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Skerratt J, Baird ME, Mongin M, Ellis R, Smith RA, Shaw M, Steven ADL. Dispersal of the pesticide diuron in the Great Barrier Reef. Sci Total Environ 2023; 879:163041. [PMID: 36965738 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides from urban and agricultural runoff have been detected at concentrations above current water quality guidelines in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) marine environment. We quantify the load of the pesticide diuron entering GBR waters using the GBR-Dynamic SedNet catchment model. After comparison of simulated distributions with observations at 11 monitoring sites we determined a half-life of diuron in GBR marine waters of 40 days. We followed diuron dispersal in the GBR (2016-2018) using the 1 km resolution eReefs marine model. The highest diuron concentrations in GBR waters occurred in the Mackay-Whitsunday region with a spike in January and March 2017, associated with 126 and 118 kg d-1 diuron loads from Plane Creek and the O'Connell River respectively. We quantify areas of GBR waters exposed to potentially ecotoxic concentrations of diuron. Between 2016 and 2018, 400 km2 and 1400 km2 of the GBR were exposed to concentrations exceeding ecosystem threshold values of 0.43 and 0.075 μg L-1 respectively. Using observed mapped coral and seagrass habitat, 175 km2 of seagrass beds and 50 km2 of coral habitats had peak diuron concentrations above 0.075 μg L-1 during this period. While the highest concentrations are localised to river plumes and inshore environments, non-zero diuron concentrations extend along the Queensland coast. These simulations provide new knowledge for the understanding of pesticide dispersal and management-use in GBR catchments and the design of in-water monitoring systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robin Ellis
- Science Division, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Rachael A Smith
- Office of the Great Barrier Reef, Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane 4102, QLD, Australia
| | - Melanie Shaw
- Science Division, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Australia
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2
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Bozec Y, Hock K, Mason RAB, Baird ME, Castro‐Sanguino C, Condie SA, Puotinen M, Thompson A, Mumby PJ. Cumulative impacts across Australia’s Great Barrier Reef: a mechanistic evaluation. ECOL MONOGR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yves‐Marie Bozec
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab School of Biological Sciences & ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Karlo Hock
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab School of Biological Sciences & ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Robert A. B. Mason
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab School of Biological Sciences & ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Mark E. Baird
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Carolina Castro‐Sanguino
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab School of Biological Sciences & ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
| | | | - Marji Puotinen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science & Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Angus Thompson
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Townsville Queensland 4810 Australia
| | - Peter J. Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab School of Biological Sciences & ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
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3
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Baird ME, Mongin M, Rizwi F, Bay LK, Cantin NE, Morris LA, Skerratt J. The effect of natural and anthropogenic nutrient and sediment loads on coral oxidative stress on runoff-exposed reefs. Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 168:112409. [PMID: 33957497 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recently, corals on the Great Barrier (GBR) have suffered mass bleaching. The link between ocean warming and coral bleaching is understood to be due to temperature-dependence of complex physiological processes in the coral host and algal symbiont. Here we use a coupled catchment-hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model, with detailed zooxanthellae photophysiology including photoadaptation, photoacclimation and reactive oxygen build-up, to investigate whether natural and anthropogenic catchment loads impact on coral bleaching on the GBR. For the wet season of 2017, simulations show the cross-shelf water quality gradient, driven by both natural and anthropogenic loads, generated a contrasting zooxanthellae physiological state on inshore versus mid-shelf reefs. The relatively small catchment flows and loads delivered during 2017, however, generated small river plumes with limited impact on water quality. Simulations show the removal of the anthropogenic fraction of the catchment loads delivered in 2017 would have had a negligible impact on bleaching rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Baird
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart 7001, Australia.
