Sediment burial stress response, bio-indicators and thresholds for a tropical multi-species seagrass assemblage: Report of Theme 5 - Project 5.5.2 prepared for the Dredging Science Node

Authors

John Statton
Kathryn McMahon, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Roisin McCallum, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Gary Kendrick
Paul Lavery, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Report

Publisher

Western Australian Marine Science Institution

School

School of Science

Comments

Statton, J., McMahon, K., McCallum, R., Kendrick, G., & Lavery, P. (2017). Sediment burial stress response, bio-indicators and thresholds for a tropical multi-species seagrass assemblage: Report of Theme 5-Project 5.5. 2 prepared for the Dredging Science Node, Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Perth, Western Australia, 38 pp.

https://wamsi.org.au/project/5-5-2-sediment-burial-stress-thresholds-for-seagrass/

Abstract

Deterioration in water clarity by resuspension of dredged sediments is presumed to be a major mechanism by which dredging can impact seagrasses. This report presents findings from a controlled light experiment that aimed to determine the effects of low light stress on the growth of three seagrass species found in the northwest of Western Australia.

Aims

• To determine the effects of sediment burial stress under dredge-simulated conditions on the growth and health of three seagrass species found in the northwest of Western Australia.
• Provide guidance and protocols for the application of the research outputs (e.g. seagrass burial stress:response relationships, sub-lethal and lethal bio-indicators and thresholds) to the prediction, assessment, monitoring and management of dredging programs in northwest of Western Australia.

Related Publications

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Project 5.1.1 - Current state of knowledge regarding the effects of dredging-related ‘pressure’ on seagrasses

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Project 5.1.2 - Seagrasses of the North West of WA: biogeography and considerations for dredging-related research

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Project 5.2 - Genetic variability of seagrass in NW Australia [report]

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - 5.3 - Defining thresholds and indicators of primary producers - Seagrass pressure-response relationships - Report

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node – Project 5.5.3 Response and recovery of a mixed tropical seagrass assemblage to variation in the frequency and magnitude of light deprivation.

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - 5.6 - Defining thresholds and indicators of primary-producer response to dredging-related pressures

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Project 9.1 - Effects of dredging related pressures on critical ecological processes for other organisms

Related Datasets

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Project 5.2 - Genetic variability of seagrass in NW Australia [dataset]

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Project 5.5.2 - Defining thresholds and indicators of primary producers - Seagrass pressure-response relationships - Experiment 2

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - Project 5.5.3 - Defining thresholds and indicators of primary producers - Seagrass pressure-response relationships - Experiment 3

WAMSI 2 - Dredging Node - 5.3 - Defining thresholds and indicators of primary producers - Seagrass pressure-response relationships [dataset]

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