No images? Click here Welcome to the December 2020 Striped Trumpeter newsletter, a round-up of stories, videos, journal articles, reports and data from the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub. This edition rounds out a challenging year of new work arrangements, changed field programs and isolation from family, friends and colleagues. Despite this, I have been impressed by the resilience and flexibility of Hub researchers to continue to deliver high quality research and engagement. The biggest Hub news is the next phase of the NESP, recently announced by Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley. The four new NESP hubs are the Marine and Coastal Hub, the Resilient Landscapes Hub, the Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub, and the Climate Systems Hub. The Marine and Coastal Hub will be jointly hosted by the University of Tasmania and the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre. An increasingly important part of the program will be to build on the current Hub’s work in identifying and advancing Indigenous research interests, priorities, and on-ground activities, and establish partnerships to provide benefits for Indigenous people. The Hub will also drive coordinated research across all four new hubs under NESP’s ‘protected place management’ cross-cutting mission. Details of the research priorities, partnership and governance arrangements, and ways to get engaged in the development of research projects will be developed and communicated in early 2021. The NESP website has further background details about the program. Despite the challenges faced during 2020 associated with COVID-19 restrictions, Hub researchers have adapted to the current circumstances and maintained a busy schedule to deliver on project milestones and maintain a steady stream of outputs and end-user engagement. This has included workshops and webinars with a broad range of end users on coastal habitat restoration, marine microplastics, threatened species, marine park surveys, development of Australian Marine Park monitoring, underwater noise, and ocean outfalls. I have been impressed by the Hub researchers preparation and engagement with these remote meetings, and there continues to be positive feedback from the department. One of the Hub’s key products soon to be published is the Action Plan for Australian Sharks and Rays 2020 which provides a comprehensive and consistent review of the extinction risk of all Australian sharks, rays, and chimaeras, led by Peter Kyne and his co-authors and collaborators. Hub researchers have also been very busy leading and supporting field research and analysis covering the Hunter, Lord Howe, Ningaloo, Arafura, Wessels, Beagle, Gascoyne and South-west Corner Marine Parks. These surveys have applied the Hub's Field Manuals for Marine Sampling to Monitor Australian Waters, Version 2 of which is now available. Much of this work has also contributed to projects supporting the development of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement System for Australian Marine Parks, and I would like to thank the Hub researchers who have led this important work during 2020. For research closer to shore, my congratulations go the Hub’s shellfish reefs research team which received the 2020 Eureka Prize for Applied Environmental Research. Their entry, Rebuilding Australia’s Lost Shellfish Reefs, was an important recognition of the collaboration by The Nature Conservancy, James Cook University, University of Adelaide, University of Tasmania, and many other partners. This year has certainly thrown up many challenges, and I would like to thank the Hub executive team for all their support during 2020. I have certainly enjoyed continuing the great work of the Hub that was so well established by Nic Bax and the team, including all Hub partners and researchers. We're also pleased to present the Marine Biodiversity Hub Impact Report: 2007–2020 which highlights Hub research that has elevated Australia's capacity for conserving biodiversity and managing sustainable use in the marine environment. I look forward to continuing this work in 2021, and beyond with the new Marine and Coastal Hub. Our Christmas image (above) was taken by Rachel Austin of The University of Western Australia. It depicts seagrass (Amphibolis antarctica) seedlings in the waters of Shark Bay. The seedlings spend several weeks to months floating with the currents and tides, before eventually sinking and taking root on the seafloor. May the upcoming Christmas break offer you the chance to relax, catch up with family and friends, and get out and travel. We are very interested to know whether the information in this newsletter is useful, and to receive any other feedback. Please drop us a line. Alan Jordan, Marine Biodiversity Hub Director Stories, videos and posters
Journal articles
Scientific reports
Gatherings, presentations, fact sheets and infographics
Imagery from Hub catalogue Data All Hub datasets are discoverable through metadata records published to the Australian Ocean Data Network. Here are the latest records. The NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub is funded by the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program. Our goal is to assist decision-makers to understand, manage and conserve Australia’s environment by funding world-class biodiversity science. |