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Geography is fostering a diverse range of methodologies that engage the more‐than‐human dimensions of research. Debates surround the efficacy of both longstanding and emergent methodological approaches in grappling with how to do more‐than‐human geography. Much attention has been given to the methodological implications of theoretical debates that evoke distributed agency and calls to "enliven" research. To date, however, questionnaire surveys have not been considered as part of these deliberations. Survey response rates are normally reported as percentages, with scholarly attention focusing on how question design, financial incentives, and delivery format may influence human engagement with the questionnaire. Little attention has been paid to questionnaire survey methods in or for more‐than‐human research. Inversely, there is also little discussion of the agency of non‐human bodies, processes, and materials, and how they work for or against survey completion. This paper contributes to these deliberations by exploring more‐than‐human agency in the delivery and completion of a postal questionnaire, distributed to rural households that are self‐sufficient for water on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. By focusing on the elements, infrastructure, and animals that work with and against survey delivery and completion, we show that questionnaire surveys are a more‐than‐human achievement. Consideration of the chewed and weathered survey, and the more‐than‐human processes that influence its delivery and completion, matters in challenging "human‐centred" notions of field research. We argue that what we know about the world through a survey is always a performative process, not only by considering how research design aligns with politics and knowledge practices, but also the more‐than‐human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxic blackwater events occur worldwide, affecting inland and coastal waters. These events have been exacerbated by man‐made floodplain drainage, leading to large‐scale fish kills and ecological degradation. This paper presents a new method to identify estuarine catchment areas that are most likely to generate hypoxic conditions. The method uses established risk factors, including vegetation type, inundation extent and duration, ground‐truthed in eastern Australia. A catchment is at higher risk of hypoxic blackwater generation if (a) it is located where floodwaters are high and/or drainage is impeded, (b) the site topography includes an extensive, low‐lying floodplain; and/or (c) the land‐use and environmental characteristics have a high deoxygenation potential. Consequent impacts to an estuary are determined by the floodplain connectivity with the estuary, and the discharge characteristics of the catchment drainage system. Where multiple, proximate catchments have similar drainage conditions, compounding plumes of hypoxic blackwater can overwhelm the assimilation capacity of the estuary. Climate change may significantly increase the volume and frequency of blackwater events in estuarine environments as a result of reduced drainage due to sea level rise, higher temperatures, and more intense and sporadic rainfall events. It is recommended that management measures be introduced to mitigate the effects of climate change and avoid further widespread hypoxic blackwater events. Key Points: A methodology is presented to differentiate estuarine catchments by their potential to generate hypoxic blackwater eventsLocal topographic and hydrodynamic conditions strongly influence the potential volume of hypoxic blackwater generated over a catchmentClimate change may increase the frequency and severity and change the distribution of blackwater risk throughout an estuary [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid-1990s, Australia's Commonwealth Science Industry and Research Organisation (CSIRO) has been developing a biogeochemical (BGC) model for coupling with a hydrodynamic and sediment model for application in estuaries, coastal waters and shelf seas. The suite of coupled models is referred to as the CSIRO Environmental Modelling Suite (EMS) and has been applied at tens of locations around the Australian continent. At a mature point in the BGC model's development, this paper presents a full mathematical description, as well as links to the freely available code and user guide. The mathematical description is structured into processes so that the details of new parameterisations can be easily identified, along with their derivation. In EMS, the underwater light field is simulated by a spectrally resolved optical model that calculates vertical light attenuation from the scattering and absorption of 20+ optically active constituents. The BGC model itself cycles carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and oxygen through multiple phytoplankton, zooplankton, detritus and dissolved organic and inorganic forms in multiple water column and sediment layers. The water column is dynamically coupled to the sediment to resolve deposition, resuspension and benthic–pelagic biogeochemical fluxes. With a focus on shallow waters, the model also includes detailed representations of benthic plants such as seagrass, macroalgae and coral polyps. A second focus has been on, where possible, the use of geometric derivations of physical limits to constrain ecological rates. This geometric approach generally requires population-based rates to be derived from initially considering the size and shape of individuals. For example, zooplankton grazing considers encounter rates of one predator on a prey field based on summing relative motion of the predator with the prey individuals and the search area; chlorophyll synthesis includes a geometrically derived self-shading term; and the bottom coverage of benthic plants is calculated from their biomass using an exponential form derived from geometric arguments. This geometric approach has led to a more algebraically complicated set of equations when compared to empirical biogeochemical model formulations based on populations. But while being algebraically complicated, the model has fewer unconstrained parameters and is therefore simpler to move between applications than it would otherwise be. The version of EMS described here is implemented in the eReefs project that delivers a near-real-time coupled hydrodynamic, sediment and biogeochemical simulation of the Great Barrier Reef, northeast Australia, and its formulation provides an example of the application of geometric reasoning in the formulation of aquatic ecological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snake eels (family Ophichthidae) are a widespread and highly diverse, but poorly understood group of fishes known worldwide in tropical to temperate waters from inshore to at least 1300 m depth. During the dissections of a commercially harvested large marine sciaenid, the Black Jewfish Protonibea diacanthus (Lacépède, 1802), collected from coastal waters off northern Australia, ophichthids were found encased in the mesenteries in the body cavity. Subsequently, specimens of ophichthids were also collected from the stomach contents of P. diacanthus, suggesting this as the potential source of the ophichthids in the body cavity. Genetic analysis confirmed four species of ophichthids were collected from the body cavity of 19 P. diacanthus specimens. Further investigation has revealed the occurrence of at least three additional ophichthid species from the body cavities of ten Australian teleost species classified in eight different families. Teleost species with ophichthid eels present in their guts were medium to large, opportunistic carnivores suggesting that prey items were targeted rather than incidentally ingested. Preliminary identification of the eels suggests that some may be new Australian records, highlighting an important, but little utilised source of ophichthid specimens for scientific studies. This paper presents the first published report of eels in the body cavity of fishes in Australian waters and is a good example of collaboration and co-operation on collections-based research between various stakeholders in the fisheries industry and of citizen science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vietnamese 'blue boats' – small wooden‐hulled fishing boats – are now entering the territorial waters of Pacific Island countries and illegally catching high‐value species found on remote coastal reefs. Crossing several international boundaries and traversing a distance of over 5000 km, these intrusions have alarmed Oceanic countries, including Australia. Lacking administrative capacity as well as jurisdictional authority to effectively control the vast