eAtlas https://eatlas.org.au/rss.xml/73 en Mapping exposure of marine megafauna to anthropogenic threats in the north-west marine region of Australia https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/threat-exposure-megafauna <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> We used data from satellite telemetry tags attached to six species of threatened and migratory marine megafauna across three taxonomic groups (marine turtles, whales and sharks) off the coast of north-western Australia to map their areas of use. We then compiled spatial data from a range of threats and overlayed species and threat maps to assess the level of exposure of the species to threats. In doing so we can identify areas where there is high exposure of species to threats, where risk assessments can be best directed with resulting management actions if needed in order to protect these species. </div> </div> </div> Thu, 15 Jul 2021 08:27:39 +0000 nwatlas 49001 at https://eatlas.org.au How connected are deep and shallow Pearl Oysters in the Eighty Mile Beach area? https://eatlas.org.au/node/49000 <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> We use genetics to estimate how far and wide oyster larvae can disperse to assist in setting biologically relevant spatial boundaries and harvest limits for oysters. </div> </div> </div> Wed, 07 Jul 2021 01:45:15 +0000 nwatlas 49000 at https://eatlas.org.au Distribution and important areas for pygmy blue whales https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/pygmy-blue-whales <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> To assist in recovery of the population, spatial areas of importance to pygmy blue whales, known as Biologically Important Areas (BIA), have been identified by the Australian Government. The AIMS team and collaborators Centre for Whale Research and Curtin University set out to reduce uncertainty in identifying where important foraging areas for this species and their migration pathways and distribution exist, and the extent to which they overlap with anthropogenic activities by deploying satellite tags. </div> </div> </div> Thu, 01 Jul 2021 04:50:01 +0000 nwatlas 48999 at https://eatlas.org.au Money Shoal, Arafura Marine Park, Australia https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/money-shoal <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> The information in this eco-narrative forms an initial characterisation of the physical, oceanographic and biological character of Arafura Marine Park, with a focus on results from a biodiversity and mapping survey undertaken by the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub in 2020. This survey targeted two areas (see map below): Money Shoal as an example of shallow coral reef habitat, and Pillar Bank as an example of a deeper water mixed seabed environments. This excerpt focuses mainly on Money Shoal. </div> </div> </div> Wed, 17 Mar 2021 00:51:10 +0000 admin 47335 at https://eatlas.org.au Davies reef https://eatlas.org.au/gbr/gallery/davies-reef-201807 <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>This series of photos come from a trip to Davies Reef to service the AIMS weather station tower. These photos focus on highlighting processes affecting the growth of corals on this reef.</p> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 18 Nov 2020 01:55:51 +0000 admin 46708 at https://eatlas.org.au Gateway to environmental data on the GBR - Temperature https://eatlas.org.au/gbr-gateway-temp <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <div class="bleaching-portal"> <p>This section shows the latest temperature and ocean current estimates from remote sensing (<a href="http://oceancurrent.imos.org.au">Ocean current IMOS</a>) and two different hydrodynamic models: <a href="https://ereefs.aims.gov.au/ereefs-aims">CSIRO eReefs model</a> and the <a href="http://130.56.244.252/">BOM eReefs model</a>. Each of these products have their own websites where more detailed views can be found.</p></div></div> </div> </div> Fri, 02 Oct 2020 00:44:11 +0000 admin 46153 at https://eatlas.org.au Hawksbill and green turtle distribution and important areas https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/nws2s-megafauna <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> Global populations of green (IUCN listing endangered) and hawksbill (IUCN listing critically endangered) turtles are declining due to a range of threats. Australia supports some of the largest rookeries (nesting sites) for these turtles in the Indo-Pacific. Even though they've been much studied, most data that shows where these turtles spend their time around Australia remains unpublished. Here, we set out to quantify and map the important areas that turtles use to help refine these protected areas and assist with turtle conservation management. </div> </div> </div> Thu, 11 Jun 2020 01:27:35 +0000 nwatlas 40602 at https://eatlas.org.au Discovering what lives on the sea floor at 125m depth https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/nws2s-ac125-benthic-towed-video-stills-map <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> Key Ecological Features (KEFs) are parts of the marine ecosystem considered to be of particular importance for either a region's biodiversity or its ecosystem function and integrity. 