IMOS issue eighteen June 2014

IMOS News > For more news from all the IMOS Facilities check the IMOS website imos.org.au/news.html

Desert dust could threaten coral and our food chain A fungal bloom in Australia’s coastal waters has been connected to the massive dust storm that started in Lake Eyre Basin and shrouded the entire east coast in 2009. Marine scientists have described the bloom as a ‘rare, ‘accidental’, and ‘serendipitous’ finding. “This fungus is essentially a terrestrial “Dust that originates in organism that is extremely tolerant to deserts is well known to be salt, and this is rare,” according to a vehicle for the spread of Australia’s expert on phytoplankton microbial communities, and Professor Gustaaf Hallegraeff from a concern for accidental the Institute for Marine and Antarctic spread of contaminants Studies, University of Tasmania. and diseases,” he said. In 2009, after 10 years of drought, a cold The stroke of serendipity front swept up about 16 million tonnes was that IMOS started of dust from the deserts of Central collecting plankton Australia, and winds in excess of 100 biodiversity data using km an hour spurred the massive dust a Continuous Plankton storm—measuring about 500 km wide Recorder (CPR) a year and 5,500 km long—to sweep across before the dust storm. IMOS eastern Australia. An estimated 75,000 has developed the first long- tonnes of the dust crossed the coastline term plankton baseline for and was recorded as far east as New Australian waters. The CPR Zealand. In his research findings to be was sampling the plankton published in June, Professor Hallegraeff in the water between suggests that Great Barrier Reef corals and Sydney and other marine life could be susceptible Continued on Page 2 to disease if more pathogenic strains of fungi develop from future dust storms.

‘Rare’ find has scientists chasing answers on whether future dust storms will affect marine systems.

Left: Dust storm map adapted from Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/File:2009_Dust_Storm_-_ Australia_and_New_Zealand_Map. png] published under a Creative Commons license

marinematters 1 community needs to stay focused on we understand it to be a substantial the arrival of a much more capable down payment on a future, multi-year research vessel that will enable blue NCRIS program. Much work remains water marine science for the next 30 to to be done to turn this into reality, but 40 years. So these are exciting times. the opportunity is palpable. NCRIS is clearly seen to be a proven model IMOS is gearing up to bring its deep at the national level, and the marine water mooring network back to and climate science community has full strength. We can’t wait to start enthusiastically embraced it and shown exploring opportunities to build more Tim Moltmann Tim that it can work very well through IMOS. interdisciplinary science around the major marine phenomena we Notwithstanding the above, it is important are observing – Southern Ocean that the IMOS community continues to Welcome to the latest edition of Marine carbon cycling and air-sea fluxes, take responsibility for articulating a big Matters. The collection of stories speaks Antarctic bottom water formation vision and an ambitious long term plan strongly to the scientific and societal and fate, and ocean circulation via for our national marine observing system. value that IMOS is now delivering on an the Indonesian Throughflow, and The IMOS Strategy 2015-25 has just ongoing basis. So I’ll use my share of the East Australian Current. been finalised and can be found at column space to reflect on the current http:// The May Federal Budget included a The process of status and future prospects for the imos.org.au/plans.html strongly positive signal about the future developing a draft Strategy and then program, which are very positive. of IMOS. An additional $150M was going through extensive stakeholder As outlined in previous editions, we committed to the National Collaborative consultation to arrive at a final version already have funding secure to operate Research Infrastructure Strategy was very constructive. There is a high IMOS at close to full strength in 2014- (NCRIS) in 2015-16. While allocation level of awareness and support for 15. The only major dip in the short of these funds is yet to be determined, IMOS across the stakeholder base. We term relates to our deep water mooring they are reserved for existing NCRIS can be well pleased with our efforts work. This had to be pulled back with capabilities and so IMOS can reasonably to date, and can now use our agreed the Marine National Facility vessel RV expect to secure a fair share. strategy to take IMOS to the next level Southern Surveyor out of commission, in its second decade of operation. Importantly, we believe that the Budget and the new vessel RV Investigator decision does not represent ‘just yet to arrive. The gap in access is one more year of funding’. Rather, frustrating in the short term, but our Tim Moltmann