stretches of island coastlines individually, governments and intergovernmental bodies in the region have called for strengthened coordination of surveillance efforts while also pressuring Vietnam diplomatically. This paper reviews these latest developments and is the first to provide a focused assessment of the issue. Through the lens of Copenhagen School of securitisation theory, we analyse responses of national and regional actors and their portrayal in online media to understand how blue boats are constructed as a security threat within a narrative of maritime, food and human security. Arguably, Australia together with the Forum Fisheries Agency, who advise on the governance of offshore tuna resources, have so far acted most decisively – in a way that might see them extend their strategic role in the region. We propose a comprehensive empirical research agenda to better understand and manage this nascent, flammable and largely unpredictable inter‐regional phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of water quality properties through satellite remote sensing relies on (1) the optical characteristics of the water body, (2) the resolutions (spatial, spectral, radiometric and temporal) of the sensor and (3) algorithm(s) applied. More than 80% of global water bodies fall under Case I (open ocean) waters, dominated by scattering and absorption associated with phytoplankton in the water column. Globally, previous studies show significant correlations between satellite-based retrieval methods and field measurements of absorbing and scattering constituents, while limited research from Australian coastal water bodies appears. This study presents a methodology to extract chlorophyll a properties from surface waters from near-coastal environments, within 2 km of coastline, in Tasmania, south-eastern Australia. We use general purpose, global, long-time series, multi-spectral satellite data, as opposed to ocean colour-specific sensor data. This approach may offer globally applicable tools for combining global satellite image archives with in situ field sensors for water quality monitoring. To enable applications from local to global scales, a cloud-based geospatial analysis workflow was developed and tested on several sites. This work represents the initial stage in developing a semi-automated near-coastal water-quality workflow using easily accessed, fully corrected global multi-spectral datasets alongside large-scale computation and delivery capabilities. Our results indicated a strong correlation between the in situ chlorophyll concentration data and blue-green band ratios from the multi-spectral sensor. In line with published research, environment-specific empirical models exhibited the highest correlations between in situ and satellite measurements, underscoring the importance of tailoring models to specific coastal waters. Our findings may provide the basis for developing this workflow for other sites in Australia. We acknowledge the use of general purpose multi-spectral data such as the Sentinel-2 and Landsat Series, their corrections and algorithms may not be as accurate and precise as ocean colour satellites. The data we are using are more readily accessible and also have true global coverage with global historic archives and regular, global collection will continue at least 10 years in the future. Regardless of sensor specifications, the retrieval method relies on localised algorithm calibration and validation using in situ measurements, which demonstrates close-to-realistic outputs. We hope this approach enables future applications to also consider these globally accessible and regularly updated datasets that are suited to coastal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entire Australian marine jurisdictional area, including offshore and sub-Antarctic islands, is considered in this paper. Most records, however, come from the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the continent of Australia itself. The counts of species have been obtained from four primary databases (the Australian Faunal Directory, Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota, Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums, and the Australian node of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System), but even these are an underestimate of described species. In addition, some partially completed databases for particular taxonomic groups, and specialized databases (for introduced and threatened species) have been used. Experts also provided estimates of the number of known species not yet in the major databases. For only some groups could we obtain an (expert opinion) estimate of undiscovered species. The databases provide patchy information about endemism, levels of threat, and introductions. We conclude that there are about 33,000 marine species (mainly animals) in the major databases, of which 130 are introduced, 58 listed as threatened and an unknown percentage endemic. An estimated 17,000 more named species are either known from the Australian EEZ but not in the present databases, or potentially occur there. It is crudely estimated that there may be as many as 250,000 species (known and yet to be discovered) in the Australian EEZ. For 17 higher taxa, there is sufficient detail for subdivision by Large Marine Domains, for comparison with other National and Regional Implementation Committees of the Census of Marine Life. Taxonomic expertise in Australia is unevenly distributed across taxa, and declining. Comments are given briefly on biodiversity management measures in Australia, including but not limited to marine protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects the situation at the end of 2005. At that time, four coastal States had completed their continental shelf submissions for transmittal to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS): Russia (2001), Brazil (2004), Australia (2004), and Ireland (2005). Of those four submissions, only Russia's has been subjected to a full review by the CLCS, which issued outer limit recommendations in 2002. Russia has responded to those recommendations by initiating a new round of field work in the Arctic, to obtain additional data that is intended to offset CLCS concerns. The Brazilian and Australian submissions are currently undergoing review by subcommissions of the CLCS, while the establishment of a subcommission to examine the Irish submission is imminent. The task of each subcommission is to prepare draft recommendations for review by the Commission at large. In general, the detailed contents of continental shelf submissions are not made public, nor are the deliberations of the CLCS concerning those submissions. In certain cases some of that information can be gleaned through unofficial channels, but for the most part interested parties must refer to the website of the UN's Division of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), which posts material of a more limited nature. Information derived largely from that official source will be used in this paper to outline what is known about the four submissions above. This exposition will be followed by brief reviews of: (a) the memberships of the first two Commissions and the four subcommissions; (b) the ability of Commission members to render advisory services to submitting States; and (c) the benefits to be gained by a submitting State when it sponsors a member of the Commission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensity and frequency of extreme ocean temperature events, such as marine heatwaves (MHWs) and marine cold spells (MCSs), are expected to change as our oceans warm. Little is known about marine extremes in Australian coastal waters, particularly below the surface. Here we introduce a multi-decadal observational record of extreme ocean temperature events starting in the 1940s and 1950s between the surface and the bottom (50–100 m) at four long-term coastal sites around Australia: the Australian Multi-Decadal Ocean Time Series EXTreme (AMDOT-EXT) data products (10.26198/wbc7-8h24,). The data products include indices indicating the timing of extreme warm and cold temperature events, their intensity and the corresponding temperature time series and climatology thresholds. We include MHWs, MCSs and shorter-duration heat spikes and cold spikes. For MHWs and MCSs, which are defined as anomalies above the daily varying 90th and 10th percentiles, respectively, and lasting more than 5 d, we also provide further event information, such as their category and onset and decline rates. The four data products are provided as CF-compliant NetCDF files, and it is our intention that they be updated periodically. It is advised that data users seek the latest data product version. Using these multi-decadal