PMCP Lunch n Learn Sessions
Pilbara Marine Conservation Partnership lunch time science seminar series at Parks and Wildlife, Kensington – grab a sandwich and a seat!
As the program draws to an end, CSIRO and UWA invite you to come along to a series (3) of PMCP lunch n learn sessions, where key researchers will share their scientific findings from the partnership.
All presentations will be held at the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington.
23rd May 2017 (12:00 – 13:00) – Sessions 1 ‘Coral Reef Health’– ‘Investigating reef recovery rates and processes that affect growth and physiology’ – Dr Russ Babcock (CSIRO) and Professor Malcolm McCulloch (UWA)
The first of the three sessions will focus on research undertaken as part of the ‘Coral Reef Health’ component of PMCP. Professor Malcolm McCulloch from UWA has focussed on understanding how coral growth has responded to past and recent changes in regional climate across northern Ningaloo and the Pilbara region by analysing the physical and geochemical composition of cores collected from long-lived massive corals. He will present the first long-term coral proxy records of ocean temperature and changing water quality for both the Montebello’s as well as the inshore Airlie Island showing that the impact of the 2011-2013 bleaching was unprecedented.
Dr Russ Babcock from CSIRO will present outcomes from work completed on coral reef community dynamics. This will include data relating to the scale of impact of the 2011 and 2013 heatwaves and the slow rates of recovery being recorded in the coral communities affected, as well as the impacts of predation by crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks on the surviving corals.
Video and audio of this presentation is now available!
Summary on coral reef dynamics now available
9th June 2017 (12:00 – 13:00) – Session 2 ‘Fish and Sharks’ – ‘Uncovering the nature of fish – habitat relationships in the Pilbara’ – Dr Di Mclean (UWA) and Dr Tim Langlois (UWA)
The second of the three sessions will focus on the ‘Fish and Shark‘ research undertaken between northern Ningaloo and the Dampier Archipelago. The research team lead by Dr Tim Langlois and Dr Di McLean from UWA’s Marine Ecology Group have been gathering data on the conditions of, and threats to, finfish and shark biodiversity assets in the region – compiling information on the diversity, abundance, size-structure and distribution of fishes and sharks.
The team will share their findings on the fish-habitat relationships discovered in the Pilbara and discuss data collected using baited remote underwater stereo-video (stereo-BRUV) and diver operated stereo-video (stereo-DOV) which were deployed to help assess the impacts of fishing within the Ningaloo and Montebello Marine Park’s, through a comparison of sites inside and outside no-take sanctuary zones.
Video and audio of this presentation is now available!
Summary on habitat dependencies now available
29th June 2017 (12:00 – 13:00) – Session 3 ‘Environmental Drivers’ – ‘Understanding factors causing environmental change in the Pilbara region’ – Professor Ryan Low (UWA) and Dr Fabio Boschetti (CSIRO)
This lunch n learn is the final session of the PMCP series and will focus on presenting research undertaken as part of the ‘Environmental Pressures’ theme.
Professor Ryan Lowe from UWA will share research on the role that oceanic drivers (especially tropical cyclones and marine heat waves) play in shaping coastal ecosystems in the Ningaloo-Pilbara region.
Dr Fabio Boschetti from CSIRO will be presenting outcomes from research that modelled connectivity between fringing coral reefs in the North West Shelf of Australia and the how potential changes in habitat quality resulting from natural processes (climate change, bleaching), human-driven processes (exploitation, pollution) or conservation initiative (protection, restoration) may alter this flow. A key aim of the research has been to define priorities for conservation initiatives based on the interplay between ecological connectivity, ocean circulation patterns and ecological dynamics.
Video and audio of this presentation is now available!
Summary on connectivity now available
Register your interest to attend with an email to: Kelly.waples@dpaw.wa.gov.au