13 KEFs have been defined for Australia’s North-west Marine Region, including the ‘Ancient Coastline at 125m depth contour’ (AC125). The AC125 is thought to “provide areas of hard substrate and therefore may provide sites for higher diversity and enhanced species richness relative to surrounding areas of predominantly soft sediment.” Little is known about what habitats exist on the sea floor in the AC125. Part of the reason is that the AC125 is very deep, and thus difficult to observe. The North West Shoals to Shore Research Program took underwater photographs and video of the seafloor to better understand each AC125 Area within its local context. </div> </div> </div> Wed, 10 Jun 2020 06:14:37 +0000 nwatlas 40600 at https://eatlas.org.au Are Pearl Oysters found in deep water? https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/nws2s-oysters <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> The Silver Lipped Oyster, Pinctada maxima, forms the basis of a historical fishery in tropical Western Australia, estimated to be worth $A61 million in 2013. This fishery supplies pearl and mother of pearl markets through wild harvest of P. maxima stock, augmented more recently with aquaculture. Studies have shown that populations of P. maxima within the region are highly connected to one another. This raises the question of whether oysters located deeper than those safely visited by divers (beyond 30-40 metres) may help replenish stocks in shallower areas. At present, the extent to which P. maxima occurs at these depths (>40 metres) within the region near Eighty Mile Beach is poorly known. </div> </div> </div> Tue, 09 Jun 2020 08:21:33 +0000 nwatlas 40599 at https://eatlas.org.au How many different species of fish are found around the Ancient Coastline (125m) KEF? https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/nws2s-ac125-fish-richness-map <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> The North West Shoals to Shore Research Program investigated seabed habitats and their biodiversity to inform management and sustainable development of the region. Little is known about the fish found on and around the AC125. Part of the reason is that the AC125 is very deep, and thus difficult to observe. One question to ask about a habitat is how many different species of fish are found there - this is called fish species 'richness'. We explored this question for 5 study areas spread along the vast AC125 (see map below, read the full paper here). </div> </div> </div> Tue, 09 Jun 2020 07:16:58 +0000 nwatlas 40598 at https://eatlas.org.au Finding fish on the Ancient Coastline KEF (125 m) with underwater video https://eatlas.org.au/nwa/nws2s-ac125-bruvs <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> Little is known about what fish species call the AC125 home. Part of the reason is that the AC125 is very deep, and thus difficult to observe. To fill this gap, we conducted fish relative abundance and diversity surveys across five study Areas of the AC125 using Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS). BRUVS were deployed on and off the AC125 at a minimum distance of 500 m between each unit. A total of 204 BRUVS deployments were conducted at depths between 62.1 m and 181.4 m across each study Area from the RV Solander. </div> </div> </div> Thu, 04 Jun 2020 06:21:13 +0000 nwatlas 40597 at https://eatlas.org.au Drivers of Bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef - Compilation of temperature data from 2015, 2016 2017 https://eatlas.org.au/gbr/nesp-twq-4-2-temperature-data-2015-17 <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Over the last fifteen years a number of major efforts have significantly expanded the sustained monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).</p></div> </div> </div> Thu, 30 Apr 2020 02:17:34 +0000 sbabicci 40586 at https://eatlas.org.au Cumulative Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef https://eatlas.org.au/gbr/nesp-twq-5-2-cumulative-impacts <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> This site provides an introduction to cumulative impacts on coral reefs and outlines some of the latest research into understanding the interactive effects of these impacts and which affect different coral types the most.    </div> </div> </div> Thu, 30 Jan 2020 03:47:15 +0000 admin 39298 at https://eatlas.org.au Connectivity of North East Australia's Seascape Maps https://eatlas.org.au/ne-aus-seascape-connectivity/map-gallery <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>This gallery highlights all the connectivity maps developed as part of NESP TWQ 3.3.3. The <a href="https://eatlas.org.au/data/uuid/5b7f73ff-b23e-44d2-a2aa-2d7fa588d5ca">dataset used to create these maps</a> is available.</p> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 02 Sep 2019 00:56:35 +0000 admin 37289 at https://eatlas.org.au Largest GBR coral reef survey data repository now online - AIMS LTMP https://eatlas.org.au/gbr/ltmp-data <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> Data is now available for download from the AIMS Long Term Monitoring Program and the Marine Monitoring Programs. </div> </div> </div> Mon, 20 May 2019 02:08:48 +0000 sbabicci 34298 at https://eatlas.org.au