data products, we show the most intense and longest extreme temperature events at these sites, which have occurred below the surface. These data records highlight the value of long-term full water column ocean data for the identification of extreme temperature events below the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is directed at furthering understandings of the function of space, time and sensory experience in environmental discourse. It does this through an empirical study of the publicity campaigns and counter-campaigns around North Port Quay, proposed as a sustainable property development project for coastal waters off Fremantle in Western Australia. The case demonstrates how a proposed ecological improvement project is contested in discursive struggles over the space and time of environmental problems. It shows how representations of an immediate threat to local environment can be more powerful than representations of a model solution to future global ecological crisis. The radical imposition of a futuristic island town by the beach triggered an effective, localized popular movement unified through people's desire to restore their sensual experiences of local environment. This desire linked people's diverse demands for conservation behind a discursive frontier against anyone supporting North Port Quay. Standing for ‘our beaches’ against the proposed sustainable development not only blocked the project through localized practices of institutional democracy, it also helped transform the institutional political landscape of Fremantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid 1990s, Australia's Commonwealth Science Industry and Research Organisation (CSIRO) has developed a biogeochemical (BGC) model for coupling with a hydrodynamic and sediment model for application in estuaries, coastal waters and shelf seas. The suite of coupled models is referred to as the CSIRO Environmental Modelling Suite (EMS) and has been applied at tens of locations around the Australian continent. At a mature point in the BGC model's development, this paper presents a full mathematical description, as well as links to the freely available code and User Guide. The mathematical description is structured into processes so that the details of new parameterisations can be easily identified, along with their derivation. The EMS BGC model cycles carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and oxygen through multiple phytoplankton, zooplankton, detritus and dissolved organic and inorganic forms in multiple water column and sediment layers. The underwater light field is simulated by a spectrally-resolved optical model that includes the calculation of water-leaving reflectance for validation with remote sensing. The water column is dynamically coupled to the sediment to resolve deposition, resuspension and benthic-pelagic biogeochemical fluxes. With a focus on shallow waters, the model also includes particularly-detailed representations of benthic plants such as seagrass, macroalgae and coral polyps. A second focus has been on, where possible, the use of geometric derivations of physical limits to constrain ecological rates, which generally requires population-based rates to be derived from initially considering the size and shape of individuals. For example, zooplankton grazing considers encounter rates of one predator on a prey field based on summing relative motion of the predator with the prey individuals and the search area, chlorophyll synthesis includes a geometrically-derived self-shading term, and the bottom coverage of benthic plants is generically-related to their biomass using an exponential form derived from geometric arguments. This geometric approach has led to a more algebraically-complicated set of equations when compared to more empirical biogeochemical model formulations. But while being algebraically-complicated, the model has fewer unconstrained parameters and is therefore simpler to move between applications than it would otherwise be. The version of the biogeochemistry described here is implemented in the eReefs project that is delivering a near real time coupled hydrodynamic, sediment and biogeochemical simulation of the Great Barrier Reef, northeast Australia, and its formulation provides an example of the application of geometric reasoning in the formulation of aquatic ecological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Thalasseleotrididae is a small family of exclusively marine gobioids. They form a sister taxon to the Gobiidae and Oxudercidae and are distinguished from most species in these families by having six branchiostegal rays and a membrane linking the hyoid arch to the first ceratobranchial. Here we use micro-CT informed morphological data and molecular phylogenetics to describe a new genus and species of thalasseleotridid discovered on a tropical oceanic coral reef in the central Coral Sea. Tempestichthys bettyae gen. et sp. nov. is the first tropical thalasseleotridid and differs from other members of the Thalasseleotrididae by having a T-shaped palatine and a distinctive shape and colouration. The three previously described thalasseleotridid species are endemic to temperate coastal waters of southern Australia and New Zealand and are all translucent brown with dorsoventrally compressed heads. However, Tempestichthys bettyae is laterally compressed with a pointed snout and is translucent white with opaque white and crimson red markings and a largely crimson iris. We discuss the unique characters of this new genus, including its distribution, form, colouration and diminutive size, and highlight the potential of there being undescribed diversity in the Thalasseleotrididae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and widespread monitoring of inland and coastal water quality occurs through the use of remote sensing and near-surface water quality sensors. A new addition is the development of smartphone applications (Apps) to measure and record surface reflectance, water color and water quality parameters. In this paper, we present a field study of the HydroColor (HC, measures RGB reflectance and suspended particulate matter (SPM)) and EyeOnWater (EoW, determines the Forel–Ule scale—an indication to the visual appearance of the water surface) smartphone Apps to evaluate water quality for inland waters in Eastern Australia. The Brisbane river, multiple lakes and reservoirs and lagoons in Queensland and New South Wales were visited; hyperspectral reflection spectra were collected and water samples were analysed in the laboratory as reference. Based on detailed measurements at 32 sites, covering inland waters with a large range in sediment and algal concentrations, we find that both water quality Apps are close, but not quite on par with scientific spectrometers. EoW is a robust application that manages to capture the color of water with accuracy and precision. HC has great potential, but is influenced by errors in the observational procedure and errors in the processing of images in the iPhone. The results show that repeated observations help to reduce the effects of outliers, while implementation of camera response functions and processing should help to reduce systematic errors. For both Apps, no universal conversion to water quality composition is established, and we conclude that: (1) replicated measurements are useful; (2) color is a reliable monitoring parameter in its own right but it should not be used for other water quality variables, and; (3) tailored algorithms to convert reflectance and color to composition could be developed for lakes individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe a new national tide gauge‐based sea level dataset for monitoring sea level changes around Australia, and the novel homogenization methodology used to develop it. Homogenization is a two‐step process that involves the detection of jumps or steps in the data (inhomogeneities) followed by a correction applied to remove the change. This new dataset is called the Australian National Collection of Homogenized Observations of Relative Sea Level (ANCHORS). ANCHORS provides coastal sea levels at hourly resolution with homogenization performed on annual means. ANCHORS is intended to be a national tide gauge‐based sea level dataset to monitor changes in mean sea level and resultant coastal flood frequency changes around Australia. Whilst sea levels are rising around Australia in response to global mean sea level changes, coastal water levels represent a notable gap in the suite of in situ high‐quality datasets available for researchers, governments and industry. Tide gauge datasets are well suited to impact‐based assessments of changes in flood frequency, duration and risk. In this regard, ANCHORS will sit