Research impact

Our research community works to minimise or reverse a range of threats to Moreton Bay and its islands, from environmental degradation and habitat losses to the effects of climate change.

Experts also seek solutions that drive social change and promote healthy and resilient environments and livelihoods.

Projects

Conserving the cultural and environmental values of Moreton Bay while in close proximity to a major metropolitan area and facing a changing climate is a primary challenge.

Decades of sandmining on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) combined with bushfires, has resulted in terrestrial habitat losses and associated ecosystem impacts. The bay is impacted by urban and coastal development in some areas, but remains virtually pristine in others, offering a gradient of local and global anthropogenic impacts to study.

See a selection, below, of recent and ongoing projects based at Moreton Bay Research Station. To discuss basing your research group at our station, email Associate Professor Karen Cheney, Director, Centre for Marine Science, at k.cheney@uq.edu.au.

Communication behaviour of humpback whales

Humpback whales communicate using vocal signals, breaching and slapping on the surface, and by singing. The function of most of these communication behaviours is still unknown. This project, led by Rebecca Dunlop and Michael Noad, aims to determine the function of singing behaviour as a likely sexual signal and the function of vocal and surface sounds in mediating interactions.

Conservation of an endangered species of seahorse

Currently very little is known about the endangered White's Seahorse in South East Queensland. This project, led by Karen Cheney and Rowan Carew, involves field surveys, habitat mapping, population genetic analysis, and artificial habitat restoration/development, and aims to better inform future conservation actions for this unique species.

Coral research in Moreton Bay

Coral habitats occur within the Moreton Bay Marine Park, close to a highly populated area with variable environmental pressures. The Marine Ecosystems Monitoring Lab,  Marine Paleoecology Lab, various UQ research teams, and citizen-science groups have been monitoring coral reefs in the park since the early 2000s through photographic, visual surveys and habitat mapping. The coral data are used to assess environmental impacts and provide insights into coral health for assessing both past and future resilience.

Examining osmoregulation in dugongs

Dugongs are the only fully marine herbivorous mammals that survive without freshwater. By measuring electrolytes and osmolality in blood and urine, researchers determined that dugongs obtain most of their water directly from their seagrass food by metabolising this to carbon dioxide and water. Very little comes from drinking seawater. This study was led by Janet Lanyon.

Inside-out neuroscience of cephalopods

Cephalopods are renowned for their sophisticated behaviours and advanced cognitive capabilities. The neural mechanisms underlying these “smart” behaviours remain largely unknown. This project, led by Wen-Sung Chung, aims to determine how sensory information is processed in the cephalopod brain by combining controlled behavioural experiments with advanced imaging techniques.

Resilience of mangroves and saltmarshes to climate change

Catherine Lovelock, Vicki Bennion, Jack Hill and Valerie Kwan are investigating the climate resilience of mangroves and saltmarshes. The project assesses responses to rising sea levels and extreme climate events, as well as characterises the role of coastal wetlands in sequestering carbon.

Restoring shellfish reefs

Shellfish reef restoration across Moreton Bay/Quandamooka is rebuilding lost habitats to recover essential ecosystem functions, including water filtration, biodiversity, and shoreline stabilisation. This Indigenous-led and co-designed research brings together First Nations organisations and businesses, university researchers (led by Benjamin Mos) and non-government organisations, embedding cultural knowledge, values, and aspirations at the centre of restoration to support cultural sustenance and Care for Country, while addressing the global loss of shellfish reef ecosystems by developing locally grounded solutions to a worldwide environmental challenge.

Seagrass monitoring in Moreton bay

Seagrasses provide essential ecosystem services in the form of coastal protection from waves, habitat for a variety of marine species, and promotion of carbon sequestration. The research team, led by Chris Rolfsoema, has been monitoring seagrass on the Eastern Banks regularly since 2004, to assess the distribution and status of the seagrass habitats. The time series photographic and visual surveys and satellite data and/or resulting maps provide insights into seagrass distribution and persistence, critical metrics for assessing both past and future resilience.

Projects

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