Biodiversity Management & Conservation
Marine biodiversity constitutes the assets that underpin many of the ecosystem services that communities and industry rely on.
Australia’s marine domain is the third largest in the world. Marine biodiversity constitutes the assets that underpin many of the ecosystem services that communities and industry rely on. However, marine biodiversity is being unsustainably impacted by many different pressures from different sectors that are singly and together reducing the goods and services that people derive from healthy marine ecosystems.
Our research supports the management, conservation, and sustainable use of marine biodiversity from rivers and estuaries to the oceanic trenches.
Ecosystem Characterisation & Marine Parks
- Assess social and economic impact of changes in zoning in Protected Areas and changes in management outside Protected Areas.
- Assess monitoring effectiveness.
- Develop improved monitoring technology and approaches.
- Improve understanding of biodiversity, distribution, composition and function. What are the bio-physical assets in Protected Areas and outside Protected Areas.
- Understand the dependencies between jurisdictions and the interplay of management.
- Improve understanding of climate impacts on Protected Areas and how these can be mitigated/adapted.
Threatened, Endangered and Protected Species
- Provide assessments of the status of species that can inform processes associated with the downlisting/modification of TEPS status.
- Support the prioritisation and evaluation of management responses to improve management of species
- Develop improved recovery plans.
- Provide data and technology that better estimates the status and trends of TEPS.
Predictive Conservation
- Identify thresholds/trigger points for significant impact on species and ecosystems
- Develop methods to quantify uncertainty in assessments of impact and risk and the implications for management decisions
- Approaches to cumulative impact/risk assessment.
- Identification and provision of key lines of information for new activities.
Related Research
Other Resources
Open allClose allOur researchers have been involved in projects delivering benefits under the National Environmental Science Program, and its predecessors.
A spatial data visualisation tool to explore existing marine datasets, or add your own. This tool was developed with funding from CSIRO. Please contact Chris Moeseneder or Rob Kenyon for more information.
The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) Investment Case and Concept Feasibility Study recommendations and technical reports have been released and are now available on the RRAP website here: https://www.gbrrestoration.org/investment-case-reports
The RRAP YouTube Channel also has two explainer animations that you are welcome to share with your networks:
Why do we need to help The Great Barrier Reef? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfvqI8KEs2k
How can we help protect The Great Barrier Reef? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhStJAyv5jQ&t=5s
An ecologically or biologically significant area (EBSA) is an area of the ocean that has special importance in terms of its ecological and biological characteristics.