Desert dust could threaten coral and our food chain Continued from Page 1 about 3 weeks after the dust storm. bloom before the 2009 storm, nor storms. Their initial research found have they seen anything like it since. no soft coral disease outbreak as “So we unexpectedly collected massive a result of the fungal bloom, but a concentrations of black fungal spores “Imagine that a lot of this [fungi] is going number of questions remain. How about 30 km offshore just after the to grow in the marine environment, and could this fungus affect fish? How storm,” said Professor Hallegraeff. that it is going to do something different could it affect corals? How does it there – it is going to produce different The black ‘oil-looking substance’ affect algae? Is there the potential chemicals compared to how it behaves that was collected and preserved for it to affect humans? We know that on the land,” Hallegraeff proposed. in formalin for study, was also used some fungal toxins may accumulate to later culture the organism in the “This is where we are at right now, in filter feeders such as molluscs and laboratory. CSIRO marine scientist and trying to understand these fungal oysters. So does that mean the fungus University of Associate toxins. Fungal impacts have been well could reach the human food chain? Professor Anthony Richardson, documented in terms of human health “We have no evidence yet. But now who leads the CPR survey for and agriculture, but broader impacts on we are aware of it, we can watch for IMOS, is particularly interested in marine impacts remain undocumented.” it,” Professor Hallegraeff said. “The how the fungi survives formalin. The scientists are particularly eager IMOS plankton survey will enable “This is sort of unheard of – formalin to understand the fungus in the light this kind of exciting research into is supposed to kill everything.” Both of climate change, as projections the future. It highlights the value Richardson and Hallegraeff hadn’t suggest extended dry periods, and of sustained ocean observing for seen anything like the ocean fungal hence increased potential for dust studying these unexpected events.”

2 marinematters Latest tracks from tagged seals provide unique data in the Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean is one of the most important, yet least observed of marine habitats. Connecting all the world’s Dr Sophie Bestley oceans through the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the physical structure of the Southern Ocean profoundly influences 1,447 CTD profiles. Whilst the physical movement,” she explains, “because this world climate and ecology, and plays a data from these profiles will feed into is key to understanding how a population key role in global climate. ocean and climate models, the data also can respond to future change.” allows biologists to gain a much better Since 2009/10, the IMOS Animal “Many species are of significant understanding of how the environment Tagging and Monitoring Facility has conservation concern, others are influences the seals’ foraging been using Southern Ocean seals as recovering from previous harvesting, behaviour and success in relation to ‘samplers’. Individual animal-borne some are being harvested and changes in the ocean around them. miniaturised trackers attached to the all will be affected by a changing seals collect physical data such as Dr Sophie Bestley is using the IMOS climate. Our research, which aims depth, temperature, and salinity of the repository of seal data to develop and to better describe and understand waters in which they forage, as well evaluate statistical models that describe the ecology of the vast ocean to the as behavioural data on the diving and and predict the migration and foraging south of Australia, will provide the movements of individual animals. behaviour of southern elephant seals information that will assist in managing In February 2014, IMOS tagged and other top marine predators between this region in an era of change.” 19 Southern elephant seals at sub-Antarctic islands and east Antarctic Kerguelen Island in the southern waters. She holds an Indian Ocean, and eight Weddell Australian Research seals at Scott Base in Antarctica. Council Super Science Fellowship At this time of year the elephant seals under a joint project are accumulating resources during of the Australian long-ranging foraging trips in preparation Antarctic Division, for the breeding season that starts in the University of September. Elephant seals are capital Tasmania’s Institute breeders, meaning that when they are of Marine and ashore to give birth and suckle their Antarctic Studies, and pups they rely on stored resources Macquarie University. and do not feed at all during this time. Dr Bestley is As can be seen from the maps the particularly interested seals are providing vast coverage in incorporating the across the southern Indian Ocean vertical dimension and into the southern Pacific Ocean. – animal diving The Weddell seals, in contrast, breed behaviour – into and forage amongst the ice, so are movement predictions producing “mooring-like” information as “analyses that in the Ross Sea at the ice edge. This incorporate at least means that the seals are providing two dimensions multiple casts from a single area over can test more time rather than from a wide range sophisticated of sites, providing valuable time- models of foraging series data on seasonal changes behaviour”. in the water column structure. “A fundamental goal Since the seals were tagged in February of animal ecology the elephant seals have provided 4,703 is to quantify how conductivity, temperature, and depth environmental factors (CTD) profiles and the Weddell seals influence individual

marinematters 3 Using multi-platform data to understand continental shelf processes By: Professor Charitha Pattiaratchi

