S e a g r a s s - W a t c h -Watch Local eyes Global wise news Issue 31 December 2007 Seagrass-Watch has had another successful year, which concluded with many Local Heroes participants being awarded by their local The success of Seagrass-Watch depends greatly on the communities for their efforts. contributions of local citizens and scientists who freely give their It's not only been a good year for valuable time to assess the status of seagrass resources. From participants, seagrass also appears to have time to time, Seagrass-Watch participants are recognized for faired well. Across Queensland, many their efforts by their local communities. In 2007 many local groups are reporting to be more abundant in 2007 then in 2006, with one heroes from southern to northern Queensland have been exception. awarded for their contributions to the environment. Seagrass-Watch HQ has been busy in the In mid 2007, Seagrass-Watch (SWMB) was field with RWQPP monitoring and catching recognized as a finalist in the Community Award section for up with participants in the far north (Torres Healthy Waterways, and Simon Baltais (SWMB program Strait), west (Mornington Island), east manager) won a Healthy Waterways Champion Award. (Townsville, Whitsundays), and the south of In the Great Sandy Strait, Hanne Larsen and Robyn Bailey Queensland (Moreton Bay, Gold Coast). recently received Coastcare Local Hero medals and Gordon In this issue you'll find articles on recent and Pat Cottle were both presented with Certificates of training workshops and about establishing Appreciation as Coastal Heroes by the Burnett Mary Regional Seagrass-Watch in central Viet Nam. Read Group. These awards were in recognition of their outstanding about developments in Noosa and get an accomplishments and contributions to the region. Earlier this update from Moreton Bay. Hear from a year (issue 28) their group, the Great Sandy Strait Flora and couple of the schools as part of Seagrass- Flora Watch, won the Burnett Mary NRM Coastal Community Watch's education initiative and learn about Award for 2007. polychaete worms and researching the diets In the Whitsundays, Tony and Beverly Fontes of the Order of of turtles. Finally, a special mention of the Great Underwater Coral Heroes (OUCH) were awarded a Coastcare Sandy Strait local heroes who, with only 6 Local Hero medal for their outstanding contribution to members, have conducted 38 surveys repairing and protecting the Whitsunday's coast. (across 18 sites) in 2007. A champion effort! In Townsville, several volunteers and groups were awarded Have a happy New Year and safe holiday Coastcare Local Hero medals for their Seagrass-Watch efforts; season. building the capacity and involvement of the local community in coastal resource assessment. Award recipients included: Lux What’s inside: Foot and Sharon Taylor (Bushland Beach); Gayle Joyce and Article page Brett Murphy (Belgian Garden State School); U3A (Cockle Bay Broome...... 2 led by Don Kinsey); Magnetic Island State School; Steve Hervey Bay...... 2 McGuire; Dick Wickenden; and Townsville-Thuringowa Great Sandy Strait...... 3 Seagrass-Watch (coordinated by Sue Mulvany and Posa ...... 4 Skelton). Earlier in the year (issue 29), Posa Skelton was Moreton Bay...... 5 awarded the Townsville City Council's Sustainability and Noosa...... 5 Environmental Excellence Award for Individual Initiative for Whitsundays...... 6 Raising Awareness of Marine Conservation. Hamilton Island...... 7 In Cooktown, the Cape York Marine Advisory Group received Townsville...... 8,9 a Coastcare Local Hero medal for their efforts monitoring Torres Strait...... 10 seagrass at Archer Point and mapping the distribution of Wellesley Islands...... 11 seagrass meadows for 100km of eastern Cape York coastline. Mornington Island...... 11 All Seagrass-Watch participants put in a huge amount of time Viet Nam...... 12 and effort. The results they achieve are truly remarkable. Singapore...... 13 Through the efforts of our local heroes, we can track global Turtle diets...... 14 patterns in seagrass health, and assess human impacts which From the Schools...... 15 have the potential to destroy or degrade these coastal Polychaetes...... 16 ecosystems. Seagrass-Watch acknowledges the Traditional Owners on whose sea country we monitor ISSN 1441-4236 DISCLAIMER: while all efforts have been made to verify facts, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & For more information about the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre visit Fisheries takes no responsibility for the accuracy of information supplied in Seagrass-Watch News. The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Queensland Government. http://www.rrrc.org.au Australia

Broome, Western Australia Hervey Bay, Queensland Kirsten Pearce Trischelle Lowry reports reports We're back - For a long while we feared our sites here Participants in the in Hervey Bay would remain bare forever. Although Environs Kimberley our sites have been scarce of seagrass, our enthusiastic band of Seagrass Monitoring volunteers has continued to undertake their regular monitoring. Project, which began Throughout the year the Toogoom and Dundowran sites have in February of this continued to support small patches of seagrass, mainly year, have been presenting itself on the approaches to the transects and eluding excited to see the Bay our quadrats. Toogoom sites are dominated by a mix of thin transform from an leaved Zostera capricorni and Halodule uninervis. Abundances innocuous mudflat to have remained low and relatively stable, although late spring a stunning carpet of summer “peaks” occur from time to time. seagrass-green. Seagrass species Halophila ovalis and Halodule 10 Toogoom TG1 TG2 uninervis are plentiful and so also the innumerable marine 9 TG3 creatures which seek shelter and food among them. All 8 r

e 7 v participants have enjoyed identifying the dugong feeding trails o c 6 s s that criss-cross the meadows. a 5 r g

a 4 With preparations all in place e s

to introduce seed monitoring % 3 into the schedule and the 2 1 seagrass plentiful, a busy 0 9 9 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------

December monitoring round n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e J J J J J J J J J is anticipated. We are also D D D D D D D D D keeping a close eye on the Dundowran sites are predominately Halodule uninervis, with development of the blue isolated appearances of Halophila ovalis and Zostera capricorni green alga, Lyngbya. In the from time to time. Both DD1 and DD2 have changed relatively past when it has occurred in little over the last couple of years, but appear to have gradually large dense mats, it has declined since monitoring began in mid 1999. Seagrass smothered areas of seagrass, abundance at DD3 however appears to be slowly increasing over effectively reducing food and the past year, with 2007 abundances significantly higher than habitat available to many 2006. 5 Dundowran DD1 intertidal species. DD2 Miranda and Karen next to a mat of DD3 Lyngbya at the monitoring site Environs Kimberley were 4

thrilled to hear recently that r e v o

additional funding for the c 3 s s a project has been confirmed. r g

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This funding will help us to s % learn more about the ecology 1 of our local seagrass beds and to raise awareness in the 0 9 9 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c

local community (and u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e J J J J J J J J J beyond) about the value of D D D D D D D D D Seagrass meadows adjacent to the seagrass. Having recently In October, monitoring at Urangan saw the return of seagrass to loading jetty in Roebuck Bay started a new volunteer both UG1 & UG2 sites which have been barren since late 2005 drive, we are hoping that the (when percentages were the highest recorded since the New Year will attract many establishment of these sites in late fresh faces, in particular 1999). These sites went from school children. supporting Zostera capricorni of 30cm We have also been pleased in length to virtually no seagrass present to learn that Broome will no during all of 2006 and most of 2007. longer be the only Seagrass- Although still sparse, the seagrass Watchers in Western meadows seem to be re-establishing Dugong feeding trails in seagrass Australia. A second site is themselves, with Z. capricroni and meadows in front of Town Beach, being established by the Halophila ovalis now both present. Bardi Jawi Rangers at One We’ll keep our fingers crossed, and Arm Point on the Dampier Peninsular. Both groups are looking hope that our next round of monitoring forward to being able to work together and learn from each continues to show improvement across other's experiences. Kodee, Keelan & Kade Lowry the board. monitoring Urangan (UG1). www.seagrasswatch.org page 2 Queensland, Australia Great Sandy Strait

