been investigated. The growth and development of H. amplexicaulis under flooded and non-flooded conditions was compared in a series of experiments carried out in three 2 m high galvanised steel tanks. Leaf, stem and root sections were taken to determine the timing and extent of aerenchyma formation. The effect of flooding on the pattern and distribution of growth was also determined. Hymenachne amplexicaulis is adapted to flooding because it has the capacity for rapid elongation of the stem and the formation of adventitious roots. Aerenchyma was present in stem, leaf and root tissues in both flooded and non-flooded plants. The aerenchyma would provide buoyancy as well as aiding the circulation of gases. When the plants were flooded, submerged leaves senesced rapidly and the previously exposed, but now submerged nodes produced adventitious roots. Under flooding, the growth of leaves increased at the expense of the roots, presumably maintaining the effective photosynthetic leaf area. The implications and limitations of these adaptations are discussed.
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Ling, Yu-Chen, Han Ming Gan, Michelle Bush, Richard Bush, and John W. Moreau. "Time-resolved microbial guild responses to tidal cycling in a coastal acid-sulfate system." Environmental Chemistry 15, no. 2 (2018): 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/en16203.
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Environmental contextMicrobes play key roles in controlling acidification and metal toxicity in coastal acid-sulfate soils. We characterised the time-dependent metabolic activities of abundant and rare taxa in acidifying tidal wetlands and showed that rare taxa exhibiting higher activity may exert significant influence on iron- and sulfur-cycling. Our findings yield new insights into the drivers and timing of iron- and sulfur-cycling in coastal acid-sulfate systems. AbstractTidal inundation has been trialled as a remediation strategy for coastal acid-sulfate soil (CASS) environments. Microbial community structure and activity are hypothesised to play key roles in this process, but remain poorly understood for long-term (decadal or longer) CASS ecosystems. More detailed understanding of the distribution and timing of microbial activity in CASS ecosystems is necessary to evaluate their real bioremediation potential. In this study, we compared 16S ribosomal DNA (rRNA) and RNA (as copy DNA, cDNA, a proxy for overall enzymatic activity) sequence datasets to characterise and resolve microbial community structure and activity across a tidal cycle in the East Trinity long-term CASS wetland (Queensland, Australia). The timing and extent of activity among abundant (>1 %) and rare (<0.1 %) microbial taxa showed that a larger number of rare members (phylotype) displayed greater overall range in activity than was apparent for more abundant members. Certain taxa from both abundant and rare populations varied rapidly in their 16S rRNA levels in response to tidal cycling. The observation of rRNA accumulation in response to drying and rewetting was used to divide the microbial community structure into ‘early responders’ (within 3 h of dry-down or wet-up) and ‘delayed responders’ (3+ h after wet-up). Response patterns were phylogenetically constrained across supra- to subtidal zones across all tidal stages. Microbial iron- and sulfur-cycling networks included these rare but active taxa, illustrating their spatiotemporal complexity, which should be considered for an accurate assessment of bioremediation efficiency, and specially for validating predictive biogeochemical models of long-term CASS ecosystems.
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Bainbridge, Zoe T., Jon E. Brodie, John W. Faithful, Damon A. Sydes, and Stephen E. Lewis. "Identifying the land-based sources of suspended sediments, nutrients and pesticides discharged to the Great Barrier Reef from the Tully - Murray Basin, Queensland, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 60, no. 11 (2009): 1081. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf08333.
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To assist in the development of the Tully Water Quality Improvement Plan, a subcatchment water quality monitoring program was undertaken to identify the pollutants of concern and their land-based sources. Monitoring of suspended sediments, nutrients and pesticides in subcatchment waterways was conducted during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 wet seasons, which both had above average annual flows. We found distinct water quality signals from the basin’s major land uses (forest, grazing, urban, sugarcane and banana cultivation), except for suspended sediment concentrations, which were low across all land uses when compared with neighbouring river catchments. This reflects the high ground cover of the basin and the location of intensive agriculture on low sloping areas of the floodplain, minimising the potential for erosion. Nitrate concentrations were elevated in streams draining sugarcane, indicating fertiliser export from intensive agricultural landscapes. Residues of the herbicides diuron and atrazine were detected at sites draining sugarcane, and on occasion exceeded national ecological protection trigger values, which highlights a potential threat to downstream wetlands of recognised national significance. Herbicides were also detectable offshore in flood plumes of the Tully–Murray Rivers, with some concentrations of diuron above lowest observable effect concentrations for specific species of seagrass and corals. Run-off of nitrate and diuron were identified as key water quality issues in the Tully–Murray basin.
