Southern Ocean productivity and carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange under current and future climate regimes. This project will contribute to Australian ocean science expertise in key areas of data synthesis, satellite oceanography and the understanding of marine ecosystems' response to climate change. Collaborations will be developed and strengthened among Australian research institutions, and between Australia and the United States. The focus of the research is the Southern Ocean, which impacts glob ....Southern Ocean productivity and carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange under current and future climate regimes. This project will contribute to Australian ocean science expertise in key areas of data synthesis, satellite oceanography and the understanding of marine ecosystems' response to climate change. Collaborations will be developed and strengthened among Australian research institutions, and between Australia and the United States. The focus of the research is the Southern Ocean, which impacts global climate, and on which Australia's southern coastal ecosystems depend. The expertise and techniques developed will have application to other Australian regional seas.Read moreRead less
Ocean-reef interactions as drivers of continental shelf productivity in a changing climate. Poor coastal management results in the irreparable destruction of reef systems' function and biodiversity, nationally and globally. To manage marine resources effectively we must implement sustainable practices, including forward planning in the context of climate change. A critical limitation in determining appropriate actions is a poor understanding of mechanisms driving productivity. Our project will p ....Ocean-reef interactions as drivers of continental shelf productivity in a changing climate. Poor coastal management results in the irreparable destruction of reef systems' function and biodiversity, nationally and globally. To manage marine resources effectively we must implement sustainable practices, including forward planning in the context of climate change. A critical limitation in determining appropriate actions is a poor understanding of mechanisms driving productivity. Our project will provide key information on the oceanographic mechanisms supporting Australia's coastal systems, linking nutrient supply, physical drivers and climate. By linking all these factors we will both assist in determining appropriate ecosystem management, and provide a knowledge base to support adaptation to future changes in Australia's climate.Read moreRead less
Atmospheric CO2, global temperature, and surface ocean acidity response to fossil carbon burning - insights from an ancient analogue. Sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 emissions by the oceans and the impacts of resulting ocean acidification and greenhouse warming upon marine ecosystems are vital to understanding the course of future environmental change. This research will improve knowledge of the biological and chemical responses in the ocean to past changes in atmospheric CO2 levels and incre ....Atmospheric CO2, global temperature, and surface ocean acidity response to fossil carbon burning - insights from an ancient analogue. Sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 emissions by the oceans and the impacts of resulting ocean acidification and greenhouse warming upon marine ecosystems are vital to understanding the course of future environmental change. This research will improve knowledge of the biological and chemical responses in the ocean to past changes in atmospheric CO2 levels and increased ocean acidity. This will assist in predicting the consequences of different fossil fuel burning scenarios for climate and marine life, especially the future viability of organisms like corals, molluscs, and calcareous plankton that underpin key tourism and marine production systems.Read moreRead less
DEEP SEA CORALS AS HIGH RESOLUTION RECORDERS OF SOUTHERN OCEAN NUTRIENT CHEMISTRY AND CIRCULATION. There is compelling evidence that the Earth has been warming dramatically since the end of the 19th century as a consequence of increasing atmospheric CO2. This study aims to understand the long-term role of the Southern Ocean as a 'store-house' for CO2, and its significance in controlling changes in the Earth's climate. We will use coral skeletons from the deep oceans as archives of ocean circu ....DEEP SEA CORALS AS HIGH RESOLUTION RECORDERS OF SOUTHERN OCEAN NUTRIENT CHEMISTRY AND CIRCULATION. There is compelling evidence that the Earth has been warming dramatically since the end of the 19th century as a consequence of increasing atmospheric CO2. This study aims to understand the long-term role of the Southern Ocean as a 'store-house' for CO2, and its significance in controlling changes in the Earth's climate. We will use coral skeletons from the deep oceans as archives of ocean circulation and nutrient levels. This information will help unravel how biological activity in the Southern Ocean has responded during previous episodes of climate change, and how this has controlled the levels of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere. This will provide a better understanding of greenhouse warming and its effect on our future climate.Read moreRead less
New tools for managing ecosystem responses to climate change on the southern Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) underpins over $4 billions of economic activity each year. Recent evidence suggests that reefs like the GBR are vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself at both local and global scales. Providing the tools for tracking and understanding these changes is vitally important to effective reef management strategies. This project will provide a major advance in o ....New tools for managing ecosystem responses to climate change on the southern Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) underpins over $4 billions of economic activity each year. Recent evidence suggests that reefs like the GBR are vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself at both local and global scales. Providing the tools for tracking and understanding these changes is vitally important to effective reef management strategies. This project will provide a major advance in our understanding and the tools available to manage the impacts of climate change. In doing so, it will also produce the first comprehensive and multidisciplinary look at how environmental variability impacts coral reef organisms from corals to seabird populations.Read moreRead less