Windy wind-up to 2007 Tin Can Bay Gordon Cottle reports On Sunday, 28th Gordon and Pat A very frustrating final quarter for the year went to Tin Can Bay (TB1) in a 30 - with six attempts to get to Reef Islands and 35 knot gale, which held the water Brown's Gutter cancelled due to strong to gale force winds and on the site. Seagrass cover was very heavy squalls. Nevertheless, we were able to monitor locations sparse (maximum 5%), but the ever which could be easily accessed from shore. present algae (identified by HQ as Acetabularia sp.), was up to 25% Boonooroo cover. The seagrass cover at this site has remained low since the Following a week of cyclonic winds and 400mm of rain, Hanne, site was established in early 2002. Mapping surveys between Pat and Gordon monitored BN1 on 8th September. There was 1973 and 2002 have shown a significant decline in distribution very sparse seagrass cover and the site was covered in silt and and abundance of seagrass in Tin Can Inlet and around the algae. Seagrass at Boonooroo appears to have changed little township of Tin Can Bay, however the causes are unknown. over of the past 5 years, and remains significantly lower than 60 Tin Can Inlet PB1 abundances recorded in 2000 and 2001. PB2 60 Boonooroo BN1 50 TB1 BN2

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0 n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e 9 9 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 J J J J J J J J J D D D D D D D D D 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e J J J J J J J J J D D D D D D D D D Poona On 10th November, Robyn with new recruit Helen (doing the Tinnanbar scribing), monitored PN1. The overall percentage seagrass cover Our next successful monitoring weekend was in late October. was 3 -5% with the usual mix of Halodule uninervis and Hanne, Pat and I went to Tinnanbar (TN1) to be greeted by very Halophila ovalis present on every transect. New Halophila ovalis healthy Zostera capricorni and some Halophila ovalis with higher growth was very evident over the whole area. This site has shown cover (25 to 50%) on the seaward half of the site. The surprise a slow but gradual increase in seagrass abundance since was no dugong feeding trails and an absence of invertebrate monitoring began in mid 1999. Overall, seagrass abundances at activity. Overall, seagrass abundance at TN1 was higher in 2007 Poona were higher in 2007 than recorded in 2006. than the previous three years.

The following day Hanne and two newcomers, Marj and Helen, 25 Poona PN1 joined us at TN3. The seagrass cover was very similar to July, but PN2 20 PN3

epiphyte cover was much reduced. Could this be a consequence r e v o of the extensive freshwater runoff over the previous weeks? c 15 s s a

Unlike TN1, seagrass abundance at this site remained low in r g

a 10 e

2007, showing a gradual decline since 2003. s % The next day, Robyn and family monitored site TN2, with its mix 5 of Zostera capricorni, Halodule uninervis and Halophila ovalis. Seagrass cover was slightly higher than July, which was in-line 0 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------n n n n n n n n n with the expected seasonal pattern. Seagrass at this site is often c c c c c c c c c u u u u u u u u u e e e e e e e e e J J J J J J J J J slightly higher than TN3, but significantly lower than TN1. D D D D D D D D D Overall there appears to be little change since monitoring began in early 2002. Our last foray for the year will be on 8-9th December, when we are hoping for some calmer conditions to add to the 43 sites we have monitored since 1st October 2006. 60 Tinnanbar TN1 TN2 On other news, I gave a PowerPoint presentation “Seagrasses in 50 TN3 the Great Sandy Strait” to twenty Hinkler Venturer Scouts as part r e of their Environmental Project on the 10th September. It was a

v 40 o c very interesting and interested group. s s

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g On a personal note, on 7th November I suffered a fall and black a e s 20 out (or vice versa) and have no recollection of the events of the % day. I was hospitalised for two weeks and did not stand for ten 10 days. I am now walking with a rollator, exercising, etc. While my 0

9 9 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 physical activities may be limited, I shall continue with 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c n c

u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e u e organisation and administration of our group. J J J J J J J J J D D D D D D D D D www.seagrasswatch.org page 3 Australia South East Queensland

Seagrasses of SEQ It was then down to Currumbin Creek (a catchment approximately The South East Queensland region 30km in length) to locate a suitable extends from Noosa in the north to meadow for the Gold Coast Coolangatta in the south, and workshop. There have been no includes Moreton Bay and the documented records of seagrass in Broadwater. It is one of Queensland's Currumin Creek or from the Nerang most important natural, recreational, River upstream of the Broadwater, cultural and economic resources. The however narrow meadows of Bay features a diversity of foreshore Zostera capricorni and Halophila and offshore seascapes and ovalis were located fringing the creek landscapes. Some areas have banks. Voucher specimens were significant Aboriginal and European collected for the Seagrass-Watch cultural heritage values. Although Currumbin Creek herbarium approximately 1.5 million people live On Saturday, 24th, Seagrass-Watch HQ conducted a workshop in the Moreton region, the Bay at the Capalaba/Redlands Baseball Club. Particpants from fortunately remains mostly in its throughout SEQ attended, including Noosa Seagrass-Watch natural state - an internationally local coordinator Lee King and Tara Kingsbury. Carla Sbrocchi significant wetland providing habitats and Jane Smith from the Community Environment Network crucial for migratory shorebirds, (NSW) also flew in to attend. The afternoon field session moved turtles and dugong. to Wellington Point after a quick lunch at Indigiscapes Centre. Seven seagrass species occur in the Wellington Point is approx. 22 km east of Brisbane, and extends SEQ region (Halophila spinulosa, Halophila ovalis, Halophila prominently into Moreton Bay. The point and it's adjoining decipiens, Zostera muelleri subsp. capricorni (aka Zostera waters are used extensively for aquatic sports. Sediment at the capricorni), Halodule uninervis, Cymodocea serrulata and training site is comprised of Mud/Sand and has a lush cover of Syringodium isoetifolium). Zostera capricorni and Halophila Zostera capricorni, with patches of Halophila ovalis, and a ovalis are the most common. Seagrasses are found in extensive number of stray golf balls! meadows throughout the Noosa River system, Pumicestone Passage, Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast Broadwater. Seagrass is however absent from the shallow and turbid western areas between Luggage Point and the Caboolture River. The most extensive seagrass meadows are found in shallow areas of the Eastern Banks of Moreton Bay, northern Deception Bay and around Fisherman Island.