IMOS provides a range of marine data streams using different platforms. These data from satellite; chlorophyll time series streams can be integrated and used to study the ocean using different approaches: from moorings; nutrient analyses from ship borne measurements). 1. a single data stream from a 4. several parameters (for a single single platform (e.g. a current discipline, e.g. physics) from multiple Recently, researchers from the WAIMOS meter record from a mooring); platforms (e.g. temperature using science node at the University of moorings, ocean gliders and satellite have been using data 2. multi-disciplinary data streams from a remote sensing; together with current from different platforms to understand single platform (e.g. temperature and measurements from moorings and HF physical processes along the West fluorescence from an ocean glider); Radar; ship borne CTD profiles); and, Australian continental shelf. Two papers 3. a single parameter from multiple from this research are currently under 5. multi-disciplinary data streams from platforms (e.g. temperature review and are summarised below. multiple platforms (e.g. temperature, using moorings, ocean gliders fluorescence and light climate from The first paper by Florence Verspecht, and satellite remote sensing); an ocean glider; surface chlorophyll Hrvoje Mihanovic´ and Charitha Pattiaratchi, examines the role of sea breezes forcing near-inertial waves along the Rottnest continental shelf. The research uses IMOS data from shelf moorings along the Two Rocks transect; surface currents from HF Radar and sea surface temperature (SST) from satellites to examine vertical temperature structure under sea breeze activity. The latitude of the study region is such that the diurnal frequency of the sea breeze is close to the inertial frequency (defined as the critical latitude) resulting in a resonance condition. As a result, the influence of the sea breeze results in strong anti-clockwise circular motions that often exceed the Leeuwin Current speeds. These currents extend to depths up to 350 m (much larger than then the Ekman depth of around

Left: Data obtained in February 2011: (a) Wind vectors from Rottnest Island; (b) HF Radar surface currents at the canyon 200 m mooring location; (c) HF Radar surface currents at the Two Rocks 200 m mooring location; (d) HF Radar surface currents at the Two Rocks 500 m mooring location; (e), (f) north- south component of currents at Two Rocks 200 m 500 m moorings, respectively; (g), (h), (i) temperature at Two Rocks 100 m, 150 m and 200 m moorings, respectively. Note panels have different depth scales.

4 marinematters 70 m) creating large oscillations of the effects of the Coriolis force with the ocean with colder water upwelling at thermocline. It was shown that these internal structure similar to that of the the centre of the peddie, which was oscillations are an important process circulation in a tea cup with strong associated with high chlorophyll at for mixing across the thermocline. upwelling through the centre of the the surface and sub-surface. Rapid peddie. This study used IMOS data upwelling rates of up to 100 m per The second paper by Charitha streams from shelf moorings along the day were observed. Analysis of ~40 Pattiaratchi and Hrvoje Mihanovic´ Two Rocks transect; surface currents months of HF radar identified over 1500 examined the structure of peddies from HF Radar; ocean gliders and SST peddies (768 cyclonic; 816 anti-cyclonic) (petite eddies or sub-meso scale and chlorophyll from satellites together with the majority occurring along the eddies), which form along the Rottnest with ship borne data collected from a interface between the southward continental shelf in regions of strong RV Southern Surveyor voyage. These flowing Leeuwin and northward horizontal gradients in the currents. data indicated that the centres and flowing Capes Current and along the Peddies have diameters of < 20 km perimeters of the eddy have different perimeter of meso-scale eddies. and extend to depths up to 200 km. water properties to those of the adjacent These eddies are independent of the

Above: Locations of peddies along the Rottnest continental shelf obtained from HF Radar surface currents: left panel are clockwise rotation and right panel is anti-clockwise rotation. Right: Locations of peddies on 16 August with HF Radar surface currents overlain on the satellite derived SST.

