Dep

artm

ent o

f Em

ploy

men

t, Ec

onom

ic D

evel

opm

ent a

nd In

nova

tion

Gladstone Permanent Transect Seagrass Monitoring July 2011 Update

McCormack, C.V., Sankey, T.L., Hedge, S.A. and Rasheed, M.A.

Information should be cited as: McCormack, C. V., Sankey, T. L., Hedge, S.A.M, and Rasheed, M. A. (2011) Gladstone Permanent Transect Seagrass Monitoring – July 2011 Update, DEEDI Publication. Fisheries Queensland, Cairns, 29pp. For further information contact: Marine Ecology Group Fisheries Queensland, Northern Fisheries Centre PO Box 5396 Cairns QLD 4870 © The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2011. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other means be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior written permission of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The copyright owner shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information. Enquiries about reproduction, including downloading or printing the web version, should be directed to ipcu@dpi.qld.gov.au or telephone +61 7 3225 1398. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project is funded by Gladstone Ports Corporation and Fisheries Queensland through the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) and previously by Vision Environment. We wish to thank Samuel Hedge, Naomi Smith, Paul Leeson and Vanessa Pearson from Fisheries Queensland for their monitoring work in the field. Thanks to Naomi Smith for assistance with data processing. Thanks to Samuel Hedge, Naomi Smith, Vanessa Pearson, Catherine McCormack, Mark Leith, Lloyd Shepherd, Tonia Sankey and Samantha Toll from Fisheries Queensland for processing the seagrass tissue nutrient, reproductive and seed core samples in the laboratory. Thanks to Queensland Fisheries and Boating Patrol in Gladstone for logistical support.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

KEY FINDINGS …………………………………………………………………………………………….1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................2 RESULTS IN BRIEF – Inner Harbour High Impact Zone ............................................................3 RESULTS IN BRIEF – Outer Harbour Low Impact Zone ............................................................4 RESULTS IN BRIEF – Rodds Bay Out of Port Reference ..........................................................5 INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………………...6 METHODS …………………………………………………………………………………………………..7 RESULTS ………………………………………………………………………………………………….10 DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………………………………17 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………………….19 APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………………………………………21

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 1

KEY FINDINGS

• In July 2011 seagrasses cover and biomass in Gladstone Harbour and Rodds Bay increased at most locations. This is consistent with expected seasonal patterns of seagrass growth for the area.

• New shoots were seen across sites where seagrass had been absent or in very low abundance during the April 2011 survey.

• At some sites, seagrass cover and biomass remained significantly lower than seen in August 2010. This is expected given the scale of declines which occurred following the wet season. Seagrasses at these sites are recovering from extremely low levels that persisted for a number of months.

• Zostera capricorni and Halophila ovalis seeds found in the sediment are likely to have contributed to the recovery seen at some locations in 2011 and are a potential source of further recovery for some meadows.

• If climate conditions continue to be favourable for seagrass growth, based on previous surveys, we would expect to see further seasonal increases in seagrass in November 2011.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This update report details the findings of the latest of the regular quarterly assessments of permanent seagrass transects in Gladstone conducted in late July 2011 and an assessment of potential seed banks from samples collected during an additional survey conducted in March 2011.

In July 2011 seagrass cover and above-ground biomass at permanent transects had increased significantly at most locations since the previous survey in April 2011. At least some seagrass had returned to all sites, including the appearance of new shoots of Halophila ovalis and Zostera capricorni where seagrass had previously been absent or in very low abundance. These seasonal increases were expected based on previous monitoring. Despite signs of recovery, seagrass cover and biomass at some sites remained low compared to levels detected at a similar time last year (August 2010). This was expected given that seagrasses had been dramatically reduced following the wet season with a reduced capacity for recovery. The decreasing trends seen at some sites over the course of monitoring are consistent with observed climate conditions of high rainfall, river flows and low light conditions that occurred in 2010/11. Similar declines in seagrasses have also been recorded at other east coast locations where seagrasses are being monitored. Potential seed banks for Zostera capricorni were discovered at monitoring sites at Wiggins Island and Pelican Banks and for Halophila ovalis at Wiggins Island and Fishermans Landing. The viability of these seeds could not be tested in the laboratory, however in July 2011 new shoots of both species were detected across sites which had previously contained very little above-ground biomass. This provides evidence for the potential recovery of some meadows from seeds stored in the sediments.