In late October, Len McKenzie and Rudi Yoshida (SW HQ) visited South East Queensland to catch up with local Seagrass- Watch groups and conduct workshops in Moreton Bay and the Zostera capricorni, Victoria Point Halophila ovalis, Wellington Point Gold Coast. Participants from the three regions in SEQ (including Noosa, Moreton Bay and Gold Coast) learnt seagrass biology, Gecko House was the venue for the ecology, identification, and Seagrass-Watch monitoring. morning session of the Seagrass-Watch On Thursday 22nd, Len and Rudi met up with Keira Price Gold Coast Workshop on Sunday 25th. (Seagrass-Watch Moreton Bay local co-coordinator) to monitor a Gecko House is on the banks of site at Victoria Point (VP3). The site was dominated by Zostera Currumbin Creek and houses office/ capricorni and Halophila ovalis, with very high epiphte cover. library/ workspace with a meeting hall The following day was spent at Currumbin meeting Sheila Davis upstairs for the Gold Coast and (Seagrass-Watch Gold Coast Local coordinator) and her team at Hinterland Environment Council Assn. Gecko House and also catching up with Paul Finn (Seagrass- Inc (Gecko). Watch Moreton Bay Local co-coordinator). The field session moved to Currumbin creek, where 3 transects were run parallel to the shore, a little different to the standard Seagrass-Watch monitoring methods due to the size of the meadow and depth of the creek. It was an interesting session, with participants trying to negotiate the mud along the banks and stirrred up sediment from the wakes of speed boats travelling up and down the creek. Seagrass-Watch HQ would like to thank Simon Baltis, Paul Finn and Keira Price (Seagrass-Watch Moreton Bay), Sheila Davis, George Lewis and Linda Ray (Seagrass-Watch Gold Coast) for their support and effort in making both workshops a success. And Keira Price and Len McKenzie monitor Victoria Point to all participants - thank you for attending. www.seagrasswatch.org page 4 Australia South East Queensland

Moreton Bay update Noosa River Seagrass-Watch (NRSGW) Keira Price reports Lee King reports We have had a successful year at Winter monitoring for 2007 saw the coldest tmperaures on Seagrass-Watch Moreton Bay. In record for the Sunshine Coast. This had more of an impact on February Keira Price attended the volunteer participation than on seagrass site characteristics. The Gold Coast Coastcare Forum and reduced, though, enthusiastic team learnt appropriate GPS and received a lot of interested from compass bearing techniques for accurate re-location of existing people wanting to be involved in the monitoring sites. Seagrass-Watch program we are The lowest temperature is not representative of the entire season starting in the Broadwater. The Gold Coast program is now which was relatively warm. This accompanied with below underway with a number of training days having been held average rainfall pattern (low turbidity) resulted in seagrass throughout the year. abundance in 2007 up to 4 times In April we were once again nominated for a Healthy Waterways higher than the same period in Award in the Research Category, a wonderful tribute to all 2006. involved in the program to be recognised by the nomination. The last 6 months has seen the Seagrass-Watch Moreton Bay was local coordinator NRSGW also recognised when Paul Finn gave 'changing of the guard' from a talk at the 45th Annual Australian Kristopher Boody to Lee King, Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) although Kris still helps us out Seagrass distribution Lake Donnella - Conference in Melbourne in July and when he can. The addition of winter 2007 with a poster presentation at the new members has introduced Inaugural Queensland Coastal mapping and spatial analysis Conference in Bundaberg in capabilities to NRSGW. September. The discovery of the 'Upside- Last month we were very fortunate Down Jellyfish' Cassiopea to have Len McKenzie and Rudi andromeda in the Noosa river Yoshida down in Brisbane from system was an exciting event for Seagrass-Watch HQ to run a couple of NRSGW this round, as no training workshops. One was held in previous record of its presence Brisbane and a second was held on exist. Other associated faunal Cassiopea andromeda at site WY6 the Gold Coast. Both days went species were also in high - winter 2007 very well with everyone enjoying abundance for the season. themselves and learning a great Overall the Noosa River seagrass meadows looked very healthy deal from Len and Rudi's shared at the time of monitoring, however, a knowledge. large rain event (1/100yr flood) has All of this along with our regular impacted the Noosa River system just training days, for new volunteers, after monitoring , so all team and “Day on the Bay” boat trips, as members are eager to get out there a thank you and advanced species and start the next round to see what identification training for long term impacts may have occurred in the volunteers, have added to a great Conus spp. egg sac at WY6 latter part of 2007. - winter 2007 year for Seagrass-Watch Moreton Bay with more to come in 2008! Upside down jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda. The new year will see a few small Cassiopea andromeda is commonly found in shallow mangrove swamps, mudflats, and seagrass meadows. This jellyfish lies mouth upward on the bottom, changes to some of our monitoring in calm shallow water, gently pulsating its bell to create water flow over it's arms. techniques as advised by Len and Individuals may be varying shades of white, blue, green and brown. The Rudi after their visit. We will provide outstretched arms are also brownish with extended frilly tentacles. Adults can information on these changes in the grow to 30 cm in diameter. They are often mistaken as sea anemones. seagrass kits as well as running Cassiopea feed on drifting zooplankton, but individuals also harbor some training workshops and zooxanthellae in the tissues on the ventral surface of the jellyfish. The jellyfish sits on the bottom upside-down to provide sunlight to the symbiotic algae. Cassiopea accompanying individual teams also has stinging cells or nematocysts, which is used for protection and capturing into the field. food. A sting from Cassiopea may result in skin welts, skin rash, itching, vomiting and skeletal pains depending on the individuals sensitivity to the toxin of the nematocysts. Cassiopea's life cycle includes an asexually reproducing polyp stage, alternating with a sexually reproducing medusoid stage. Cassiopea is found throughout the Indo-Pacific. However, in the Hawaiian Islands, Cassiopea is considered a marine pest; thought to have been introduced from the Philippines by ships as hull-fouling polyps or pelagic stage in ballast water, to Pearl Harbor between 1941-1945. Source: Hawaii Biological Survey 2001 www.seagrasswatch.org page 5 Queensland, Australia Whitsundays

Whitsunday Roundup 2007 Whitsundays Watch Len McKenzie and Rudi Kim Hodgon (QPWS) reports. Yoshida (SW HQ) visited the Pioneer Bay was surveyed on 25th and 26th October Whitsunday region in October 2007. Three sites were monitored (Pigeon Island 2, 3 to conduct monitoring and set and 4), in a joint effort between Seagrass-Watch HQ, QPWS and up two new Seagrass-Watch our ever-keen Seagrass-Watch Volunteers. sites as part of the Reef Plan On Thursday, Len and Rudi MMP (RWQPP) with funding (Seagrass-Watch HQ), Dave, from the Great Barrier Reef Kim and Lauren (QPWS) and Marine Park Authority. The Volunteer Heather Marshall team visited Hamilton Is (see arrived at the beach at 1.30pm, over), Pioneer Bay (Airlie Beach) and Hydeaway Bay. all keen, however the tide really With help from QPWS (Kim Hodgon, Dave Harper and Lauren dragged its toes to go out! It did Buckley) and volunteers (Heather Marshall, Kerry Harrison, Dell eventually and we hooked in Williams and John Williams), the Pioneer Bay sites, PI2, PI3 trying to re-educate ourselves (RWQPP sites) and PI4 were monitored. The meadows also and our new watcher Heather to appear to be changing from Halodule uninervis dominated to get the plots done. We beat the Zostera capricorni dominated. tide and completed out tasks 70 Pioneer Bay (PI2) with time to spare. Mean while Halodule uninervis 60 Halophila ovalis Zostera capricorni our seagrass guru's Len and 50 Rudi were undertaking RWQPP

