Conference presentation
Mapping Ecosystem Processes and Function Across Shallow Seascapes
NSW Coastal Conference (Ballina, Australia, 04/11/2009 - 06/11/2009)
05/11/2009
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Abstract
Benthic habitat mapping is an important component of the assessment of shallow aquatic
resources due to the recognised link between flora, fauna and habitat. Benthic habitat
mapping is commonly undertaken using remotely sensed acoustical techniques that only
map the physical features of the seafloor. Some studies may include ground-truthing of
physical and chemical data such as grain size, organic carbon content and current
velocities and at the highest level of detail the relationship between physical and chemical
parameters and biological communities may be considered. However, biodiversity, the
parameter we want to conserve, is more than just biological communities as it also include
components of structure, function, and processes of species, communities, ecosystems.
Despite processes and function being part of biodiversity, benthic maps of ecosystem
function and functional value maps of benthic ecosystem processes have never been
produced for shallow coastal systems. Shallow subtropical and warm temperate east
Australian coastal lagoons and estuaries were used as case studies to develop a system
for assigning functional value to shallow seascapes and to construct functional value maps
of benthic ecosystem processes and overall functional value of benthic habitats. Eight
habitat classes (Mangroves, Sands/ Muds with Large Burrowing Macrofauna, Stable
Seagrass Communities, Ephemeral Seagrass Communities, Channels, Subtidal Shoals,
Intertidal Shoals, Depositional Mud Basins,) and ten ecosystem processes (gross benthic
production, gross benthic respiration, net benthic production, net benthic respiration,
benthic dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen fluxes, denitrification, denitrification
efficiency and secondary production) were used to assign functional values and construct
the maps. These functional value maps of ecosystem processes and overall functional
value will be used to identify “hot spots” of functional value that have high conservation
value. A case study from southern Moreton Bay will also be used to illustrate the
application of the process functional value and overall functional maps by comparing with
a map of impact (decrease in light) associated with the discharges from a wastewater
treatment facility.
Details
- Title
- Mapping Ecosystem Processes and Function Across Shallow Seascapes
- Creators
- Damien T Maher - Southern Cross UniversityBradley D Eyre - Southern Cross University
- Conference
- NSW Coastal Conference (Ballina, Australia, 04/11/2009 - 06/11/2009)
- Identifiers
- 991012845995602368
- Academic Unit
- School of Environment, Science and Engineering; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Resource Type
- Conference presentation