If climate conditions continue to be favourable for seagrass growth, based on previous surveys, we would expect to see further seasonal increases in seagrass in November 2011.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 3

02468

Nov-09

Jan-10

Apr-10

Aug-10

Nov-10

Feb-11

Mar-11

Apr-11

Jul-11

% c

over

0

10

20

30

40

Nov-09

Jan-10

Apr-10

Aug-10

Nov-10

Feb-11

Mar-11

Apr-11

Jul-11

% c

over

RESULTS IN BRIEF – Inner Harbour High Impact Zone

Redcliffe Seagrass at Redcliffe will be sampled in August 2011 and results reported in the next quarterly update. Fishermans Landing Return of some seagrass with patches of new shoots appearing across sites. Seagrass Abundance Only a slight increase in cover with levels still significantly lower than seen in August 2010, although similar biomass as August 2010. Seagrass Species Halophila ovalis dominant with Zostera capricorni. Resilience/Capacity for Recovery Recovery of Zostera capricorni possible from remnant plants. Halophila ovalis seeds found in sediment core samples may assist recovery of Halophila ovalis. Wiggins Island Return of some seagrass with patches of new shoots appearing across site. Seagrass Abundance Only a slight increase in cover with levels still significantly lower than seen in August 2010, although similar biomass as August 2010. Seagrass Species Dominated by Zostera capricorni with Halophila ovalis also present. Resilience/Capacity for Recovery Zostera capricorni and Halophila ovalis seeds found at site may assist in further recovery. Recovery of both species also possible from remnant plants.

±

QUEENSLAND

Wiggins

Queensland

Rodds Bay

Inner Harbour

Outer Harbour

QUEENSLAND

±

Legend! Permanent Transect Monitoring Sites

November 2010 Seagrass Distribution

November 2009 Seagrass DistributionNovember 2002 Seagrass Distribution

QUEENSLAND

GladstoneGladstone

!

!

!

151°10'0"E

23°40'0"S

23°45'0"S

23°50'0"S

Fishermans LandingFishermans Landing

WigginsWiggins

CURTIS ISLAND

QUEENSLAND

RedcliffeRedcliffe

0 1 2 3

Kilometers

±

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – April 2011 Update 4

0

10

20

30

40

Nov-09

Jan-10

Apr-10

Aug-10

Nov-10

Feb-11

Mar-11

Apr-11

Jul-11

% c

over

05

10152025

Nov-09

Jan-10

Apr-10

Aug-10

Nov-10

Feb-11

Mar-11

Apr-11

Jul-11

% c

over

RESULTS IN BRIEF – Outer Harbour Low Impact Zone

Pelican Banks North Most dense seagrass location in monitoring program. Seagrass Abundance Declined sharply after November 2010 and remained low. Increase in cover and biomass in July 2011, however remains below level seen in August 2010. Seagrass Species Zostera capricorni remained the dominant species. Resilience/Capacity for Recovery Seagrass at this site in reasonable condition for this time of year. Large areas of seagrass coverage remain and evidence of substantial Z. capricorni seed bank.

Pelican Banks South Good seagrass cover remains at this location. Seagrass Abundance Increase in both cover and biomass from April. Seagrass cover at similar seasonal low level to August 2010, however biomass is significantly reduced. Seagrass Species Zostera capricorni has remained the dominant species. Resilience/Capacity for Recovery Seagrass at this site in reasonable condition for this time of year. Large areas of seagrass coverage remain and evidence of substantial Z. capricorni seed bank.

Facing Island Very low abundance of key species.

Seagrass Abundance Seagrass abundance declined sharply after November 2010 and has continued to decline. Seagrass cover significantly lower than similar time last year although seagrass biomass similar to August 2010 level. Seagrass Species Mix of Zostera capricorni and Halodule uninervis. Variable Halophila ovalis absent since March 2011. Resilience/Capacity for Recovery No evidence of seed bank detected at site however some recovery possible from remnant plants.

Legend! Permanent Transect Monitoring Sites

November 2010 Seagrass Distribution

November 2009 Seagrass Distribution

November 2002 Seagrass Distribution

QUEENSLAND

GladstoneGladstone

!

!

!