r 40 e v sampling, checking of o 30 c

% 20 coordinates and seed sampling. 10 Friday was another beautiful 0 afternoon in the Whitsundays 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 9 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------and we were lucky to be joined r r r r r r r r n n n n n n n n p c p c p c p c p c p c p c p c p c a a a a a a a a u u u u u u u u e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e J J J J J J J J M M M M M M M M S D S D S D S D S D S D S D S D S D by seagrassers John and Del The final location to be Williams (who came up from monitored in the Mackay), Kerry Harrison and Whitsundays was Hydeaway again Heather Marshall (who is Bay. The sites are typical reef now becoming a regular!). Time seagrass habitats, dominated was on our side and we by Thalassia hemprichii with completed monitoring at both Pigeon Island 3 and 4. Halodule uninervis and PI3 revealed that the site has been heavily grazed by dugong Halophila ovalis. Hermit recently with extensive feeding trials observed, which was very crabs, stromb shells and exciting and educational to show our first and second timers. holothurians were abundant. The filamentous algae cover observed at Pioneer Bay had The SW Team were also reduced significantly; our mud, glorious mud, however was still mistaken for “Shell stealers” present and made monitoring fun. by locals! As the new Seagrass-Watch Whitsunday local coordinator and The seagrass abundance at with big boots to fill with the departure of Margaret Parr, I'm these sites appears relatively pleased to say that the community Seagrass-Watch Volunteers stable since monitoring are still supporting the cause and making my job easy and began in April 2000. enjoyable. Thank you all for your time, effort and great company. Although there have been fluctuations in abundance within See you again soon! years, there appear in line with seasonal patterns (higher in spring -summer, lower in winter). Seagrass species have also remained constant.

30 Hydeaway Bay HB1 70 Pioneer Bay PI1 PI2 HB2 60 PI3 25 PI4 r r 50 e e v v 20 o o c c 40 s s s s a a 15 r r g g 30 a a e e s s 10 % % 20

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www.seagrasswatch.org page 6 Queensland, Australia Whitsundays

Hamilton Island The seagrasses in Catseye Bay are an important component of Hamilton In mid 2007, Seagrass-Watch Island's marine ecosystem, providing monitoring sites were established shelter for fish and prawns and food for on Hamilton Is as part of the Great green sea turtles. In recent years there Barrier Reef Water Quality has been some concern about the co- Protection Plan Marine existence of tourism and the Monitoring Program. environment, and the resort is doing it's Hamilton Island is the largest best to ensure impacts are minimised. inhabited island of the For example, a couple of years ago an Whitsunday Islands, a collection island resident expressed some of wet drowned mountains concerns about jet-skis operating on situated close to the east coast of the fringing reef close to where he had Queensland, Australia. The noticed turtles foraging daily. He Monitoring HM1in front of resort Whitsundays was named by witnessed one turtle get hit by a jet ski Captain James Cook, who and several near misses. Although jet-ski's and high speed travelled through the area on Sunday 4 June 1770, which motorised water sports are permitted in the Whitsunday Plan of happened to be Whit Sunday (the seventh Sunday after Easter. Management, the resort operators marked an area of the fringing The Whitsundays is a network of 74 islands of which 7 have resort with buoys to exclude jet-ski’s and water sport activities from facilities. Beyond the resorts the whole area is part of the Great where turtles forage most Barrier Reef Marine Park and frequently. the uninhabited islands are all The first detailed assessment of controlled by National Parks the Hamilton Island seagrass and Wildlife. monitoring sites (HM1 and The most developed island is HM2) was conducted in late Hamilton Island, a major October. Both sites are intertidal local and international tourist and located at either ends of destination. Hamilton Island Catseye Bay. HM1 is dominated is a world-class resort and Hamilton Is Marina Hamilton Is site HM2, with Zostera by Halodule uninervis, with includes luxurious capricorni patch (foreground) some Halophila ovalis, and accommodation, fine cuisine, and a village of boutique shops, located in front of the main resort eight swimming pools and nine restaurants. At any one time the within an area where motorised Island hosts 2,000 people and approximately 200 boats in its vessels are prohibited. This site is marina. The island centrepiece is the Reef View Hotel which is 19 also the main feeding area storey high and boasts the highest external lift in Australia. frequented by green sea turtles. Hamilton is also the only island to have an airport capable of HM2 on the other hand is in the handling wide bodied jet aircraft. far east of the Bay and Apart from the resort and village, much of the 750 hectares is still dominated by Zostera capricorni untouched. The island is also surrounded by fringing coral reefs, Site HM1, directly in front of the resort with Halodule uninervis and the largest in Catseye Bay in front of the main resort. Halophila ovalis. This site has relatively no impacts from boating Nine seagrass species can be found in Catseye Bay: Halodule or resort activities. uninervis and Halophila ovalis are scattered over the sandy To educate Island visitors and guests on the intertidal areas; patches of Zostera importance of seagrass and the Seagrass- capricorni occur in the intertidal Watch monitoring program, a brochure has areas at the eastern end of the bay; been produced and is available from the resort Thalassia hemprichii, Cymodocea beach hire (see also www.seagrasswatch.org). It serrulata and Cymodocea is hoped these sites will provide a critical rotundata are mixed in amongst component of the assessment of any long-term the coral on the reef flat; improvement in water quality that will occur as Syringodium isoetifolium is best land management practices are widely Cymodocea rotundata (above) and present on the outer edge of the adopted across the Great Barrier Reef Thalassodendron ciliatum (below) found in reef flat in the shallow subtidal the eastern corner of the bay catchments and regions. waters; Halophila spinulosa occurs just over the edge of the reef crest in deeper waters (>3m); HM2 and on the shoreward edge of the coral area are small patches of rare HM1 Thalassodendron ciliatum (the southern most occurrence of this species in the Pacific).

www.seagrasswatch.org page 7 New Y and happyfestive season.Thankyouandwith bestwishesforthe wish allourvolunteers, supporters andtheirfamiliesasafe Watch websiteshortly forward toyourcontinuedsupport in2008. individuals andorganisations. Wethankyouallandwelook This wasonlymadepossible bythecontributionofmany Anderson Parkon23September community events,includingtheEnvironmentalExpoat Volunteers AustraliacontinuetopromoteSeagrass-W Quality MarineMonitoringProgramme. (SW HQ)duringtheReefWater surveyed bytheDPI&Fteam Bay, whichfortunatelywas were notsurveyed,exceptPicnic programmes, ourschoolsites region. success ofSeagrass-Watchinour contribution totheoverall their continuedhardworkand sea-breeze. DonKinseyandhisteamaresincerelythankedfor afternoon ontheislandthanbeachsurroundedbyacool October 7th.WhatbetterwaystospendabeautifulSunday carried outtheirsurveyofCockleBayonMagneticIsland and waterqualityteam,whoweresamplingnearby. by ourcommunityvolunteers,andwasalsoassistedthereef and runningthesurveyofthissite.Thewaswellattended Bushland Beach(BB1).AblyledbyLuxFootandhisteamfrom have madethisyear. for 2007,andreminisceontheachievementsprogresswe OurfriendsandcolleaguesattheUniversityofThirdAge www.seagrasswatch.org Thesamplingdatesfor2008 willbepostedonourSeagrass- Wesuccessfullycompletedourfinalsurveyfortheyearof Duetoschoolactivitiesand Ontheawarenessside,ourpartnersfromConservation ear. to reflectonthelastquarterofSeagrass-Watchsurveys Astheholidayseasonisuponourdoorstep,wepause Townsville-Thuringowa Roundup , sopleasecheckout.Finally, Iwouldliketo Posa Skeltonreports Watch activitiesinthetwin-cities. amazing yearforSeagrass- issue. celebrations onpage1ofthis Watch duringtheCoastCare on theawardsgiventoSeagrass- December). Y CoastCare Week(3-9 Day (5December)and an outstandingjobinorganising coordinator SueMulvany,did