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Houston, Wayne A., and Leo J. Duivenvoorden. "Replacement of littoral native vegetation with the ponded pasture grass Hymenachne amplexicaulis: effects on plant, macroinvertebrate and fish biodiversity of backwaters in the Fitzroy River, Central Queensland, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 53, no. 8 (2002): 1235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf01042.
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Changes in plant and macroinvertebrate communities were found following replacement of extensive zones of floating-attached/submergent native vegetation within Fitzroy River backwaters by the major environmental weed Hymenachne amplexicaulis (Poaceae). Impacts of H. amplexicaulis on native littoral flora and fauna (macroinvertebrates and fish) were assessed by comparing three sites previously supporting native vegetation and now invaded by H. amplexicaulis with nearby stands of native backwater vegetation. Plant biomass of Hymenachne plant beds was 30-fold greater than native plant beds, whereas plant species diversity (richness) was significantly less. Macroinvertebrate communities of Hymenachne beds were significantly lower in abundance of insect orders Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera and Odonata, while Coleoptera were more abundant in Hymenachne beds. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination of macroinvertebrate family abundance and composition data showed that Hymenachne plant beds had a different assemblage to that in native plant beds. In common with other studies of weed invasions, an increased abundance of some vertebrate fauna was observed (in this case an introduced fish species Xiphophorus maculatus comprised 75% of fish captured in Hymenachne beds compared with 0% in native plant beds). Change in vegetation structure was implicated as an important factor influencing macroinvertebrate and fish faunal composition, and with potential to impact on waterbird habitat values of wetlands.
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Roebeling, P. C., M. C. Cunha, L. Arroja, and M. E. van Grieken. "Abatement vs. treatment for efficient diffuse source water pollution management in terrestrial-marine systems." Water Science and Technology 72, no. 5 (May 25, 2015): 730–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2015.259.
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Marine ecosystems are affected by water pollution originating from coastal catchments. The delivery of water pollutants can be reduced through water pollution abatement as well as water pollution treatment. Hence, sustainable economic development of coastal regions requires balancing of the marginal costs from water pollution abatement and/or treatment and the associated marginal benefits from marine resource appreciation. Water pollution delivery reduction costs are, however, not equal across abatement and treatment options. In this paper, an optimal control approach is developed and applied to explore welfare maximizing rates of water pollution abatement and/or treatment for efficient diffuse source water pollution management in terrestrial-marine systems. For the case of diffuse source dissolved inorganic nitrogen water pollution in the Tully-Murray region, Queensland, Australia, (agricultural) water pollution abatement cost, (wetland) water pollution treatment cost and marine benefit functions are determined to explore welfare maximizing rates of water pollution abatement and/or treatment. Considering partial (wetland) treatment costs and positive water quality improvement benefits, results show that welfare gains can be obtained, primarily, through diffuse source water pollution abatement (improved agricultural management practices) and, to a minor extent, through diffuse source water pollution treatment (wetland restoration).
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Williams, Paul, and Andrew Collett. "Control of the exotic Para Grass allows the expansion of the rare native wetland grassPaspalidium udumin a north Queensland wetland." Ecological Management & Restoration 10, no. 1 (April 2009): 60–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2009.00440.x.
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Power, Trent, Matthew Moore, and Jack McCann. "Movement of juvenile barramundi (Lates calcarifer) through a cone ramp fishway at a modified coastal wetland in central Queensland, Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 25, no. 4 (2019): 421. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc18062.
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Barramundi (Lates calcarifer) often migrate from marine to fresh water as juveniles. In March 2018a relatively large number of small juveniles (<100mm) were recorded moving through a fishway on a tidal interface barrier in central Queensland, Australia. This is in contrast to the few documented observations of transitional movements, which involved mostly larger juveniles (250–400mm).