alongside existing satellite‐ and numerical modelling‐based sea level datasets to provide enhanced insights into the physical impacts of sea level rise on Australian coastlines. We have adapted established homogenization techniques to develop a national collection of homogenous long tide gauge records. The dataset comprises 38 tide gauge records from around Australia, varying in length from 34 to 123 years, with an average of 57 years. Finally, we discuss limitations and potential applications for ANCHORS and how these have informed the design of this coastal sea level dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new giant species is described from New South Wales, Australia. Eunice dharastii sp. nov. differs from described Australian species and is most similar to E. aphroditois (Pallas, 1788), E. flavopicta Izuka, 1912, and E. kinbergi Ehlers, 1868. The unique combination of features that characterizes the new species is irregular articulated prostomial appendages; antennae reaching back beyond chaetiger 4; branchiae starting at chaetiger 10, initially button-shaped and distinctly longer than notopodial cirri where best developed; dorsal fleshy knobs on anterior chaetal lobes; notopodial cirri pendulous, abrupt tapering from inflated bases; bidentate compound falcigerous chaetae with both teeth directed laterally, distal tooth much shorter than proximal tooth in median and posterior chaetigers; and dark bidentate subacicular hooks starting at chaetiger 58, tapering to a small head with both teeth directed distally, and proximal tooth much larger than minute and spur-like distal tooth. This new species lives in sandy sediments in coastal waters 1-8 m deep. It is highly mobile and not easy to collect, which may explain why it was not described before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia has benefited immensely from the maritime zone provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC), particularly the provisions for the Extended Continental Shelf under Article 76. Australia's comprehensive submission of continental shelf data to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in 2004 included data occurring inside the Antarctic Treaty Area for three separate Australian territories; the Australian Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and Macquarie Island. This raises questions surrounding the interactions between the LOSC and the Antarctic Treaty in the Southern Ocean. The paper focuses on the Kerguelen Plateau continental shelf deliniation, offering a timely analysis of Australia's strategic interests here, as Australia seeks to prepare a new or revised Extended Continental Shelf data submission for Williams Ridge. Australia has sought to strike a strategic balance between supporting its territorial interests and derived benefits under LOSC in the Southern Ocean, whilst maintaining and further enhancing some of the key values and norms of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). The Kergulen Plateau case represents a strategic pursuit of territorial interests, carefully balanced with a determination to strengthen Australia's influence within the ATS and enhance the reach of its provisions, particularly in regard to environmental protection and the mining prohibition under the Madrid Protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate atmospheric correction (AC) is a prerequisite for quantitative ocean colour remote sensing and remains a challenge in particular over coastal waters. Commonly AC algorithms are validated by establishing a mean retrieval error from match-up analysis, which compares the satellite-derived surface reflectance with concurrent ground radiometric observations. Pixel-based reflectance uncertainties however, are rarely provided by AC algorithms and those for the operational Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) marine reflectance product are not yet recommended for use. AC retrieval errors and uncertainties directly determine the quality with which ocean colour products can be estimated from the marine surface reflectance. Increasingly there is also the need for reflectance uncertainty products to be used as data assimilation inputs into biogeochemical models. This paper describes the development of a new coastal AC algorithm for Sentinel-3 OLCI that provides pixel-based estimation of the inherent model inversion uncertainty and sensor noise propagation. The algorithm is a full-spectral model-based inversion of radiative transfer (RT) simulations in a coupled atmosphere–ocean system using an ensemble of artificial neural networks (ANN) that were initialized differently during the training process, but composed of the same network architecture. The algorithm has been validated against in-situ radiometric observations across a wide range of optical water types, and has been compared with the latest EUMETSAT operational Level 2 processor IPF-OL-2 v7.01. In this analysis we found that the ensemble ANN showed improved performance over the operational Level 2 processor with a band-averaged (412–708 nm) mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 16% compared to 37% and a four-times lower band-averaged bias of -0.00045 sr-1. In the ensemble inversion process we account for three uncertainty components: (1) the total model variance that describes the variance of the data from the different ANNs, (2) the prediction variance of the mean, which is based on calculations of the RT simulations and (3) the instrument noise variance of the mean by propagating the OLCI spectral signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). To study algorithm performance and to quantify the contribution of the different uncertainty components to the total uncertainty, we applied the algorithm to an optically complex full resolution (FR) test scene covering coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The uncertainties associated with the instrument noise variance were found to be two orders of magnitude lower than the uncertainty components of the prediction and total model variances. The overall largest uncertainty component in our uncertainty framework is attributed to the total model inversion error from averaging the responses of the slightly different adapted networks in the ensemble. The algorithm is made publicly available as a Python/C plugin for the Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP). • An ANN AC-algorithm that provides pixel-based uncertainty estimation was developed. • The algorithm shows advanced performance compared to the operational processor. • An analysis of the uncertainty components for different water types is provided. • Uncertainty maps provide a useful tool for future algorithm improvement. • The algorithm is publicly available as a plugin for the Sentinel Application Platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-decadal ocean time-series are fundamental baselines for assessing the impacts of environmental change, however, compiling and quality controlling historic data from multiple sources remains challenging. Here we aggregate, document, and release a number of long time-series temperature products and climatologies compiled from data obtained at 4 monitoring sites around Australia where sub-surface ocean temperature has been recorded nominally weekly to monthly since the 1940s/50s. In recent years, the sampling was augmented with data obtained from moored sensors, vertical profiles and satellite-derived data. The temperature data have been quality controlled, and combined using a rigorously tested methodology. We have packaged the multi-decadal, multi-depth, multi-platform temperature time-series at each site and produced a range of daily temperature climatologies from different data combinations and time periods. The 17 data products are provided as CF-compliant NetCDF files and will be updated periodically. The long-term temperature time-series will be useful for studies of ocean temperature variability, trends, anomalies and change. The data collection is supported by Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System and data are open-access. Measurement(s) temperature of water • temperature of sea surface Technology Type(s) ocean time series station • satellite • ship-based water sampling • ship-based CTD profiles Sample Characteristic - Environment coastal sea water • sea water environment • continental shelf Sample Characteristic - Location Australia • Tasman Sea coastal waters of continental Australia • Western Australia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sea snakes are venomous snakes found in the warm parts of the Indo-Pacific, including around Australia. Most sea snake envenoming causes myotoxicity, but previous Australian case reports describe neurotoxicity. We