NESP MaC Project 1.14 – The role of dugong and turtle grazing in Torres Strait seagrass declines 2021-2022 (JCU)

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "The role of dugong and turtle grazing in Torres Strait seagrass declines". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata.

Dramatic declines in seagrass meadows in the Torres Strait Western Cluster were recorded in 2019 and 2020. These meadows are culturally important and represent significant foraging grounds for green turtles and dugongs. This project will use a short-term field study to investigate the role of megaherbivore grazing in two key locations where seagrass declines have been most dramatic. This project has been co-developed with the TSRA, Sea Rangers and Goemulgaw PBC in response to community concerns about seagrass declines and the implications for the totemic megaherbivores they support. The results will inform Traditional Owner led dugong and turtle management plans and help direct actions for remediation as required.

Outputs
• Field experiment assessing the whether reductions in seagrass cover at Mabuyag and Orman Reefs is due to grazing from Turtles and Dugongs. The experiment consists of cages over patches of seagrass that exclude grazers. The seagrass canopy and biomass is then compared with control patches [spreadsheet data].
• Final technical report with analysed data and a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]