23°45'0"S

23°50'0"S

Pelican Banks SouthPelican Banks South

Quion Island

Coral Sea

CURTIS ISLAND

Pelican Banks NorthPelican Banks North

0 1 2 3

Kilometers

±

Facing IslandFacing Island

01020304050

Nov-09

Jan-10

Apr-10

Aug-10

Nov-10

Feb-11

Mar-11

Apr-11

Jul-11

% c

over

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – April 2011 Update 5

RESULTS IN BRIEF – Rodds Bay Out of Port Reference Rodds Bay Seagrass presence has a very high seasonal variability. Seagrass Abundance Seagrass abundance appears to decline substantially during each wet season (post November) with recovery occurring in winter months. Significantly lower cover in July 2011 than similar time last year (August 2010), however biomass significantly higher. Seagrass Species Shift back to Zostera capricorni as dominant species with a shoot of Halophila decipiens seen for the first time but Halophila ovalis absent from transects. Resilience/Capacity for Recovery Some remaining seagrass from which recovery could occur. Initial program results indicate seagrasses at this location may have a regular cycle of large scale loss during the wet season and recovery during winter/spring. Status of seed banks is unknown, however the production of flowers and reproductive spathes containing seeds has been recorded, so seed banks may exist.

±

Legend! Permanent Transect Monitoring Sites

November 2010 Seagrass Distribution

November 2009 Seagrass Distribution

November 2002 Seagrass Distribution

QUEENSLAND

GladstoneGladstone

!

!

151°40'0"E

24°5'0"S

Rodds Bay 2Rodds Bay 2

Turkey Beach

QUEENSLAND

Rodds Bay 1Rodds Bay 1

QUEENSLAND

0 1 2 3

Kilometers

±

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

% c

over

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update

6

INTRODUCTION Permanent transect monitoring of seagrass at seven locations in Port Curtis and Rodds Bay has been conducted quarterly since November 2009. These locations were established to determine within and between year variation of seagrass prior to and during the planned Western Basin dredging project. These permanent transects form the key sensitive receptor sites for assessing seagrass condition during the dredging operation and post dredging recovery. The assessments of change in seagrass communities can be related to light and temperature measurements collected as part of other seagrass and water quality studies conducted in the Gladstone Benthic Primary Producer Program (BPP). A longer historical dataset is available for two of the monitoring locations (Pelican Banks North and Rodds Bay) that have been assessed biannually since 2005 and 2007 respectively as part of the Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program (MMP). Standard methodology applied throughout Queensland allows for direct comparison of local seagrass dynamics with the broader region. The monitoring approach ensures that baseline seagrass information is collected frequently enough to establish the range of natural seasonal variability, and enables relationships between light, temperature and seagrass condition to be assessed throughout the seasonal cycle. The design also provides a mechanism for rapid reactive assessments of seagrass condition during the dredging campaign if required. This report updates the seasonal variation assessment of seagrass meadows with data collected from the permanent transect locations in Port Curtis and Rodds Bay in late July 2011 with the exception of Redcliffe which will be assessed at the end of August 2011 with results available in the next quarterly update.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update

7

METHODS Study location Seagrass was assessed at seven locations within the Gladstone Harbour area (Pelican Banks North, Pelican Banks South, Facing Island, Fishermans Landing, Wiggins Island and Rodds Bay in July 2011 (Map 1). Redcliffe was not surveyed in July 2011 but will be assessed in August 2011 with results included in the next update. The monitoring locations reflect a spread of the different seagrass meadow assemblage types present within the Gladstone Harbour area (Chartrand et al. 2009). Locations are geographically distributed from the southern section of the ‘The Narrows’ (Redcliffe) to the southern end of the harbour at Rodds Bay, close to the town of Turkey Beach (Map 1). Monitoring for the majority of locations commenced in November 2009 and followed the methods developed by the Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program (MMP) (McKenzie and Unsworth, 2009). This report compares the most recent quarterly sampling (July 2011) with data from all previous surveys, including an additional survey in March 2011 commissioned by GPC in response to large scale declines in seagrass recorded in February 2011. Intertidal seagrass monitoring For the assessment of seasonal and inter-annual changes in seagrass, surveys followed Seagrass-Watch standard methodology (McKenzie et al. 2007; see also www.seagrasswatch.org). At each of the seven locations, monitoring was conducted at two sites (except at Wiggins Island and Facing Island where there was only one site). A site was defined as a 50m x 50m area within a relatively homogenous section of a representative seagrass community/meadow (McKenzie et al. 2000). Each site contained three 50m transects which were monitored to determine percent seagrass cover and species composition. Additional information was collected on canopy height, algae cover and epiphyte cover. Seagrass canopy height was not measured for non-leaf replacing species such as Halophila ovalis. Biomass estimates Seagrass above-ground biomass data was determined using a “visual estimates of biomass” technique (Kirkman 1978, Mellors 1991). Above ground biomass estimates were either recorded during field sampling or determined from photos taken along each permanent transect. Above ground biomass estimates were made for each 0.25 m2 quadrat sampled along transects and data was treated and analysed in the same way as % cover to determine biomass at each location (see Statistical Analysis below). Seagrass Reproductive Assessment Seagrass reproductive health was assessed by taking 15 randomly placed cores (100mm diameter and depth) from an area adjacent to each permanent monitoring transect site. In the laboratory, the number of nodes (leaves arising from the rhizome) were counted for each species and the number of reproductive structures (i.e. female flower, male flower, spathes, fruits and seeds) for each species were identified and counted. Sediment cores were sieved through a 710µm sieve to separate out seagrass seeds and fruits from the sediment. Material from the sieves was placed in a shallow tray of water and any seeds present were removed, identified and recorded. If Halodule uninervis seeds were still attached to the rhizome, they were classified as fruits.