aimed to describe the epidemiology and clinical presentation of Australian sea snake envenoming and the effectiveness of antivenom. Methods: Patients were recruited to the Australian Snakebite Project (ASP), an Australia-wide prospective observational study recruiting all patients with suspected or confirmed snakebite >2 years. Information about demographics, bite circumstances, species involved, clinical and laboratory features of envenoming, and treatment is collected and entered into a purpose-built database. Results: Between January 2002 and August 2020, 13 patients with suspected sea snake bite were recruited to ASP, 11 were male; median age was 30 years. Bites occurred in Queensland and Western Australia. All patients were in or around, coastal waters at the time of bite. The species involved was identified in two cases (both Hydrophis zweifeli). Local effects occurred in 9 patients: pain (5), swelling (5), bleeding (2), bruising (1). Envenoming occurred in eight patients and was characterised by non-specific systemic features (6) and myotoxicity (2). Myotoxicity was severe (peak CK 28200 and 48100 U/L) and rapid in onset (time to peak CK 13.5 and 15.1 h) in these two patients. Non-specific systemic features included nausea (6), headache (6), abdominal pain (3), and diaphoresis (2). Leukocytosis, neutrophilia, and lymphopenia occurred in both patients with myotoxicity and was evident on the first blood test. No patients developed neurotoxicity or coagulopathy. Early Seqirus antivenom therapy was associated with a lower peak creatine kinase. Conclusion: While relatively rare, sea snake envenoming is associated with significant morbidity and risk of mortality. Early antivenom appears to have a role in preventing severe myotoxicity and should be a goal of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations of population structure across multiple niche dimensions can identify discrete management units within populations. This study examined social, spatial and isotopic niche partitioning in Indo‐Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) across ca. 600 km2 of coastal and estuarine waters in south‐western Australia, to evaluate whether estuarine dolphins should be treated as a discrete management unit.Photo‐identification data and tissue samples were collected in 2016 and 2017 in a study area covering the Peel‐Harvey Estuary (PHE) and adjacent coastal waters. A total of 1,038 dolphin groups were encountered, and 481 individuals were identified. Tissue samples for stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses were collected from 96 individuals. Social structure and complexity analyses were conducted, full and core activity spaces were identified, and their size estimated for identified social communities. Differences in stable isotope composition among individuals and communities were examined.A socially, spatially and isotopically distinct dolphin community occurred in the PHE. The coastal waters contained four socially and spatially, but not isotopically, distinct communities as well as a substantial number of dolphins (n = 185) that were sighted infrequently and therefore were not assigned to any community. Individuals formed three levels of relationships; the majority (78%) were weak association relationships (mean half‐weight index 0.006). The estuarine community had significantly higher mean δ13C and significantly lower mean δ15N values than any of the coastal communities.There is a strong scientific basis for treating the PHE dolphin community as a discrete management unit. The estuarine and coastal communities occupied different social environments, with coastal individuals sharing space with more transient individuals. This study shows the value of integrating information from multiple niche dimensions when identifying management units, and the need to consider all encountered individuals in management planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The focus of the research reported in this paper has been to estimate recreation values for beaches over approximately 1,400 km (km) of coastline along the Queensland coast. The study is notable at an international level because it assesses recreation values to a general type of recreation asset rather than to a specific site, and because it focuses on the values of the local resident population. Negative binomial models have been used to estimate both the visit rate and recreation values associated with beach visits in different regional areas. The value of a single beach visit was estimated per person at $35.09, which extrapolates to $587.3 million in beach recreation values per annum. These values are likely to be conservative because opportunity costs incurred to live closer to the beach (e.g. housing premiums) have not been assessed. Contingent behaviour models were used to estimate the values of potential declines in water quality, with marginal effects assessed at $1.30 per recreation trip to avoid each 1% decline in water quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In 1998, the Australian Government released Australia''s Oceans Policy (AOP), a world first policy initiative focused on providing a framework for integrated ecosystem-based management of Australia''s vast marine domain. The South East Regional Marine Plan, the first regional marine plan to be implemented under AOP, was released on 21 May 2004. This paper argues that although full integration across sectors and jurisdictions has not occurred, new AOP initiatives, institutions and governance processes have considerably increased sectoral and jurisdictional coordination in the South East region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses issues related to ocean development and international laws as of April 2005. Denmark's ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; Brazil and Australia's submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf with respect to their proposed outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.

The recovery of overexploited populations is likely to reveal behaviours that may have been present prior to harvest but are only now reappearing as the population size increases. The east Australian humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) population (group V, stock E1) has recovered well from past exploitation and is now estimated to be close to the pre‐whaling population size.Humpback whales were thought to follow a 'feast and famine' model historically, feeding intensively in high‐latitude feeding grounds and then fasting while migrating and in calving grounds; however, there is growing evidence that animals may feed outside of known foraging grounds.This short article reports on the first photographically documented evidence of bubble‐net feeding by humpback whales in Australian coastal waters (n = 10 groups observed) and provides the first evidence of a second site in the southern hemisphere for the formation of 'super‐groups' (n = 6 super‐groups at discrete locations).The formation of super‐groups may be linked to changes in the type or density of prey available, either along the migratory route or in the feeding grounds of the previous summer. It is also possible that the increased population size following recovery make large group sizes while feeding more common. These findings strongly support evidence that feeding behaviour is not restricted to high‐latitude foraging grounds in the Southern Ocean, and that prey consumption prior to leaving the coastal waters of Australia may be a significant component of the migratory ecology of this population.Understanding how environmental variation influences the extent to which humpback whales depend on foraging opportunities along their migratory route, and where feeding occurs, will help to predict how future changes in the ocean will influence whale populations. This will also allow for more effective management measures to reduce the impact of threats during this important period of energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In coastal water systems, horizontal chaotic dispersion plays a significant role in the distribution and fate of pollutants. Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs) provide useful tools to study the problem of the transport of pollutants and have only recently been applied to coastal waters. While the fundamentals of the LCS approach using idealised analytical flow fields are well established in the literature, there are limited studies on their practical implementations in coastal waters where effects of boundaries and bathymetry frequently become significant. Due to their complex bathymetry and boundaries, unstructured grid systems are commonly used in modelling of coastal waters. For convenient derivation of LCS diagnostics, structured grids are commonly used. Here we examine the effect of mesh resolution, interpolation schemes and additive random noise on the LCS diagnostics in relation to coastal waters. Two kinematic model flows, the double gyre and the meandering jet, as well as validated outputs of a hydrodynamic model of Moreton Bay, Australia, on unstructured grids are used. The results show that LCSs are quite robust to the errors from interpolation schemes used in the data conversion from unstructured to structured grid. Attributed to the divergence in the underlying flow field, the results show that random errors in the order of 1–10% cause a breakdown in the continuity of ridges of maximum finite-time Lyapunov exponents and closed orbit elliptic LCSs. The result has significant implications on the suitability of applying LCS formulations based on a deterministic flow field to diffusive coastal waters. Highlights: The work examines the sensitivities of applying Lagrangian coherent structure (LCS) diagnostics for coastal waters with complex boundaries. LCSs are robust to the errors from interpolation schemes used for unstructured to structured grid velocity data conversion. Additive random errors in the order of 1–10 % cause a breakdown in the continuity of ridges of maximum finite-time Lyapunov exponents and closed orbit elliptic LCSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small-tooth flounder Pseudorhombus jenynsii (Paralichthyidae) is a common, yet relatively unstudied, flatfish occurring in estuaries and coastal waters around Australia. This study determined the age and growth of P. jenynsii using 1,228 specimens collected between 2004 and 2013 as bycatch by seine netting in estuaries and trawling in coastal waters in south-western Australia. Opaque zones in 1,043 sectioned otoliths were validated as forming annually by otolith edge analysis, with the first opaque zone becoming delineated after the first spring when fish are ~ 12 months old. Female P. jenynsii ranged in total length from 79 to 406 mm and males from 96 to 354 mm. The maximum observed age for females and males was 5 and 4 years, respectively. While the von Bertalanffy growth functions (VBGF) fitted to the lengths at age differed significantly between the sexes, this difference in the length at age was < 5% between the ages of 1 and 3 years (where most of the data lay). The VBGF parameters for both sexes combined are L∞: 381 mm, k: 0.53 year−1, t0: -0.15 years. The large variation in size-at-age of P. jenynsii is indicative of a presumed extended 5–6 months spring and summer spawning period. The presence of small (< 200 mm) and young (< 2 years old) P. jenynsii in estuaries and shallow coastal waters confirms the use of these environments as nursery habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gibbes, B., Robinson, C., Li, L., and Lockington, D., 2007. Measurement of hydrodynamics and pore water chemistry in intertidal groundwater systems, SI 50 (Proceedings of the 9th International Coastal Symposium), 884 – 894. Gold Coast, Australia, ISSN 0749.0208 Oceanic forcing due to tides and waves results in complex and dynamic pore water flows in intertidal groundwater systems. In the presence of fresh groundwater discharge these flows are further complicated by variable density effects. The recirculation of seawater through these systems significantly influences the fate and fluxes of subsurface terrestrial contaminants discharging to coastal waters. As a result, understanding the dynamics and variability of the flow, transport and reaction processes in intertidal groundwater systems is crucial for accurate predictions of chemical loading to the receiving coastal ecosystem. Measurements of pore water flows and chemistry in the intertidal region are difficult due to the various forces acting on the system, each of which operate over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. In this paper we provide a review of monitoring techniques that are applicable to sandy intertidal groundwater systems. In particular we focus on relatively inexpensive equipment, based on commercially available pressure transducers and water quality probes, which have been successfully employed to collect simultaneous hydrodynamic and chemical data. Results from two recent field investigations are presented to illustrate the range of measurements which can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mahjabin, T.; Pattiaratchi, C., and Hetzel, Y., 2016. Factors influencing the occurrence of Dense Shelf Water Cascades in Australia. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 527-531. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Transport of inshore waters and suspended material off the continental shelf by Dense Shelf Water Cascades (DSWC) has important ecological and biogeochemical implications in Australian waters. Because of high rates of evaporation, denser saline water occurs in the shallow coastal regions around Australia, setting up horizontal density gradients that can drive DSWC. Ocean glider data available from the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), which is operated by the Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (ANFOG) located at the University of Western Australia, were used to measure cross-shelf density profiles under varying wind and tide conditions for seven contrasting regions around the entire continent. Overall 97 sets of spatial and temporal resolution data from year 2008 to 2015 collected by the ocean gliders and analysed with a subset presented here. Data from 19 transects covering the years 2012 to 2015 for the Pilbara region of Western Australia, indicated that cascades occur during the autumn and winter due to cooling of the coastal waters which already have higher salinity due to evaporation during the summer months. The cross-shelf density gradient in this continental shelf was found to be maximum in July with a value of 14.23×10−6 kg m−4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New South Wales (NSW) north coast has a diverse marine bivalve and gastropod fauna of biogeographical interest. A field survey at Shelly Beach, on the NSW lower north coast over the period 2009-2015, complemented by a review of data from secondary sources, identified 142 species comprising 34 bivalves (24 families) and 108 gastropods (51 families). It is likely that further survey effort, particularly targeting micro-molluscs less than 5 mm in size, would identify additional species. The molluscan fauna of Shelly Beach reflects the location of the NSW north coast in an overlap zone between the tropical Indo-West Pacific region to the north and the temperate southern Australian region to the south. Temperate zone species comprised about 63% of the identified species diversity, sub-tropical species about 20%, overlap zone endemics about 12% and widespread species about 5%.q [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is funded by the Australian Government, and designed to be a fully-integrated national array of observing equipment to monitor the open oceans and coastal marine environment around Australia. IMOS delivers physical, chemical and biological data comprising of observations from a wide spectrum of platforms including weather stations, oceanographic moorings, underway ship observations, seagliders, ocean surface radar, satellite image reception and reef based sensor networks. When data from ocean observing systems can be provided in near real-time, the operational aspects are further enhanced and provide potential for a range of value added products to be developed. Here we provide three examples of co-invested partnerships that have facilitated the development of real-time moored ocean observing systems in the coastal zone, operated by the Queensland IMOS node. For each of these examples, the project is introduced, a detailed technical description of the system is provided, operational aspects are summarised, and the uptake of data from stakeholders is discussed. These examples demonstrate the benefits of having a national collaborative approach to marine observing with a clear focus on open access to data. It is also demonstrated that the benefits and opportunities offered by real-time ocean observing can outweigh the technical challenges of developing and maintaining these complex systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating predator-prey relationships is an important component for identifying and understanding the factors that influence the structure and function of ecosystems. Mesopredators, defined as mid-level predators, have a profound effect on ecosystem structure by contributing an important link between apex predators and lower trophic levels. The diet of two elasmobranch mesopredators, Squalus