marinematters 5 news

Marine science: challenges for a growing ‘blue economy’ The importance of the ocean to the Australian economy and how it impacts the In particular, the article noted how IMOS Australian population is highlighted in a recent article on The Conversation. data was used in the advanced models of ocean currents around Australia Authors John Gunn CEO at Australian science discipline will contribute to developed by BlueLink (a collaboration Institute of Marine Science, Professor Australia now and in the future. between CSIRO, the Bureau of Mike Coffin Executive Director at the Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing Meteorology and the Australian Navy) Institute for Marine and Antarctic System (IMOS) was highlighted as the that have been used in the search for Studies at University of Tasmania, “critical observational foundation for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. and Associate Professor Sabine marine science in Australia”, noting that Dittmann at Flinders University, have To read the full article on The IMOS has become an “international written the article in a series on Conversation: http://theconversation. leader in ocean observing”. The Conversation about how each com/marine-science-challenges-for- a-growing-blue-economy-22845

Good news for research infrastructure The Federal Budget includes a new $150 million commitment to continue funding the and 2011, the capability areas were National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). reviewed and refined and new areas were identified. Through all of these “This is good news for the scientists of support for major collaborative iterations to date, the Integrated Marine and stakeholders that rely on our research infrastructure in Australia.” Observing System has emerged infrastructure” says Tim Moltmann, IMOS is one of 13 capabilities (and as a high priority investment. Director of the Integrated Marine 27 projects) in the national research Observing System (IMOS). “There An evaluation of the projects infrastructure network. Capability was no forward commitment to NCRIS currently funded under NCRIS is areas (priorities for investment in major beyond the coming financial year, underway and is expected to be research infrastructure) were identified so it is great to see a reaffirmation finalised before the end of 2014. in the 2006 NCRIS Road Map. In 2008 In addition, the Commission of Audit has recommended that the Government take a more strategic, whole of government approach to the funding of research and development, including by “committing to ongoing funding for critical research infrastructure in Australia, informed by a reassessment of existing research infrastructure provision and requirements”. The additional year of funding for NCRIS projects in 2015–16 will provide time for the Government to address the Commission’s recommendation and consider findings from the evaluation process. Full details of the Government’s announcement can be found at http:// education.gov.au/national-collaborative- research-infrastructure-strategy-ncris As further information is available about next steps, regular updates will be provided to the IMOS community.

6 marinematters Image: Steve Rintoul IMOS Postgraduate Student Profile

Students working on IMOS data for their postgraduate research

Stephanie Brodie Project: Climate driven changes in the East Australian Current and their influence on the University of New South Wales ecology and distribution of pelagic fish The spatial and temporal variation of water types along the east coast of Australia reinforces the need for habitat specific fisheries management strategies that reflect a changing oceanic environment. In recent decades, winds associated with climate change have strengthened and extended warm and more saline waters further south, with various ecosystem changes and fishery consequences. The effect of these shifting and dynamic water masses on the movements and ecology of pelagic fish is currently unknown, with oceanic habitats for some species likely to expand under climate change conditions. Steph is investigating how the oceanic variability off the east coast of Australia influences the movements and distributions of pelagic fish. Steph uses acoustic telemetry, integrated with the IMOS Animal Tagging and Monitoring Facility to determine the seasonal and inter-annual oceanic habitats of dolphinfish,Coryphaena hippurus, and yellowtail kingfish,Seriola lalandi. Acoustic telemetry is also used to examine fish use of fisheries enhancement structures (artificial reefs and Fish Aggregation Devices) deployed by NSW Fisheries. This project will advance the current knowledge of fish habitat association off the east coast of Australia. Fishery dependent datasets sampled for more than 30 years from NSW Fisheries are also being used to model the distribution of dolphinfish and yellowtail kingfish on and off the NSW shelf. Above: Fish surgery in The outcome of this project will allow action – Steph Brodie managers and policy makers to make implants acoustic transmitter into the gut informed decisions about Australia’s cavity of a yellowtail fisheries based on oceanic habitats kingfish. defined by CSIRO data assimilation products, rather than static latitudinal Right: Yellowtail kingfish released by Steph Brodie boundaries. This project will also allow after being inserted with predictions to be made about how fish will an acoustic transmitter. respond to a changing oceanic climate. Images: Al Mcglashan