Watch surveyinT joined usforherfirstSeagrass- JCU studentfromMalaysia, Watch. MissEePhinW friendly facesofSeagrass- great tocatchupwiththe Northern BeachesRotary,itwas Theyear2007hasbeenan AtShelleyBeach(SB1)our , theInternationalVolunteers T T o o w w ou canreadmore n n ownsville. s s v v atch at il il ong, a l l e e notable. occurrence ofclumpsfoliosereds.Nootheralgalspecies were date. Greenspongeswereconspicuousandthere limited whole transectarea.Thisisthemost turf algae. predominantly diatomaceousmudwithsomesmallfilamentous on theseagrasses,whichwashighinallthreetransects, sparser seagrasscoverexhibitedmorealgal with folioseredsmakinguptherest.Asusual,transect3its transects 1and2washigherthaninJuly.Most 2006. Wefoundno was onceagainverylow-onlyonehalfseedfoundoverall. 3. occurrence of in July2007andOctober2006.Therewassomelimited 2006. Coverby with generallysimilarlevelsofcovertoJuly2007andOctober evidence itwouldinterferewithvalidrecordingbythelogger. While itiswithin2mofthetemperatureloggerthereseemsno similar excavationshavenowbeenpresentsinceatleastApril. July ofdisturbancebylargeanimals.Theexcavationwitha ovalis very fineformof one patchof occasion, withstunted There wasverylimitedseagrasscoveronthishighground mangroves, hadreturnedtoitsmoreusualmoundedprofile. higher ground,fromtheinnerendsoftransectsto rain episodeon1-2October2007withatotalof20mm.The ranges andgenerallyverycalmsunnyconditions.Therewasone monitoring werebenignwithverynormaltemperature

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Bushland Beach Shelly Beach Lux Foot reports Sue Mulvany reports Saturday 6th October was a pleasant day for A great turnout for our monitoring of Shelly Beach SB1 monitoring seagrass at Bushland Beach (our last for on Saturday 6th October. Thanks everyone. 2007). Posa bought along a lady from JCU to help and we were Our site however seems to be very pleased to have Joanne and Percy Shilling from Darwin join disappearing before our very eyes, us on the day. Joanne is the District with only a third of quadrats with any Governor for our Rotary District this year. seagrass at all. It also would have Our district 9550 takes up 20% of Australia been easier if the tide had seen fit to and beyond, from Proserpine in the south drop a little more, but with patience to Thursday island in the north, out west the recording was well done. from Townsville to Tennents Creek, then Again, great to see new and old Joanne Shilling (left) and Sharon Taylor (right) North to Darwin and on to East Timor. seagrass watchers with the energy and will to get stuck into They both enjoyed the experience with us. something for the environment. Again, we toyed with the idea of We found that the meadow was a lot greener now that the constructing some mud shoes, but only encountered one small weather was warmer with seagrass stretching each side of the mud section en route to the site. transects for some distance. This is probably not surprising as we Watchers were: Sarah and Mat normally expect seagrass to flourish this time of year as part of Salmon, Karin Flynn, Scott Fry, their seasonal growth cycle. Dugong feeding trails were found Linda Berger, Samantha Gibbs, inshore of the site, as we were Heather Winstanley, Amanda coming back to the beach. Young, Mike Whiting, Jade and Halodule uninervis seeds were Chris Taylor, also with help from plentiful, with some 645 Becky, Ioni, and Naomi from counted and also some Seagrass-Watch HQ. Halophila ovalis fruits, which Our next monitoring will be in January and might even be a we had not seen before. The night time monitoring - an interesting experience in a different set day ended with a BBQ in the of conditions. Hopefully, we can coincide the survey with the light park. of a full moon and really enjoy the evening! Bushland Beach Crew complete monitoring for another year Seagrass abundance and extent at SB1 has declined significantly 70 Bushland Beach (BB1) since 2005. This appears primarily the result of physical 60 Halodule uninervis Halophila ovalis disturbance at the site from wave action. The seaward margin of 50 the meadow is severely eroded and seagrass rhizomes are 40 r e exposed. Large blowouts (erosional features where the seagrass v o 30 c mat is disrupted) are now a feature of the site, and sand % 20 movement may be impeding recovery. Fortunately, a significant 10 seed bank remains and seagrass cover in 2007 was higher than 0 recorded in 2001 when monitoring began. 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 3 4 5 6 7 Seagrass abundance at SB2 also appears to have shown a slight 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------l - l - l - l - l - l t t t t t t n r n r n r n r n r n u u u u u u c c c c c c a p a p a p a p a p a J J J J J J O J O J O J O J O J O J A A A A A decline since 2004-2005, however seagrass abundance in 2007 has been higher than 2006. The Bushland Beach meadow has gradually increased in abundance over the years since monitoring began in late 2002.

Seagrass abundance was also higher in 2007 than 2006. 70 SB1 Halophila spinulosa Halodule uninervis Similarly seed abundance was significantly higher in 2007 than 60 Halophila ovalis Zostera capricorni 2006, and higher than adjacent Shelly Beach. Good signs of a 50 40 healthy and resilient seagrass meadow. r e v