Assessing the risk of ocean acidification for the Great Barrier Reef. The increase in greenhouse gases such as CO2 represents a challenge for coral reefs such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR). While the impact of greenhouse warming on coral reefs has been partially explored, the potentially serious implications of a decrease in ocean pH due have not been properly assessed. Detecting and understanding changes to carbonate concentrations and reef calcification are of great importance if ....Assessing the risk of ocean acidification for the Great Barrier Reef. The increase in greenhouse gases such as CO2 represents a challenge for coral reefs such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR). While the impact of greenhouse warming on coral reefs has been partially explored, the potentially serious implications of a decrease in ocean pH due have not been properly assessed. Detecting and understanding changes to carbonate concentrations and reef calcification are of great importance if managers are to respond strategically to potential ecological changes. This project directly addresses National Research Priority 1 of achieving 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia' by addressing the priority goal of 'Responding to climate change and variability'.Read moreRead less
Towards a predictive model for coastal marine microbial assemblages. Coastal regions are overwhelmingly the most intense point of interaction between human activity and oceanic provinces. At this interface, the marine biological ecosystem provides critical services that are required to maintain industrial, economic and social well-being. Our work will identify how these marine systems respond to anthropogenic and climatic variability, National Research Priority 1, and in turn, how this response ....Towards a predictive model for coastal marine microbial assemblages. Coastal regions are overwhelmingly the most intense point of interaction between human activity and oceanic provinces. At this interface, the marine biological ecosystem provides critical services that are required to maintain industrial, economic and social well-being. Our work will identify how these marine systems respond to anthropogenic and climatic variability, National Research Priority 1, and in turn, how this response affects ocean services. This knowledge will inform management efforts in resource and biodiversity conservation, and identify novel areas for future resource exploration.Read moreRead less
Biological Oceanographic Mechanisms Driving Australia's Coastal Fisheries. Overfishing results in the irreparable destruction of fish stocks and biodiversity, nationally and globally. To manage marine resources effectively we must implement sustainable practices, including catch limits for low stock sizes. However a critical limiting factor in determining appropriate actions is our poor understanding of the mechanisms driving production. Our project will provide key information on the biologica ....Biological Oceanographic Mechanisms Driving Australia's Coastal Fisheries. Overfishing results in the irreparable destruction of fish stocks and biodiversity, nationally and globally. To manage marine resources effectively we must implement sustainable practices, including catch limits for low stock sizes. However a critical limiting factor in determining appropriate actions is our poor understanding of the mechanisms driving production. Our project will provide key information on the biological oceanographic mechanisms supporting Australia's coastal fisheries, linking nutrient supply, biological drivers and climate. By linking all these factors we will not only assist in determining appropriate ecosystem management but provide a knowledge base to support adaptation to future changes in Australia's climate.Read moreRead less
Abrupt Southern Hemisphere Climate Change: The Role Of The Southern Ocean Thermohaline Circulation. Australia's climate is extreme, with harsh droughts, severe bushfire seasons, climate change, soil loss, and salinity all posing potentially enormous socio-economic challenges over the next ten-fifty years. Research into climate change and climate variability is thus highly significant for Australia, and will underpin efforts to protect our biodiversity and ensure the nation's environmental sustai ....Abrupt Southern Hemisphere Climate Change: The Role Of The Southern Ocean Thermohaline Circulation. Australia's climate is extreme, with harsh droughts, severe bushfire seasons, climate change, soil loss, and salinity all posing potentially enormous socio-economic challenges over the next ten-fifty years. Research into climate change and climate variability is thus highly significant for Australia, and will underpin efforts to protect our biodiversity and ensure the nation's environmental sustainability. We propose to launch a major new study of the stability of the Southern Ocean's thermohaline circulation and its role in global climate. This work could have significant long-term benefits for those sectors of society sensitive to shifts in climate; including agriculture, energy, freshwater supply, health, and tourism.Read moreRead less
Coupled ocean-carbon-atmosphere feedbacks in the global climate system. The capacity of the oceans to absorb and store carbon fundamentally regulates atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Climate change is altering the flux of carbon between the ocean and atmosphere, and may reduce the capacity of the oceans to store carbon. Research into climate change and the global ocean carbon cycle is of high national significance, and will underpin efforts to protect our biodiversity and ensure Australia's env ....Coupled ocean-carbon-atmosphere feedbacks in the global climate system. The capacity of the oceans to absorb and store carbon fundamentally regulates atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Climate change is altering the flux of carbon between the ocean and atmosphere, and may reduce the capacity of the oceans to store carbon. Research into climate change and the global ocean carbon cycle is of high national significance, and will underpin efforts to protect our biodiversity and ensure Australia's environmental sustainability. We propose a major new study of the nature of coupled ocean-carbon-atmosphere feedbacks operating in the global climate system. This work will quantify how the ocean's carbon storage capacity might shift in the future, guiding policy-makers in setting future CO2 emissions targets.Read moreRead less