marinematters 7 news from the nodes

WAIMOS WAIMOS have run successful data workshops morning’s presentations. It certainly gave us an opportunity recently. As part of BigDataWeek WAIMOS ran a to network here and will most surely lead to ongoing hands-on workshop on May 5th to encourage data interactions between local participants. WAIMOS looks discovery on the IMOS Ocean Portal and demonstrate forward to facilitating more opportunities to link remotely some tools for visualisation of datasets. with interstate workshops, seminars and colleagues. This was probably the first BigDataWeek event in the world IMOS Plankton Data Workshop was presented by Anthony and one of several to be run in Perth. Agi Gedeon gave a Richardson, Joint Director AusCPR, in Perth on June 6th. brief introduction to IMOS, and then handed over to Dirk A timely visit to the UWA Oceans Institute by Erik van Slawinski who led the group in finding, downloading, then Sebille, UNSW, meant that WAIMOS could prevail upon accessing data for analysis using Matlab or R. The feedback him to present a brief prelude to give broad context to suggested that the workshop was informative in revealing the workshop about his work on ocean circulation, with the resources available and very helpful in providing regard to inter-ocean exchanges and marine connectivity. support and guidance in navigating around in the IMOS This small group workshop focused on plankton and the and AODN portals. The information on the IMOS user code Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) facility of IMOS library (https://github.com/aodn/imos-user-code-library/wiki) and encompassed discussion of plankton as ecosystem was particularly well received and will allow participants indicators, explored the types of questions that can be to explore different approaches to using IMOS data. answered, the types of data collected, advantages of WAIMOS connected remotely to the Animal Tagging and different methods of collection, the data available in Monitoring Facility workshop (Tapping into IMOS: a user IMOS and what can be done with the data. The workshop day for biologists) run by Rob Harcourt in Sydney on attracted interest from a cross-section of participants Tuesday 20th May. After a 7am start in Perth, about 7 people including students, scientists, consultants, and industry. joined with the 25 or so at SIMS. We enjoyed much of the

focus on facilities

Facility 4: Ocean gliders IMOS and DSTO join forces to deploy ocean gliders in the Perth Canyon

In February 2014, the IMOS ocean glider facility and the other along the Perth Canyon. The IMOS data is available Defence Science Technology Organisation (DSTO) undertook in real time and delayed mode data will be available a combined ocean glider deployment in conjunction with via the IMOS Ocean Portal. The ocean glider facility is Royal Australian Navy exercises in the Perth canyon. working with DSTO to obtain their real-time data. The joint deployment aimed to provide field data for validating numerical models in the region including: BLUElink, Sparse Hydrodynamic Ocean Code (SHOC) and Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS). A total of four gliders consisting of three Slocum gliders (that can dive down to 200 m) and a Seaglider (that can go deeper than the Slocum gliders, down to a maximum depth 1000 m) were deployed. Two of the Slocum gliders were from DSTO, whilst IMOS deployed a Slocum and a Seaglider. The DSTO glider deployments were part of a larger Navy exercise. The IMOS deployments were part of the regular Image: Paul Thompson schedule – one traversing the Two Rocks line and the

8 marinematters focus on facilities

Facility 6: National mooring network Microbial sampling at IMOS National Reference Stations to be expanded

In 2012 IMOS established a partnership with the Australian major chemical cycles. The composition and biogeochemical Marine Microbial Biodiversity Initiative (AMMBI) to run functionality of these microbial assemblages underpins the a one-year pilot program to collect microbial samples ecology of marine ecosystems and mediates the ocean- as part of the regular monthly sampling at three east atmosphere exchange of climatically important gases. coast IMOS National Reference Station (NRS) sites. Despite recent efforts, the majority of microbial biodiversity With the pilot study successfully assimilating the extra in marine systems remains largely uncharacterised. sampling into the monthly IMOS program, AMMBI now Consequently we do not understand the full potential of our aims to establish a sustained marine microbial sampling oceans and estuaries, their health, or their resilience. This program at all seven of the NRS sites over the next year lack of marine microbial biodiversity knowledge has largely (North Stradbroke Island, Port Hacking, Maria Island, been due to the difficulties in obtaining meaningful data at Rottnest Island, Darwin, Yongala and Kangaroo Island). appropriate scales using traditional microbiological techniques. Metagenomic analysis of marine samples now provides an AMMBI aims to build a marine microbial biodiversity map of opportunity to undertake large-scale, spatially-explicit analyses Australia that could then be integrated with the physical and to quantify and map patterns of microbial biodiversity. biogeochemical data already collected at the NRS sites by IMOS, macrobial biodiversity and patterns of human activity. The samples from the pilot study have provided preliminary metagenomic data that demonstrates varied spatial While less conspicuous than marine macrofauna, the and temporal patterns between bacterial taxa. major biotic players in controlling the function of marine environments are microorganisms. Microbes comprise up The AMMBI program is led by Dr Lev Bodrossy at to 90% of the total ocean biomass, are the foundation of CSIRO and Dr Mark Brown at UNSW. For further the marine food-web, and the engine-room of the ocean’s information please contact [email protected]