| | | | - Farhan Rizwi
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart 7001, Australia
| | - Line K Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia
| | - Neal E Cantin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia
| | - Luke A Morris
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia; AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science, College of Science and Engineering, Townsville 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
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4
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Baird ME, Mongin M, Skerratt J, Margvelashvili N, Tickell S, Steven ADL, Robillot C, Ellis R, Waters D, Kaniewska P, Brodie J. Impact of catchment-derived nutrients and sediments on marine water quality on the Great Barrier Reef: An application of the eReefs marine modelling system. Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 167:112297. [PMID: 33901977 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Water quality of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is determined by a range of natural and anthropogenic drivers that are resolved in the eReefs coupled hydrodynamic - biogeochemical marine model forced by a process-based catchment model, GBR Dynamic SedNet. Model simulations presented here quantify the impact of anthropogenic catchment loads of sediments and nutrients on a range of marine water quality variables. Simulations of 2011-2018 show that reduction of anthropogenic catchment loads results in improved water quality, especially within river plumes. Within the 16 resolved river plumes, anthropogenic loads increased chlorophyll concentration by 0.10 (0.02-0.25) mg Chl m-3. Reductions of anthropogenic loads following proposed Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan targets reduced chlorophyll concentration in the plumes by 0.04 (0.01-0.10) mg Chl m-3. Our simulations demonstrate the impact of anthropogenic loads on GBR water quality and quantify the benefits of improved catchment management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Baird
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart 7001, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Robin Ellis
- Science Division, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Australia
| | - David Waters
- Science Division, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Paulina Kaniewska
- Office of the Great Barrier Reef, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jon Brodie
- James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
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5
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Condie SA, Anthony KRN, Babcock RC, Baird ME, Beeden R, Fletcher CS, Gorton R, Harrison D, Hobday AJ, Plagányi ÉE, Westcott DA. Large-scale interventions may delay decline of the Great Barrier Reef. R Soc Open Sci 2021; 8:201296. [PMID: 34007456 PMCID: PMC8080001 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
On the iconic Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the cumulative impacts of tropical cyclones, marine heatwaves and regular outbreaks of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) have severely depleted coral cover. Climate change will further exacerbate this situation over the coming decades unless effective interventions are implemented. Evaluating the efficacy of alternative interventions in a complex system experiencing major cumulative impacts can only be achieved through a systems modelling approach. We have evaluated combinations of interventions using a coral reef meta-community model. The model consisted of a dynamic network of 3753 reefs supporting communities of corals and CoTS connected through ocean larval dispersal, and exposed to changing regimes of tropical cyclones, flood plumes, marine heatwaves and ocean acidification. Interventions included reducing flood plume impacts, expanding control of CoTS populations, stabilizing coral rubble, managing solar radiation and introducing heat-tolerant coral strains. Without intervention, all climate scenarios resulted in precipitous declines in GBR coral cover over the next 50 years. The most effective strategies in delaying decline were combinations that protected coral from both predation (CoTS control) and thermal stress (solar radiation management) deployed at large scale. Successful implementation could expand opportunities for climate action, natural adaptation and socioeconomic adjustment by at least one to two decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A. Condie
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kenneth R. N. Anthony
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Russ C. Babcock
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark E. Baird
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Roger Beeden
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Rebecca Gorton
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Daniel Harrison
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
- Marine Studies Centre, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alistair J. Hobday
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Éva E. Plagányi
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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6
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Messer LF, Ostrowski M, Doblin MA, Petrou K, Baird ME, Ingleton T, Bissett A, Van de Kamp J, Nelson T, Paulsen I, Bodrossy L, Fuhrman JA, Seymour JR, Brown MV. Microbial tropicalization driven by a strengthening western ocean boundary current. Glob Chang Biol 2020; 26:5613-5629. [PMID: 32715608 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Western boundary currents (WBCs) redistribute heat and oligotrophic seawater from the tropics to temperate latitudes, with several displaying substantial climate change-driven intensification over the last century. Strengthening WBCs have been implicated in the poleward range expansion of marine macroflora and fauna, however, the impacts on the structure and function of temperate microbial communities are largely unknown. Here we show that the major subtropical WBC of the South Pacific Ocean, the East Australian Current (EAC), transports microbial assemblages that maintain tropical and oligotrophic (k-strategist) signatures, to seasonally displace more copiotrophic (r-strategist) temperate microbial populations within temperate latitudes of the Tasman Sea. We identified specific characteristics of EAC microbial assemblages compared with non-EAC assemblages, including strain transitions within the SAR11 clade, enrichment of Prochlorococcus, predicted smaller genome sizes and shifts in the importance of several functional genes, including those associated with cyanobacterial photosynthesis, secondary metabolism and fatty acid and lipid transport. At a temperate time-series site in the Tasman Sea, we observed significant reductions in standing stocks of total carbon and chlorophyll a, and a shift towards smaller phytoplankton and carnivorous copepods, associated with the seasonal impact of the EAC microbial assemblage. In light of the substantial shifts in microbial assemblage structure and function associated with the EAC, we conclude that climate-driven expansions of WBCs will expand the range of tropical oligotrophic microbes, and potentially profoundly impact the trophic status of temperate waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren F Messer