acanthias and Mustelus antarcticus, was investigated in three locations in south-east Tasmania. Squalus acanthias consumed predominantly pelagic teleosts and cephalopods, while M. antarcticus predominantly consumed benthic crustaceans. As a result, there was low dietary and niche overlap between the two species. There was however evidence of intra-specific dietary variations between locations for both the species. This study has contributed to a better understanding of the top-down dynamics of the food web in coastal Tasmania, by providing important dietary information of two abundant mesopredators. In addition, the similar dietary patterns for S. acanthias and other Mustelus species over much of their global range suggest they may be consistent in their trophic roles across systems, with limited competition between these two sympatric mesopredators to be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small coastal dolphins endemic to south-eastern Australia have variously been assigned to described species Tursiops truncatus, T. aduncus or T. maugeanus; however the specific affinities of these animals is controversial and have recently been questioned. Historically 'the southern Australian Tursiops' was identified as unique and was formally named Tursiops maugeanus but was later synonymised with T. truncatus. Morphologically, these coastal dolphins share some characters with both aforementioned recognised Tursiops species, but they also possess unique characters not found in either. Recent mtDNA and microsatellite genetic evidence indicates deep evolutionary divergence between this dolphin and the two currently recognised Tursiops species. However, in accordance with the recommendations of the Workshop on Cetacean Systematics, and the Unified Species Concept the use of molecular evidence alone is inadequate for describing new species. Here we describe the macro-morphological, colouration and cranial characters of these animals, assess the available and new genetic data, and conclude that multiple lines of evidence clearly indicate a new species of dolphin. We demonstrate that the syntype material of T. maugeanus comprises two different species, one of which is the historical 'southern form of Tursiops' most similar to T. truncatus, and the other is representative of the new species and requires formal classification. These dolphins are here described as Tursiops australis sp. nov., with the common name of 'Burrunan Dolphin' following Australian aboriginal narrative. The recognition of T. australis sp. nov. is particularly significant given the endemism of this new species to a small geographic region of southern and south-eastern Australia, where only two small resident populations in close proximity to a major urban and agricultural centre are known, giving them a high conservation value and making them susceptible to numerous anthropogenic threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite an Indo-Pacific wide distribution, the movement patterns of grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) and fidelity to individual reef platforms has gone largely unstudied. Their wide distribution implies that some individuals have dispersed throughout tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, but data on large-scale movements do not exist. We present data from nine C. amblyrhynchos monitored within the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea off the coast of Australia. Shark presence and movements were monitored via an array of acoustic receivers for a period of six months in 2008. During the course of this monitoring few individuals showed fidelity to an individual reef suggesting that current protective areas have limited utility for this species. One individual undertook a large-scale movement (134 km) between the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef, providing the first evidence of direct linkage of C. amblyrhynchos populations between these two regions. Results indicate limited reef fidelity and evidence of large-scale movements within northern Australian waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines recent steps taken by Australia and France to combat illegal fishing in their claimed maritime zones of jurisdiction around their adjacent sub-Antarctic island territories. These steps comprise operational responses and legal developments, including the conclusion of two bilateral treaties on cooperative surveillance and enforcement. Geographical and legal problems associated with addressing the illegal fishing threat in the Southern Ocean are highlighted. It is concluded that when they come to be tested by international legal authorities, some of the more innovative legal measures under discussion are likely to be appraised as being in conflict with some provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intertwined issues of the delimitation of maritime boundaries and the division of the resources, particularly petroleum resources, of the Timor Sea have served as a persistent irritant in bilateral relations between Australia and East Timor since the latter's independence in 2002. In 2003 an International Unitization Agreement for the Greater Sunrise complex of fields was signed. This was followed by the conclusion in 2006 of the Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea. The subsequent entry into force of these agreements, in February 2007, appears to resolve this contentious dispute, at least for the foreseeable future. This article explores the background to the dispute and positions of the parties, traces the progress of negotiations towards its interim resolution and then assesses the agreements themselves. It is concluded that while the agreements are, on balance, somewhat more favourable to Australia than to East Timor, they can still be viewed as beneficial to both parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an update on domestic and international fisheries law affecting Australia as of December 2004. Funding support of the Australian government for ocean surveillance; Provisions of the 2004 Fisheries Legislation Amendment Act; Restrictions to coastal fishing.

An atmospheric correction algorithm for medium-resolution satellite data over general water surfaces (open/coastal, estuarine and inland waters) has been assessed in Australian coastal waters. In situ measurements at four match-up sites were used with 21 Landsat 8 images acquired between 2014 and 2017. Three aerosol sources (AERONET, MODIS ocean aerosol and climatology) were used to test the impact of the selection of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström coefficient on the retrieved accuracy. The initial results showed that the satellite-derived water-leaving reflectance can have good agreement with the in situ measurements, provided that the sun glint is handled effectively. Although the AERONET aerosol data performed best, the contemporary satellite-derived aerosol information from MODIS or an aerosol climatology could also be as effective, and should be assessed with further in situ measurements. Two sun glint correction strategies were assessed for their ability to remove the glint bias. The most successful one used the average of two shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands to represent sun glint and subtracted it from each band. Using this sun glint correction method, the mean all-band error of the retrieved water-leaving reflectance at the Lucinda Jetty Coastal Observatory (LJCO) in north east Australia was close to 4% and unbiased over 14 acquisitions. A persistent bias in the other strategy was likely due to the sky radiance being non-uniform for the selected images. In regard to future options for an operational sun glint correction, the simple method may be sufficient for clear skies until a physically based method has been established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Larval fish have been shown to vertically migrate with ontogeny, a behaviour that influences their dispersal by exposing the larvae to currents with different velocities at different stages of development. Most studies have focused on studying the vertical migration of tropical reef fishes, that have been shown in general to migrate downwards with ontogeny. Here we investigated if similar ontogenetic vertical migration patterns also occur for seven families of temperate reef fish along the eastern coast of Australia, sampling at three depth ranges (0–1 m, 5–50 m, 51–100 m) across sixteen stations along the continental shelf, and eight within cold-core eddies. Larval fish were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, their standard length measured, and ontogenetic stage classified to preflexion, flexion or postflexion. Generalised linear