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Regional Roundup Tuesday, Melbourne Jane Mellors reports Cup day, and monitoring This quarter's monitoring was kicked off at Front continued on Hammond Beach (TI2) starting at 5:30am. The tide was already on its way in Island. By the time we so monitoring started at the 50m mark. This proved a littlie arrived on site Francis confusing for some people but most and Alice had already set observers managed to fill in their up the transects, so with data sheets correctly. Kanteesha no delay we were straight and Jake are well and truly initiated into it. We quickly did in Seagrass-Watch techniques and some on the spot training Hammond Island monitors have become regular monitors now with the new rangers Joy, at all our sites. Lachlan Sutherland Daniel and Nancy. This really is quite a lush meadow that supports lots of animals, some not so edible and some that Lachlan and Anto, Front Beach, TI2 (Facilitator - Dugong and Marine Turtle Project, Land and Sea certainly make good kai kai. Management Unit, Torres Strait Regional Authority) supporting a Finally the last site to be monitored was Wongai Beach (HI1). Mo for Movember also joined us for a spot of early morning For those of us who had been monitoring for three days already it seagrass watching. As it happened November 4th was also the was a welcome sight for our weary bodies to see the rangers ready day of the annual Horn Island to Thursday Island Raft Regatta, so and rearing to go down on the beach at 5:45am. Pearson brought there were other things to watch besides seagrass. Either we are John down to check out Seagrass-Watch, which was lucky as it looking closer or flowering is was John's sharp eyes that more prevalent (we would eventually helped us find our like to think the latter) but temp logger amongst the there was quite a lot of Halodule uninervis flowers present. The next day saw us monitoring Back Beach (TI1). The regular crew of teachers and students allows Jake and Sue monitor TI2, with raft rigging in the Horn Island Team this site to be monitored background pretty speedily these days, mangrove roots. particularly as we had the experienced Becky Bowie returning to Well that's that for 2007, and her old stomping grounds. You may remember from previous with that we may be farewelling editions that Becky Bowie was a Thursday Island High school Kinam Salee who has been a student who regularly monitored regular with Seagrass-Watch since Back Beach (2005-2006). 2005. Not only has Kinam monitored seagrass meadows in the Torres Strait but also in the Whitsunday and Mackay regions. She has topped off her senior year in high school by being presented Kinam, Dux for 2007 with numerous subject awards, Senior Girl Swimming Champion, Caltex all rounder student award, and Senior Dux of the School while working and participating in Seagrass-Watch!!! Congratulations Kinam great effort and good luck with your Rebecca (Becky) Bowie seed searching, Horn Island future.

After Becky left school she still managed to find time to assist us with the monitoring at the start of this year. Becky is currently working with DPI&F in Townsville. When the school heard this, she was invited to return to TI to relay Joy, Francis and Becky at Corner her post school experiences to the Beach, Hammond Island current Marine Studies students. Another year of monitoring completed on Thursday Is. www.seagrasswatch.org page 10 Queensland, Australia Gulf of Carpentaria

Wellesley Islands Mornington Island Workshop The Wellesley Islands are a Jane Mellors reports group of 25 islands off the coast In late October, Seagrass- of north Queensland, in the Gulf Watch HQ conducted a of Carpentaria. Mornington training workshop with the Island is the largest of the Wellesley Island Rangers on Mornington Is. Wellesley Islands and is Mornington Island. inhabited by approximately With Seagrass-Watch HQ Bentinick Is. 1200 people. The region is the assistant Anto Wilson, we traditional Sea Country of four different began our workshop despite indigenous peoples who all share a similar the torrential downpour on relationship with their Sea Country. The the first day. First up was the Workshop participants missing Wayne majority of the islanders are from the Lardil people and are the formal presentations, which Traditional Owners of the land and surrounding seas. Yangkal at times to be heard over the rain on the tin roof was challenging. tribal lands consist of the islands south of Mornington Island to the The rangers particularly enjoyed the opportunity to learn more Mainland. The Kaiadilt tribal group are the Traditional Owners of about seagrass identification and Bentinck and Sweers Islands. The coastal mainland region from the mock transect exercise we held Massacre Inlet to the Leichhardt River is Gangalidda people Sea inside. At the end of day one we Country. agreed to reconvene the next In 2006, the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of morning to see if the road to our the Wellesley Islands region of the southern Gulf proposed Seagrass-Watch site at of Carpentaria prepared the Thuwathu / Ganthawu was passable. This Bujimulla Sea Country Plan to explain their location was identified as suitable cultural relationships and obligations to Sea from the results of the mapping, a Country, and to outline their ideas and couple of months prior. commitments for its sustainable use and Luckily for us the rain had abated management. and we set off in the troopie to get Thuwathu is the Lardil, Yangkaal and Kaiadilt language name to the site, roughly an hour's drive. for the Rainbow Serpent that lives in the sea and holds the law of After a little searching and Kevin and Wayne the Sea Country. Bujimulla is the Gangalidda language name for directing from Wayne we agreed the Rainbow Serpent. The name Thuwathu / Bujimulla Sea on a representative area of the seagrass meadow between Country Plan is used to convey the importance of the Rainbow Mornington Island and Sydney Island and WI1 was established. Serpent in linking together the four saltwater language groups This meadow is and in the management of the Sea Country. predominantly Halodule The Sea Country plan highlighted a number of issues of concern uninervis with some to the people, particularly alarm over unhealthy dugong and Halophila ovalis. The turtle reported from hunters. The Traditional Owners believed sediment varied from that one possible cause of this may have been as a result of mud/sand to sand/mud seagrass dieback causing a shortage of food to the animals. The which translates into a bit Sea Country Plan identified that research was required to answer of a slog at times. The heat the uncertainties and to help with developing zoning plans for the and humidity at times was management of their Sea Country. almost unbearable (what's that about mad dogs and The Traditional Owners, through the North Australia Indigenous Alfred, Gerald and Anto Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) and the Englishmen in the midday Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (CLCAC), sun well add Seagrass-Watchers to that as well!!). Despite these approached DPI&F and Seagrass-Watch HQ requesting support challenges Wayne, Alfred, Gerald and Kevin all took to and assistance for mapping and monitoring the seagrass habitats monitoring like ducks to water, we even sampled for seeds though that surround the Wellesly Islands. enthusiasm was waning after an hour and half of being in the sun The first activity was to map the seagrass of the Wellesly Island (it really was hot). We all agreed that it was great to be out on group, which was country and doing carried out in August something for the marine 2007 by DPI&F (issue environment. Many 30). The second activity thanks to the traditional was to conduct a owners for allowing us Seagrass-Watch training access to this sea country workshop and establish and for the Carpentaria a suitable monitoring Land Council for site on Mornington supporting this initiative. Island.

www.seagrasswatch.org page 11 Viet Nam

Viet Nam borders the Establishing Seagrass-Watch in People's Republic of China to the north, Laos to the central Viet Nam. northwest and Cambodia to Gail Begbie (Binh Dinh Fisheries Dept.) reports the southwest. To the The creation of a marine country's east lies the South rehabilitation site known as China Sea. With a the Con Chim Marine population of approximately Sanctuary (CCMS) is an 84 million, Viet Nam is one ambitious program being run of the most densely by the Binh Dinh Fisheries populated nations in Department. This project Southeast Asia. which covers 480ha in the Viet Nam is approximately 5060ha of Thi Nai, is 331,688 square km designed around the (128,066 sq miles) in area. Zostera japonica participation of three coastal The perimeter of the country communes that rely almost entirely on the marine resources of along its international Thi Nai for their livelihoods. Thus the CCMS aims to not boundaries is 4,639 km only protect mangroves and seagrass but also to train local (2,883 miles). coastal communities in sustainable aquaculture techniques. There are 11 species of Joining Seagrass-Watch has allowed our project to gather data seagrass (Cymodocea on our 5 seagrass species and condition of the seagrass serrulata, Enhalus acoroides, Halodule pinifolia, Halodule meadows, a core protection zone. Conducting transect uninervis, Halophila beccarii, Halophila minor, Halophila ovalis, monitoring has been a learning process, for the management Syringodium isoetifolium, Thalassia hemprichii, personnel as well as the onsite team, attracting much curiosity Thalassodendron ciliatum and Zostera japonica) in Viet Nam and to the amusement of local shellfish collectors. We are now in distributed along the the midst of only our second coastline, mostly in the sampling, which has been central and southern complicated by the monsoon provinces. Their status is season. Within the three unknown, though in general selected monitoring sites, we the Viet Nam coastal zone are finding Zostera japonica has been heavily impacted and Halophila ovalis, with by sedimentation and the other three species mainly domestic and agricultural occurring in the isolated pollution. Viet Nam has at pockets often found in least 440 sq km of seagrass, Minicoy and the 4 sampling stations disused shrimp ponds. The as determined from remote monitoring program is in it's sensing and ground-truth early stage here at the Con surveys. Chim Marine Sanctuary, but Viet Nam is at the overlap of the highly social days during temperate and tropical which we work our transect seagrass species with Zostera Halophila becarii meadow The Con Tau site lines are already a favourite japonica growing intertidally calendar event for our team. in the north and mixing with Halophila ovalis, while in the south Gail Begbie (Marine Conservation Advisor) is a volunteer through the New Zealand the species composition is similar to the Philippines and Malaysia. Volunteers Services Abroad.