Temporal variation in the relative abundance of Pelagibacter and Roseovarius by depth. These Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) diagrams are examples of phylotypes that are homogenously and heterogeneously distributed across the three sampling stations, respectively.

marinematters 9 focus on facilities

Facility 2: Ships of Opportunity IMOS Plankton Group News By: Anita Slotwinski

The IMOS Plankton Group Brisbane lab has been bustling with extra activity due to collaboration with numerous new students and volunteers.

University of Queensland PhD student Katherine Burgess is researching habitat use and feeding ecology of the giant manta ray Manta birostris in the eastern Equatorial Pacific. Manta rays eat zooplankton and Katherine’s project aims to look at small scale zooplankton dynamics such as Image: Rob Harcourt, Macquarie University community composition, size spectra and biomass at a key aggregation Asia Armstrong is currently Marine Ecosystems specialist Alicia site for giant manta rays off mainland undertaking her Honours year Flochlay is visiting from France and is Ecuador. Katherine will also be looking at the University of Queensland. Her working with us for 3 months as a volunteer. at environmental data resulting from research is focused on the reef manta Alicia is collaborating with Lisa Gershwin the extreme El Niño conditions that ray aggregation site of Lady Elliot on building a jellyfish database that records this part of the world is currently Island in the southern Great Barrier all jellyfish events from 1996 to the present. experiencing. The IMOS Plankton Reef, where she will examine the food This study, through time and space, will Group will be assisting Katherine with environment and oceanography of Lady allow us to establish an Australian jellyfish sampling equipment and teaching her Elliot Island to identify conditions that distribution map and to recognise the to process her plankton samples. support the largest known aggregation species, times and localities when jellyfish (100s of individuals) of Manta alfredi are most threatening to humans. It will in eastern Australia. The research will help to provide beach safety information analyse zooplankton dynamics during for authorities in all affected areas. manta ray feeding aggregations; what oceanographic factors (e.g. Julia Bennett is visiting from the tides, currents, temperature and University of Southern California salinity) drive changes in the and exploring our IMOS plankton samples planktonic community; and in a unique way. Julia aims to create a whether manta rays exhibit photographic body of work that inspires critical feeding thresholds awareness and understanding of the role in response to plankton phytoplankton plays in the survival of the density and distribution. ocean, and the threat that we as humans This research will provide pose to these organisms. The majority of new insights into why the general public is either unaware or tropical planktivores misinformed of the danger anthropogenic travel long distances and pollution poses to phytoplankton, and aggregate in large numbers therefore to the intricate structure of in certain locations. The IMOS the marine food web. Julia believes Plankton Group are helping that in order to confront our modern Asia with size spectra data environmental dilemmas, the scientific analysis and taxonomic composition complexities of climate change need to of the zooplankton community. be made accessible to the masses.

Ceratium longipes Sign up to the IMOS Plankton Group newsletter by emailing Image: Julia Bennett [email protected] to see some examples of this beautiful work.

10 marinematters Facility 9: Wireless sensor networks IMOS infrastructure captures details of Tropical By: Scott Bainbridge

In February, Ita carved a path from the they occurred. The eye of the cyclone went within 14 kilometres across and through of the station as a Category-5 cyclone and then northern Queensland finally making land fall near Cape Flattery, tracked down the coast passing within 20 kilometres of the north of Cooktown, as a Category-4 system (Map One). Orpheus Island station as a Category-2 system, and within 25 kilometres of the AIMS station also as a Category-2 system. The system passed over the Sensor Networks located at Lizard Island, Orpheus Island and Davies Reef installed under the IMOS Maximum wind speeds at Lizard island reached 160 kilometres Wireless sensor network Facility along with a station in Cleveland per hour associated with a minimum barometric pressure Bay operated by Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) of 954 hectopascals (Graph One). The signature of the eye (see Map below). The cyclone was unusual in that it tracked passing directly over the station can be seen in the wind speed along the coast and so was measured by three IMOS installations graph with a distinct lull in wind speed as the eye passed and an AIMS station before it dissipated south of Bowen. and a change in wind direction from the South-East to North- West. The same pattern, although less intense, can be seen The IMOS stations include an on-reef weather station (Lizard at Orpheus Island (Graph Two) and in Cleveland Bay (Graph Island) that measure weather parameters, including wind speed, Three). The station at Davies Reef (Graph Four) was further direction and atmospheric pressure. The systems transmit the data in real time allowing for conditions to be monitored as Continued on Page 12