Comment [cm1]: Or 1mm?

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update

8

Seed Bank Assessment

During an additional survey undertaken in March 2011, 30 sediment cores (50mm diameter and 100mm depth) were collected at each permanent monitoring site at Facing Island, Pelican Banks, West Wiggins and Fishermans Landing and frozen for transportation to the laboratory. In the laboratory, sediment cores were run through a series of test sieves to separate out seagrass seeds from the sediment. For all cores, the > 710 µm size fraction of the sediment was inspected for Halodule uninervis and Zostera capricorni seeds. For a subset of the cores, the 250-710 µm size fraction was inspected under a microscope to find the much smaller Halophila ovalis seeds.

Seagrass Productivity Asexual above-ground productivity occurs principally by two means for seagrass species, through rhizome extension creating new shoots (all species) and through the creation of new leaves within existing shoots (leaf replacing species). Asexual reproduction was measured at four permanent transect locations (Facing Island, Fishermans Landing, Pelican Banks and Wiggins Island). Primary productivity was measured using techniques outlined in Short and Duarte (2001) and recently applied to determine productivity of seagrass meadows at Abbot Point (McKenna et al., 2008) and in the Torres Strait (Rasheed et al., 2008). Two methods (rhizome tagging and leaf marking) were used to measure above-ground productivity for Zostera capricorni, Halodule uninervis and Halophila ovalis based on their growth habits (Sankey et al. 2011a). Statistical Analysis

To determine differences in percent cover and seagrass biomass between surveys, an equal variance test was conducted to determine the best fit test statistic for the analysis. If the data passed the equal variance test (i.e. Bartlett’s), a simple one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was carried out in SigmaPlot v.11.0. Where data failed the equal variance test, a Behrens-Fisher test from Zar’s 4th Edition Biostatistical Analysis was undertaken using Microsoft Excel 2000. The Behrens-Fisher is a two-tailed t test that uses weighted degrees of freedom to account for unequal variances among the groups being tested.

The test statistic is;

and the degrees of freedom is calculated as:

Since the majority of the data did not follow a normal distribution, an α level of 0.01 was used (as opposed to α = 0.05) to minimise the possibility of recording a type 1 error (Underwood 1997). Detailed results are presented in Appendix 1 and 2.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 9

!

!

!

!

!

!

151°25'0"E151°20'0"E151°15'0"E151°10'0"E151°5'0"E151°0'0"E

23°40'0"S

23°45'0"S

23°50'0"S

23°55'0"S

CURTIS ISLAND

GLADSTONE

0 1 2 3

Kilometers

±

FACING ISLAND

Map 1. Gladstone Harbour Permanent Transect Monitoring Sites

!

!

Turkey Beach

!

!!

!

!!

!

!