Local fishers The monitoring team (Gail Begbie 3rd from left) www.seagrasswatch.org page 12 Singapore

TeamSeagrass Roundup shores. After the sharing session, we Siti Maryam Yaakub reports headed outside for more Hello fellow merrymaking in the form of a seagrassers of the barbeque and drinks. world! We at TeamSeagrass We also turned one in September, would like to announce that which was the month a year ago in we're done with monitoring. 2006 when Ria and myself decided We've had enough! No more, it'd be a good idea to start seagrass nada, zilch we've packed monitoring in Singapore. Our friends away our quadrats, made us this birthday card! measuring tapes, tent pegs and compasses. If you were Rained on at Chek Jawa hoping to catch us in action, donning the ever-fashionable The last seagrass monitoring standard sheets and clipboard ensemble, tough luck because it's session at Chek Jawa was not going to happen anymore… At least not till next year! Gotcha memorable because we got rained good didn't we? on. It was the only monitoring trip It was a fantastic year for TeamSeagrass. We've come pretty far the entire year when it actually this year and it has been a rollercoaster ride (albeit a wet and rained cats and dogs, which is pretty muddy one) of being up at ungodly hours, getting wet to the amazing given that afternoon waist, amphibious landings and burnt barbeque chicken wings! showers are the norm here. We We've borne witness to inspiring sunrises on a patch reef in the thought we would have to cancel the middle of nowhere and picturesque sunsets on Singapore's trip because there was thunder and landfill island. As a roundup, let us take you on some of the lightning, but fortunately, that went memorable events that took place this year: away, leaving us with just the rain and strong winds to deal with. Of course, that was no hindrance First amphibious landing at Cyrene Reef to the tenacious members of TeamSeagrass! Amid a backdrop of petrochemical refineries and other such industrial installations, we made TeamSeagrass at Clean and Green Singapore Jamboree our first daring attempt at an This was our first ever exhibition amphibious landing on Cyrene and boy did we slog for it! The Reef. The Cyrene Reefs are a bunch Jamboree was a great opportunity to of patch reefs located along a busy raise public awareness of seagrass shipping thoroughfare. We've habitats and display the work learnt through the grapevine that TeamSeagrass has been doing. It there are seagrasses on the main was very successful and the Prime patch reef and naturally, couldn't Minister himself dropped by to say hello! Thanks to Nor Aishah, wait to set foot on it. Sijie, Gaytri, Kok Sheng, Dickson, Andy and Ron for helping out Getting onto and off the patch reef at the booth! was an adventure because the reef is only exposed at very low tides. Last Monitoring Session at Pulau Semakau When the tide receded to expose a We arrived at Pulau Semakau for our last monitoring session for huge bed of seagrass, we were the year and it felt as if nature smitten and the rest is history. decided to reward us with blue skies and a picturesque sunset as a last TeamSeagrass team get-together hurrah. September is literally a dry month for us because the tides aren't So that's the round up! We'd like to low enough for a trip so we held a team get-together and newbie thank everyone who has helped us in training on 22nd September 2007 one way or another and especially to instead. The event was one of the Len and Rudi at Seagrass-Watch HQ for being so awesome. We'll few occasions where team be back next year, but till then, Happy Holidays and a Seagrassy members saw each other scrubbed New Year to all! up, dry and on dry land! Aside from a few “Oh my goodness I didn't recognize you without all the mud” moments, we had a fantastic time catching up. We had a couple of newbies sign up and the more experienced members of the team shared their personal experiences and what they love about the www.seagrasswatch.org page 13 Turtle Research

Sorting turtle mush Back in the laboratory, Posa Skelton samples were analysed With plastic vials held aloft, bubbles of trapped air rise to the to identify the type of surface, as Vetea Liao and Helene Legrand our JCU French algae and other species student volunteers began an endurance battle sorting the turtle present and how mush for any semblance of a living structure. What they were important they were in delving into were over 100 samples collected by Ian Bell, a PhD the E. imbricata diet. candidate researching the diet of Hawksbill turtles on the Great Unfortunately Barrier Reef. The short item below was prepared by Vetea and identifying algae species Helene at the conclusion of their work. when the digestion process has already The importance of marine plants in coastal water started is not a simple or a bed-of rose's task. ecosystems Toughness, shape of Vetea Liao and Helene Legrand (James Cook University tips, arrangement of masters candidates) report Seagrasses and algae may cells and many more not win the prettiness contest clues were used in order of marine inhabitants but to identify algae at the species level when their function is unsurpassed. Collecting food from the crop and stomach of Hawksbill These plants play an possible. Out of 102 turtles on Green Island important role in many samples, at least 33 ecosystems as they are the different algae species were identified with 22 species belonging base of trophic relationship to the red algae family. Stomach samples also contained sponges, and support a great variety of seagrass, ascidians, anemone, soft corals, copepods and other herbivores from crustaceans small crustaceans. Helene and Vetea discussing the identity of a While determining mush specimen from over 100 vials of samples to fishes and megafauna. Seagrass meadows in Hawksbill's diet may not particular are indispensable seem exciting to everybody, it for ensuring the survival of dugongs, sea turtles and other is critical to have these critically endangered animals. Indeed marine plants constitute baseline data to be able to the base of their diet as dugongs and green turtles feed primarily predict what will happen to on seagrass. Therefore the these animals if marine plant degradation of coastal species are impacted by waters by untreated sewage, ocean acidification and other terrestrial runoff and climate change effects. pollutants will negatively It is also crucial to learn more about our critically impact these feeding Ian Bell (left) with French film crew and team grounds, contributing to the on Green Is. endangered species to be able decline of turtle and dugong to efficiently protect their populations, which are habitat and foraging areas to prevent regional extinctions. Just as already critically important, people have to be aware of the significance seagrass endangered. meadows and algae are for the ecosystem and the impact that As we learn more about our marine species, we are also degradation of coastal water may have on dugongs and turtles. discovering new information particularly on the role of marine Hawksbill Turtles plants. For example, among marine Adult hawksbill turtles have brown colouration, extensively variegated with turtle species, the Hawksbill turtle brown and black on their carapace. A distinguishing feature of the hawksbill turtle is Eretmochelys imbricata, also their distinctive parrot-like beak and narrow head. The pointed jaws are well critically endangered, is considered adapted to prising food from crevices in and around coral. Hawksbill turtles occur in all oceans usually in tidal and sub-tidal coral and rocky as feeding primarily on sponges. reefs in tropical and subtropical areas. In Australia, their main feeding area is on Much of this information is based the east coast, including the Great Barrier Reef. Other feeding areas include Torres on a small research carried out in Strait and the archipelagos of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. the Caribbean. Does this scenario Hawksbill turtles are a circumtropical species that nest in low density throughout hold true in other parts of the world, the world. Australia holds the largest remaining rookeries in the world. There are three main breeding areas in Australia - northern Great Barrier Reef, north-eastern like the Great Barrier Reef? This is a Arnhem Land (Northern Territory), and Western Australia. Although hawksbills question that Ian Bell is trying to breed throughout the year, the peak nesting period occurs between January - April address. Ian's research consisted of in Queensland, July - September in the Northern Territory, and October January in collecting food from the mouth and Western Australia. Growth is slow and variable over the life of the individual with Hawksbill turtles caught on Green the estimated age to maturity greater than 31 years. Island for research stomach of Hawksbill turtles. www.seagrasswatch.org page 14 From the schools