Above: Path of Tropical Cyclone Ita showing the location of the IMOS sensor network sites at Lizard and Orpheus Islands, Davies Reef and the AIMS site in Cleveland Bay. Cyclone intensity is shown from blue (Category 1) to orange (Category 5). Left: Lizard Island IMOS Weather Station.

marinematters 11 focus on facilities

IMOS infrastructure captures details of Tropical Cyclone Ita Continued from Page 11 away from the system (around 60 km) and showed a spike in our post-event analysis and enable us to have a more wind speed but not the distinctive pattern of the cyclone eye. complete picture of the pressure gradients and wind strengths experienced as Ita moved over the island. The data is being analysed by the Bureau of Meteorology as one of the few fine scale data sets from inshore weather Given Ita’s eye-wall essentially passed close-to or over the stations of tropical cyclone behaviour. While the IMOS Lizard Island weather station we have a rare opportunity to wireless sensor network infrastructure has recorded previous drill down into data recorded from within the core of a severe cyclones (Hamish and Yasi for example), the data is unique tropical cyclone. This data would also assist greatly with being close to land and directly in the path of the cyclone. our research into eye wall replacement and behaviour.” Richard Wardle from the Bureau of Meteorology While the IMOS infrastructure was not set up to measure explained the significance of the data: extreme events such as Tropical Cyclones, it does show the value in having observing infrastructure in “The data from the station is extremely valuable and place and the value of real time data in informing the important in cross-checking the intensity and impacts of scientific and emergency response communities. severe Tropical Cyclone Ita. The data will greatly assist in

1. 2.

Wind speed and direction at the IMOS site at Lizard Island Wind speed and direction at the IMOS site at Orpheus Island

3. 4.

Wind speed and direction at AIMS Site in Cleveland Bay Wind speed and direction at the IMOS site at Davies Reef

Graphs 1–4: Wind speed and direction (as min, max and average wind speeds over ten minutes) for the IMOS sites at Lizard (Graph One) and Orpheus (Graph Two) Islands, the AIMS site in Cleveland Bay (Graph Three) and the IMOS site at Davies Reef (Graph Four).

12 marinematters Tropical cyclones trigger plankton blooms in a low-nutrient coastal system in Western Australia

Studies assessing phytoplankton biomass and production trends along the individual storm strength, velocity, North West shelf of Australia have long focused on the importance of the orientation to coast and influences winter bloom as the primary driver for annual biological production, carbon from other regional scale marine export and nutrient cycling in this otherwise low-nutrient coastal system. and climate system processes. However, recent observations of turbidity) from the IMOS moorings Comparison of the mooring and satellite biological activity following ephemeral at Ningaloo, the and the data found that the satellite observations events such as tropical cyclones, Kimberley in conjunction with combined underestimated the near-surface wind-driven upwelling, and internal SeaWiFS and MODIS remote sensing ephemeral fluorescence peaks during waves, indicate the potential for observations, they were able to evaluate summer and late Autumn. Despite enhanced biological production mesoscale events and compare shelf this, seasonal satellite comparisons during the non-winter months. and continental slope dynamics at and mooring time series data indicate different areas along the coast. the importance of these rare summer Researchers, Dr Katherine Jones and blooms to annual production. Associate Professor Peter Strutton at the The study found that enhanced Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, production from cyclones and other Understanding the processes and University of Tasmania studied the short-term events contributed 40-70% climatic conditions that propagate effects of two cyclones that impacted the of annual production, with considerable these previously under-estimated Pilbara region: Tropical in spatial variability attributed to shelf weather events is essential for March 2012 and Rusty in February 2013. width, potential for vertical transport quantifying the biogeochemical mechanisms, and position relative to cycle in this complex system. Using biological and physical data historic cyclone paths. The enhancement streams (chlorophyll fluorescence, potential of cyclones depends on temperature, salinity, oxygen and

The impact of the cyclone was also clear in MODIS estimates of the chlorophyll-a concentration on 3 March. This image from IMOS OceanCurrent shows a 250 km-long plume extending seaward from the coast, south-west of the (clockwise-directed) winds.