Queensland

Coral Sea

Pelican Banks North

Pelican Banks South

Facing Island

Wiggins

Fishermans Landing

Redcliffe Rodds Bay 2

Rodds Bay 1

RODDS BAY

Legend! Permanent Transect Sites

November 2010 Seagrass DistributionPort Curtis Survey LimitNovember 2009 Seagrass DistributionNovember 2002 Seagrass Distribution

Source: Sankey, T.L., Hedge, S. A., McCormack, C.V. and Rasheed, M.A. 2011. Gladstone Permanent Transect Seagrass Monitoring Sites - April 2011 Update. (DEEDI, Cairns). © Vision Environment through DEEDI. Funded by GPC, Vision Environment and Fisheries Queensland.Produced by the Marine Ecology Group, DEEDI, Northern FisheriesCentre, Cairns, 2011

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 10

RESULTS Seagrass cover and biomass In July 2011 seagrass cover and above-ground biomass at permanent transects had increased significantly at most locations since the previous survey in April 2011 (Figures 1 & 2; Appendix 1 & 2) with new shoots of Halophila ovalis and Zostera capricorni appearing across multiple sights where seagrass had previously been absent or very low. Despite signs of recovery, seagrass cover and biomass at some sites remained low compared to levels detected at a similar time last year (Figures 1 & 2; Appendix 3 & 4). Inner Harbour There were obvious signs of recovery at permanent transects at Fishermans Landing, with small isolated patches of new shoots of Halophila ovalis and Zostera capricorni appearing across the site. Seagrass biomass (0.23 ± 0.11 g DW m-²) had returned to levels similar to that seen in November 2010, however cover (0.06 ± 0.03%) had only slightly increased and remained lower than seen in August 2011 (Figures 1 & 2; Appendix 1 & 2). At Wiggins Island, seagrass cover and biomass (0.45 ± 0.12% and 1.95 ± 0.11 g DW m-² respectively) had also increased since April 2011 (Figures 1 & 2, Appendix 1 & 2) and there were isolated patches of new shoots of Halophila ovalis and Zostera capricorni scattered across the site. Seagrass biomass was at its highest recorded since January 2010 and cover was at a similar level to that seen in August 2010 (Figure 2). Rodds Bay out of Port Reference Site There were some signs of recovery at Rodds Bay, where new shoots of Zostera capricorni and Halophila ovalis appeared in isolated patches across the site. Seagrass cover and biomass (0.30 ± 0.07% and 1.42 ± 0.22 g DW m-² respectively) had increased significantly since April 2011 (Figures 1 & 2, Appendix 1 & 2). Biomass was the highest recorded since the program commenced, however cover remained lower than levels seen in August 2010 (Figures 1 & 2). Outer Harbour Seagrass cover at Facing Island has been showing a declining trend since monitoring began in November 2009 (Figure 1). In July 2011, this declining trend continued with cover at the lowest level seen over the course of the monitoring program (0.49 ± 0.12%; Figure 1). There was however a significant increase in seagrass biomass (2.37 ± 0.38 DW m-²), with a return to levels seen from April to November last year (Figure 2, Appendix 2). At Pelican Banks North, both seagrass cover and biomass (15.73 ± 0.57% and 5.38 ± 0.20 g DW m-² respectively) had increased since April 2011 but remained significantly lower than levels detected in August 2010 (Figure 1 & 2, Appendix 1 & 2). Pelican Banks South followed the same trend with significant increases in both cover and biomass since April 2011 (Figure 1 & 2, Appendix 1 & 2). Seagrass cover at Pelican Banks South (13.18 ± 1.08%) had returned to a level similar to that seen in August 2010 (Figure 1, Appendix 1) although biomass (4.31 ± 0.34 g DW m-²) remained significantly lower than August 2010 levels (Figure 2, Appendix 2).

Comment [cm2]: Or just since Nov 09? Check seagrass watch data.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 11

Figure 1. Mean percent cover (±SE) of seagrass measured at seven locations in Gladstone Harbour from November 2009to July 2011. Rodds Bay were not surveyed in March 2011. Redcliffe has been monitored since August 2010 but was not surveyed in March or July 2011.

0

10

20

30

40

Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Seag

rass

% c

over

Wiggins Island Fishermans Landing Redclif fe Pelican Banks North

Pelican Banks South Facing Island Rodds Bay

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 12

Figure 2. Mean seagrass biomass (±SE g DW m-²) measured at seven locations in Gladstone Harbour from November 2009to July 2011. Rodds Bay were not surveyed in March 2011. Redcliffe has been monitored since August 2010 but was not surveyed in March or July 2011.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Biom

ass

gdw

Wiggins Island Fishermans Landing Redcliffe Pelican Banks North

Pelican Banks South Facing Island Rodds Bay

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 13

Table 1. Seagrass species identified at Port Curtis permanent transects from sampling events undertaken from November 2009 to July 2011.

Family

Species

CY

MO

DO

CEA

CE

AE

Tay

lor

HY

DR

OC

HA

RIT

AC

EA

E J

ussi

eu

ZOS

TER

AC

EA

E D

rum

mor

tier

(wide) (narrow)

Halophila ovalis (R. Br.) Hook. F.