Our Day of Seagrass Studies Townsville Grammar School Georgia (Grade 7, Bowen Primary School) Amanda Young reports On Friday 24th August, In late October, Year 11 Biology students from 2007 selected students Townsville Grammar School were involved in from the Grade 7 at Bowen Seagrass-Watch. The State Primary School went students had been studying down to the Front Beach to Ecology and were required to learn about seagrasses. We spend some time in the field, were put into 5 groups to do working on an ecological different things. project. Seagrass-Watch was Three groups went around able to provide this surveying transacts along a admirably on account of 50m length, surveying the Rowes Bay (the site allocated seagrass cover, if there were to us for the study) is close to any starfish, crabs, and the school which provides other animals, how long the the students with a feeling of grass was and what the responsibility/ownership and percentage of epiphyte Seagrass-Watch HQ staff cover was. were available to assist One group took photos at students learn the Seagrass each section of each Watch sampling techniques. transact and another group Seagrass-Watch HQ also took samples of seagrass provided the students with seeds. good role models for future We completed the tasks careers as they possessed a and the data was sent to variety of educational Townsville for further study. backgrounds from having We received our own just finished high school to seagrass monitoring kit PhDs. from the Burdekin Dry During the course of Tropics and continue to sampling, students were monitor the seagrass each fortunate to experience term and collect the data. flyovers by DPI&F staff in We are proud of our work helicopters that were and hope to see the mapping the entire Rowes “Seagrass-Watch” Bay seagrass meadows. This continuing on at Bowen allowed students to see a State for many years. broader scale survey technique in action. Students were required to record all their observations in a field logbook as part of their assessment as well as complete the Seagrass- Watch data sheets. Back at school, students drew seagrass specimens and figured out their classification. Later the students researched the role of seagrass in the marine ecosystem and threats to survival. They also investigated linkages between seagrass habitats with adjacent ecosystems mangroves and coral reefs. The Year 11 Biology students and teaching staff from Townsville Grammar School would like to thank Seagrass-Watch HQ for supporting our fieldwork with equipment and personnel. We would like to pay particular thanks to Dr Jane Mellors, and Naomi Smith. This excursion provided the students with a hands-on ecological experience and gave them an insight into the work of biologists. It also helped them to appreciate that there is a lot more to seagrass than meets the eye!

www.seagrasswatch.org page 15 Animal facts

Polychaete worms hollow tubes filled with by Len McKenzie & Keira Price poison which break off easily Polychaeta or polychaetes are a if the fire-worm is attacked class of annelid worms, generally causing pain to the attacker. marine, with a pair of fleshy Fireworms may also release protrusions on each body segment their bristles into the called parapodia that bear many surrounding water. So take bristles, called setae or chaetae, care when exploring your which are made of chitin. quadrats! Worm tube polychaeta (Changi, Singapore). Polychaeta means "many-bristled" The stationary forms and indeed the polychaetes are (Sedentaria) have sometimes referred to as bristle specialized gills or tentacles worms. Each body segment apart used for respiration and are from the head and last segment are deposit or filter feeding. Borstenwurmer des Meeres". A variety identical, the internal and external Many of these worms form a of marine worms. In: "Das Meer" by M. organs being repeated in each hard calcareous tube J. Schleiden, 1804-1881. p. 446. Image courtesy of Treasures of the NOAA Library segment. More than 10,000 species (secreted from a special Collection gland) while others have are described in this class, but Eunice aphroditois (Sentosa, Singapore) common representatives are the leathery tubes covered in fan-worms (Sabellid) and the sandworm (Nereis). shell, sand and mud. The polychaetes' paddle-like and highly vascularized parapodia Sedentary worms are usually filter feeders, consuming are used for movement and act as the animal's primary microscopic plankton that they sieve from the water column using respiratory surfaces (parapodia can be thought of as kinds of feathery tentacles that surround their mouths. external gills that are also used for locomotion). Polychaeta also Polychaetes, unlike earthworms which are hermaphrodites, have well-developed heads compared to other annelids. usually have separate sexes. The eggs hatch into trochophores, a Polychaetes are extremely variable in both form and lifestyle and type of planktonic larva which then metamorphoses into a include a few taxa that swim among the plankton. Most burrow or juvenile annelid. Some of these worms however reproduce build tubes on or in the bottom, and some live as commensals. A asexually by breaking off segments which then become other few are parasitic. individual worms. Polychaetes are found in both cold and warm waters, and are very adaptable. One notable polychaete, the Pompeii worm is endemic to the hydrothermal vents of the Pacific Ocean. Pompeii worms are thought to be the most heat-tolerant complex animals known. These worms can be 1.5 m long and rely on bacteria living in their tissues to synthesise organic molecules from the nutrient rich waters to provide them with energy. Polychaetes are good indicators of water quality in marine environments, as they are one of the most tolerant marine organisms to stressors (e.g., low oxygen, organic contamination of sediment, and sewage pollution). Elevated water column nutrients may result in increased filter feeder abundance and changes in sediment deposition/type can affect deposit feeders, as some species prefer sand dominated sediments, while others prefer muddier sediments. Polychaetes are also a good food Polychaeta anatomy. Image courtesy of Wikipiedia.org source for fish and the many shorebirds that can be seen foraging on the seagrass meadows at low tide. The mobile forms (Errantia) tend to have well-developed sense organs and jaws, and actively hunt All polychaete photographs courtesy of Ria Tan (Wild Singapore) prey. One free-living group often found in seagrass meadows are the fire-worms. Their bristles, along with S a snakelike body motion, allow eagrass-Watch them to move quite quickly. In some Do you want to get Involved? species their bristles have Register with Seagrass-Watch HQ Polychaete (Pulau Sekudu, Singapore). developed into defensive weapons; www.seagrasswatch.org

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Editing & additional text: Len McKenzie & Rudi Yoshida Email: [email protected] Layout & graphic design: Rudi Yoshida & Len McKenzie Front page banner image: Ria Tan (photographer) NEXT ISSUE OUT MARCH 2008 Phone: +61 7 4057 3731