Deploying an IMOS mooring in the Kimberley. Image: Australian Institute of Marine Science.

marinematters 13 IMOS AUV to provide a baseline description of the habitat in the Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve

The new project is part of the National Environmental Research Program (NERP) have had further ecosystem effects on Marine Biodiversity Hub, and will be managed by Dr Neville Barrett at the Institute of deeper reef sponge garden habitats. Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania. Any changes to the ecosystem will be detected by the proposed monitoring. The Tasman Fracture Commonwealth The project will compare rocky reef Marine Reserve (CMR) has one of the few assemblages within the no-take zone The project will run over a period of 20 no-take zones on the continental shelf to rocky reef assemblages in adjacent sea days. Firstly, a multibeam sonar within the South-east CMR network, and zones open to fishing. Rocky reef survey of shelf-habitats within the CMR therefore offers a unique opportunity to habitats in this region are subject to will be completed in August 2014. This will evaluate the effectiveness of this form of significant fishing pressure from the provide precise maps of seabed structure zoning in an area of active fishing. This Tasmanian rock lobster fishery, with and will be used to identify appropriate zone has been no-take for seven years subsequent potential alteration to lobster habitats for biological surveys. Secondly, post declaration. The project will take population structures, bycatch species a biological inventory of the reef habitat monitoring tools and statistical techniques abundances, and ecosystem effects. within and adjacent to the cross-shelf developed within the NERP Marine These reef systems are also subject to reefs of the Tasman Fracture CMR, Biodiversity hub for biological inventory line fisheries, with possible alteration utilising a range of non-destructive and monitoring within CMR’s and apply to abundances of key species such as sampling tools, including lobster pots, them within the Tasman Fracture CMR. striped trumpeter. Closure is predicted baited underwater video and the IMOS to have altered the abundances of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) several of these species, and potentially will be completed by April 2015.

14 marinematters The IMOS AUV produces high-resolution The project is part of the NERP Marine 3D images of the seabed from which Biodiversity Hub which is supported the cover and size of sponges and by the Australian Government through associated biota can be determined. the Department of Environment, In addition, benthic fish assemblages and includes significant in-kind will be sampled by baited underwater contributions from the Hub partners video (BUVS), and lobster numbers will involved, including CSIRO, University be measured by a potting program. of Tasmania (IMAS), IMOS (via the AUV facility) and Geoscience Australia. “This project will produce the first comprehensive description of the distribution of reef/sediment habitats and associated fauna within the shelf area of the Tasman Fracture CMR, providing an inventory and understanding of current assets and a baseline for future monitoring,” says Dr Barrett.

Images (below & right): Neville Barrett, IMAS

marinematters 15 IMOS has developed a ‘circle diagram’ to capture the complexity of engagement for IMOS as a broadly based research infrastructure program delivering to a national community, undertaking research of relevance across government portfolios (Federal and State), industries and communities.

The diagram has five layers: 1. IMOS at the core, 2. the nine operating institutions, 3. the broader research community, 4. various pathways for uptake and use of IMOS data and products, and 5. portfolios of relevance and impact.

Director Tim Moltmann [email protected] Project Manager Jo Neilson [email protected] Communications Manager Marian Wiltshire [email protected] Scientific Officer Ana Lara-Lopez For more information about [email protected] IMOS please visit the website www.imos.org.au Project Officer Emma Sommerville [email protected] General enquiries: Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), Personal Assistant Donna Harris University of Tasmania, Private Bag 110, Hobart, TAS, 7001 [email protected] • +61 (03) 6226 7549 T • +61 (03) 6226 2107 F

IMOS is a national collaborative research infrastructure, Thanks to Charitha Pattiaratchi, Stephanie Brodie, supported by Australian Government. It is led by Agi Gedeon, Anita Slotwinski and Scott Bainbridge. University of Tasmania in partnership with the Australian marine and climate science community.

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