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Martin Ostrowski
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Martina A Doblin
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherina Petrou
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark E Baird
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tas., Australia
| | | | | | | | - Tiffanie Nelson
- Geelong Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Deakin University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Ian Paulsen
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Jed A Fuhrman
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Justin R Seymour
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark V Brown
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle Australia, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
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7
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Davies CH, Ajani P, Armbrecht L, Atkins N, Baird ME, Beard J, Bonham P, Burford M, Clementson L, Coad P, Crawford C, Dela-Cruz J, Doblin MA, Edgar S, Eriksen R, Everett JD, Furnas M, Harrison DP, Hassler C, Henschke N, Hoenner X, Ingleton T, Jameson I, Keesing J, Leterme SC, James McLaughlin M, Miller M, Moffatt D, Moss A, Nayar S, Patten NL, Patten R, Pausina SA, Proctor R, Raes E, Robb M, Rothlisberg P, Saeck EA, Scanes P, Suthers IM, Swadling KM, Talbot S, Thompson P, Thomson PG, Uribe-Palomino J, van Ruth P, Waite AM, Wright S, Richardson AJ. A database of chlorophyll a in Australian waters. Sci Data 2018; 5:180018. [PMID: 29461516 PMCID: PMC5819481 DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2018.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlorophyll a is the most commonly used indicator of phytoplankton biomass in the marine environment. It is relatively simple and cost effective to measure when compared to phytoplankton abundance and is thus routinely included in many surveys. Here we collate 173, 333 records of chlorophyll a collected since 1965 from Australian waters gathered from researchers on regular coastal monitoring surveys and ocean voyages into a single repository. This dataset includes the chlorophyll a values as measured from samples analysed using spectrophotometry, fluorometry and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The Australian Chlorophyll a database is freely available through the Australian Ocean Data Network portal (https://portal.aodn.org.au/). These data can be used in isolation as an index of phytoplankton biomass or in combination with other data to provide insight into water quality, ecosystem state, and relationships with other trophic levels such as zooplankton or fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire H. Davies
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Penelope Ajani
- Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Linda Armbrecht
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marine Research Centre, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Natalia Atkins
- Australian Ocean Data Network, Integrated Marine Observing System University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - Mark E. Baird
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Jason Beard
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Pru Bonham
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Michele Burford
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Lesley Clementson
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Peter Coad
- Natural Resources, Hornsby Shire Council, Hornsby NSW 2077, Australia
| | - Christine Crawford
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Jocelyn Dela-Cruz
- Waters, Wetlands and Coasts Science Branch, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Sydney South, NSW 1232, Australia
| | - Martina A. Doblin
- Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Steven Edgar
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Ruth Eriksen
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Jason D. Everett
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Miles Furnas
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
| | | | - Christel Hassler
- Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Natasha Henschke
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Columbia, Canada
| | - Xavier Hoenner
- Australian Ocean Data Network, Integrated Marine Observing System University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - Tim Ingleton
- Waters, Wetlands and Coasts Science Branch, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Sydney South, NSW 1232, Australia
| | - Ian Jameson
- CSIRO National Collections and Marine Infrastructure, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - John Keesing
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (UWA), Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Sophie C. Leterme
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - M James McLaughlin
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (UWA), Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Margaret Miller
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - David Moffatt
- Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program, Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Andrew Moss
- Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Sciences, Science Division, Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Sasi Nayar
- South Australian Research and Development Institute – Aquatic Sciences, Henley Beach, SA 5022, Australia
| | - Nicole L. Patten
- South Australian Research and Development Institute – Aquatic Sciences, Henley Beach, SA 5022, Australia
| | - Renee Patten
- Environment Protection Authority, Centre for Applied Science, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC 3085, Australia
| | - Sarah A. Pausina
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Roger Proctor
- Australian Ocean Data Network, Integrated Marine Observing System University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - Eric Raes
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering and the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, D-27570 Bremerhaven and University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Malcolm Robb
- Department of Water, Water Information and Modelling, Georges Terrace Perth, Australia
| | - Peter Rothlisberg
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Emily A. Saeck
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Peter Scanes
- Estuary and Catchment Science, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Sydney South, NSW 1232, Australia
| | - Iain M. Suthers
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia
| | - Kerrie M. Swadling
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, TAS 7001, Australia