models were used to determine if the larval fish exhibited patterns of vertical migration with ontogeny and length. Four families (Labridae, Serranidae, Scorpaenidae, and Synodontidae) exhibited a downwards migration with ontogeny similar to vertical distribution patterns seen in tropical reef fish studies, Mullidae displayed different vertical migration patterns within eddies compared to coastal waters, and two families showed no ontogenetic vertical migration (Pomacentridae and Scaridae). For all families other than Scaridae, the larvae inside an eddy were longer suggesting larval retention. The vertical migration patterns observed, while varying among taxa, show that reef-associated larval fish off the eastern Australian coast do change their depth with ontogeny. The results of this study will be useful in parameterising connectivity modelling studies for these temperate reef-associated families. • There was a general pattern of larval fish increasing depth with age • Stage-dependent vertical distributions were not consistent across families • There was no effect of eddies on vertical distribution • The effect of environmental variables was not uniform across families [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global catch of longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol) has almost tripled over the past two decades, with recent stock assessments suggesting overexploited stocks. Nine longtail tuna were tracked for 2–115 days with pop-up satellite archival tags off eastern Australia (27.5°S 153.4°E to 27.5°S 153.4°E) to better understand their movements, habitat specificity, and post-capture mortality. Fish primarily utilised coastal waters of 0–25 m (maximum 90 m) and water temperatures of 23–28 °C (17.1–28.5 °C). All fish moved north for distances of up to 654 km, with three fish moving to a known spawning area where their vertical movement behaviour changed abruptly. Their occupation of shallow waters and a lack of diel vertical migrations differ markedly to the habits of oceanodromous Thunnus species. This may be due to the absence of a swim bladder and highly evolved heat exchanging vascular networks that may limit their niche breadth. The tagging data may help improve stock assessment model inputs and subsequent outcomes to guide the development of science-based conservation and management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lee, R.S., Wallace, S.L., Holden, C. and Black, K.P., 2007. Scaling coastal upwelling features of the East Australian Current. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 50 (Proceedings of the 9th International Coastal Symposium), 1152 – 1162. Gold Coast, Australia, ISSN 0749.0208 The coastal waters of eastern Australia are frequently influenced by eddies driven by the East Australian Current stream. Topographic steering and bottom shear associated with western boundary flows are considered responsible for localised coastal upwelling. A 300km array of temperature and current meter moorings (1996-2000) assessed the spatial and temporal variability of upwelling. Long-term records indicated the highest frequency of upwelling occurs in austral spring and late summer. Temperature records were analysed for coherence and phase, power spectra, and wavelet analysis provided an instantaneous and localised estimate of the temperature signal components. Coherent across the array were energy peaks associated with typical weather-band periods of 7-10 days. Regional events (length scales of 100 -150 km) were mostly coherent and in-phase for periods greater than 5 days. Localised upwelling events occurring at the two ends of the study region were generally incoherent throughout the frequency spectrum. Embedded within a southward cooling gradient of 0.5oC per 100 km were long-shore variations in upwelling frequency. The local anomalies were related to topographically-induced upwelling around changing shoreline orientations. Alongshore regions prone to upwelling were related to sharp positive rotations in shoreline orientation, having scales in accordance with the local Rossby radius. The current deployments indicated that strong upwelling at the most pronounced location (in the lee of Port Stephens promontory) was associated with back-eddy formation. This eddy formation represented the peak variance/energy at that location, and was out of phase with ambient forcing experienced at the remaining mooring locations in the array. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saeedpanah, I. and Jabbari, E., 2007. Simulation of water pollution in coastal areas using combination of the Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin scheme with radial basis functions and the fuzzy parameters. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 50 (Proceedings of the 9th International Coastal Symposium), 900 – 906. Gold Coast, Australia, ISSN 0749.0208 Randomly-changing values in time and space of different parameters such as pollutant load sources and physico-chemical coefficients is the difficulty in water with space and time is a basic problem in modeling water pollution modeling. Deterministic modeling is not adequate because it introduces crisp values of these parameters. To tackle the problem, fuzzy set theory is applied to define imprecise parameters which are used in a water pollution model. Physico-chemical coefficients and pollutant load sources are expressed in the form of fuzzy numbers. A two dimensional Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) with multiquadric radial basis function (MQ-RBF) as the interpolation method combined with fuzzy arithmetic is used for the solution of the advection-diffusion equation for BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) parameter. An upwind scheme is also used in order to reduce the numerical diffusion due to the convective term. The advantage of this method to the common methods in this field is that with the minimum amount of input data, one would be able to produce the necessary output due to the possibility of inputting the implicit and indefinite data in the form of fuzzy values and receiving the output in the same form, this method could replace the statistical methods. Another advantage of this method is that less input data and consequently less computation is needed. So the use of this method, in the cases that the data is not sufficient for statistical methods, could be very much successful so that the ambiguous and accidental parameters could be defined and described in the form of fuzzy data and relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lee, R.S., Pritchard, T.R., Ajani, P.A. and Black, K.P., 2007. The influence of the East Australian Current eddy field on phytoplankton dynamics in the coastal zone. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 50 (Proceedings of the 9th International Coastal Symposium), 576 – 584. Gold Coast, Australia, ISSN 0749.0208 Phytoplankton blooms are often studied too late in their development when the surface expression of predominantly senescent cells triggers an investigation. As a result studies typically depict an environment exhausted of nutrients and provide limited information on the mechanisms that caused the bloom. The purpose of the study reported here is to quantify the oceanographic and meteorological conditions leading to nutrient enrichment and subsequent phytoplankton responses (blooms) through a series of cross-shelf flux studies undertaken over spring/summer seasons in the 1990's along Australia's east-coast. The region is impacted by western boundary current encroachments of the East Australian Current (EAC), and anthropogenic inputs from the Newcastle-Sydney-Wollongong conurbation. Synoptically triggered responsive sampling transects along a 300km section of the shelf, identified coherent diatom - dinoflagellate successions over several weeks after oceanic nutrient enrichment of shelf waters. Concurrent physical observations identified perturbations of the East Australian Current into meanders, eddies and back-eddies by coastal and shelf topography as a key influence in determining the local nutrient budget and phytoplankton distributions. Response of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans (Macartney) occurred after sufficient critical prey mass of diatoms was achieved and overwhelmed zooplankton communities. The extent and duration of these blooms were unprecedented in these coastal waters, and were mitigated by local prevailing circulation patterns. Suggestions that preferential diatom feeding by Noctiluca may control its abundance, and that climatic variance may determine the dominant diatom population, indicate these events fluctuate inter-annually rather than seasonally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]