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Samantha Talbot
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - Peter Thompson
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Paul G. Thomson
- Ocean Graduate School and the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | | | - Paul van Ruth
- South Australian Research and Development Institute – Aquatic Sciences, Henley Beach, SA 5022, Australia
| | - Anya M. Waite
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering and the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, D-27570 Bremerhaven and University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Simon Wright
- Southern Ocean Ecosystem Change program, Australian Antarctic Division and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, 203 Channel Hwy Kingston, Tas 7050 Australia
| | - Anthony J. Richardson
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
- Centre for Applications in Natural Resource Mathematics (CARM), School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Mongin M, Baird ME, Tilbrook B, Matear RJ, Lenton A, Herzfeld M, Wild-Allen K, Skerratt J, Margvelashvili N, Robson BJ, Duarte CM, Gustafsson MSM, Ralph PJ, Steven ADL. The exposure of the Great Barrier Reef to ocean acidification. Nat Commun 2016; 7:10732. [PMID: 26907171 PMCID: PMC4766391 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is founded on reef-building corals. Corals build their exoskeleton with aragonite, but ocean acidification is lowering the aragonite saturation state of seawater (Ωa). The downscaling of ocean acidification projections from global to GBR scales requires the set of regional drivers controlling Ωa to be resolved. Here we use a regional coupled circulation-biogeochemical model and observations to estimate the Ωa experienced by the 3,581 reefs of the GBR, and to apportion the contributions of the hydrological cycle, regional hydrodynamics and metabolism on Ωa variability. We find more detail, and a greater range (1.43), than previously compiled coarse maps of Ωa of the region (0.4), or in observations (1.0). Most of the variability in Ωa is due to processes upstream of the reef in question. As a result, future decline in Ωa is likely to be steeper on the GBR than currently projected by the IPCC assessment report.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Mongin
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | - Mark E. Baird
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | - Bronte Tilbrook
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-operative Research Centre, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | | | - Andrew Lenton
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | - Mike Herzfeld
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | | | - Jenny Skerratt
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | | | - Barbara J. Robson
- CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuval 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Malin S. M. Gustafsson
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Peter J. Ralph
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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9
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Macreadie PI, Baird ME, Trevathan-Tackett SM, Larkum AWD, Ralph PJ. Quantifying and modelling the carbon sequestration capacity of seagrass meadows--a critical assessment. Mar Pollut Bull 2014; 83:430-9. [PMID: 23948090 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.07.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Revised: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 07/20/2013] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Seagrasses are among the planet's most effective natural ecosystems for sequestering (capturing and storing) carbon (C); but if degraded, they could leak stored C into the atmosphere and accelerate global warming. Quantifying and modelling the C sequestration capacity is therefore critical for successfully managing seagrass ecosystems to maintain their substantial abatement potential. At present, there is no mechanism to support carbon financing linked to seagrass. For seagrasses to be recognised by the IPCC and the voluntary C market, standard stock assessment methodologies and inventories of seagrass C stocks are required. Developing accurate C budgets for seagrass meadows is indeed complex; we discuss these complexities, and, in addition, we review techniques and methodologies that will aid development of C budgets. We also consider a simple process-based data assimilation model for predicting how seagrasses will respond to future change, accompanied by a practical list of research priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- P I Macreadie
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, 2007, Broadway, Australia; Centre for Environmental Sustainability, School of the Environment, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, 2007, Broadway, Australia.
| | - M E Baird
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, 2007, Broadway, Australia
| | - S M Trevathan-Tackett
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, 2007, Broadway, Australia
| | - A W D Larkum
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, 2007, Broadway, Australia
| | - P J Ralph
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, 2007, Broadway, Australia
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10
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Baird ME. Numerical approximations of the mean absorption cross-section of a variety of randomly oriented microalgal shapes. J Math Biol 2003; 47:325-36. [PMID: 14523576 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-003-0215-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2002] [Revised: 01/14/2003] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The size, shape, and absorption coefficient of a microalgal cell determines, to a first order approximation, the rate at which light is absorbed by the cell. The rate of absorption determines the maximum amount of energy available for photosynthesis, and can be used to calculate the attenuation of light through the water column, including the effect of packaging pigments within discrete particles. In this paper, numerical approximations are made of the mean absorption cross-section of randomly oriented cells, aA. The shapes investigated are spheroids, rectangular prisms with a square base, cylinders, cones and double cones with aspect ratios of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4. The results of the numerical simulations are fitted to a modified sigmoid curve, and take advantage of three analytical solutions. The results are presented in a non-dimensionalised format and are independent of size. A simple approximation using a rectangular hyperbolic curve is also given, and an approach for obtaining the upper and lower bounds of aA for more complex shapes is outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Baird
- School of Mathematics, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
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