Halophila decipiens Ostenfield

Halodule uninervis (Forsk.) Aschers. In Boissier

Zostera capricorni Aschers.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 14

Seagrass species assemblages Halophila ovalis was the dominant species seen at permanent transects at Fishermans Landing where the species had been absent since November 2010 (Appendix 4A). Seagrass was present at Wiggins Island transects for the first time since November 2011 where Zostera capricorni was dominant with Halophila ovalis also present. The species composition at Wiggins was very similar to that seen at a similar time last year (August 2010) (Appendix 4A). At Pelican Banks North, Z. capricorni remained the dominant species with only a very small amount of H. ovalis present. Pelican Banks South transects were also dominated by Z. capricorni (~ 85%) although the remaining proportion was split evenly between Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis (Appendix 4B). The seagrass species assemblage at Facing Island remained almost identical to that seen in April 2010 with H. ovalis remaining absent from the site (Appendix 4B). At Rodds Bay, the seagrass present was almost entirely Zostera capricorni, whereas Halophila ovalis had dominated transects in April 2010 (Appendix 4A). This shift brings the species assemblage at Rodds Bay back to that seen over the majority of surveys (Since November 2009). Halophila decipiens was also recorded at the site for the first time though only one shoot was seen. Seagrass epiphyte cover and algae In July 2011, seagrass epiphyte cover at Pelican Banks North and South (49.21 ± 4.12% and 37.31 ± 4.30% respectively; Figure 3) was at its highest level since the program commenced. Conversely, at Fishermans Landing, epiphyte cover was at its lowest recorded level since monitoring commenced (0.27 ± 0.08%; Figure 3). At all other sites, epiphyte cover had only increased or decreased slightly since April 2011 and was similar to the level of epiphyte cover seen in August 2010. Minimal algae (non-epiphytic) cover was recorded at most locations ranging from 1.27 ± 0.15% at Pelicans North to 3.27 ± 0.49% at Facing Island (Figure 3). Fishermans landing had a slightly higher algae cover at 10.65 ± 1.23% (Figure 3). At Wiggins Island and Facing Island, algae cover was noticeably lower than seen during August 2010 (Figure 3).

Comment [cm3]: check seagrass watch data

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 15

Figure 3. Mean (±SE) percent epiphyte and algae cover measured at seven locations in Port

Curtis from November 2009 to July 2011. Redcliffe was not surveyed in March or July 2011. Rodds Bay was not surveyed in July 2011.

Seagrass Reproductive Assessment There was little evidence of reproductive effort in samples collected during April 2011. Zostera capricorni seeds were found at both Pelican Banks North and South (9 seeds and 1 seed respectively) and at Wiggins Island (1 seed) but were not found at any other location. There were no other reproductive seagrass parts (fruits, flowers, seeds or spathes) recorded in any of the April 2011 samples. A full assessment of seagrass reproductive effort will be provided in the next quarterly update.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

FishermansLanding

WigginsIsland

PelicanBanksNorth

PelicansBanksSouth

FacingIsland

Rodds Bay Redclif fe

Epip

hyte

% c

over

Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

0

10

20

30

40

FishermansLanding

WigginsIsland

PelicanBanks North

PelicansBanksSouth

FacingIsland

Rodds Bay Redclif fe

Alga

e %

cov

er

Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites - July 2011 Update 16

Seagrass Productivity The absence or poor condition of seagrass at some sites reduced the capacity to collect data for productivity estimates during the post wet season period. The data, although limited suggest that rates of leaf production vary with species, location and season. Leaf production rates acquired through tagging techniques ranged from 0.15 ± 0.01 DW shoot-1 day-1 (Halodule uninervis at Facing Island in April 2010) to 0.45 ±0.33 mg DW shoot-1 day-1 (Zostera capricorni at Facing Island in April 2010) (Appendix 3B). Rates of rhizome and shoot production acquired through tagging techniques ranged from 0.16 mg DW day-1 (Halophila ovalis at Pelican Banks North in September 2010) to 1.79 ± 0.47 mg DW day-1 (Zostera capricorni at Pelican Banks North in September 2010) (Appendix 3B). Recent improvements in seagrass meadow condition should assist in productivity data collection to build on this data set and allow for more robust growth estimates.

Seed Bank Assessment

Zostera capricorni seeds were found at both sites at Pelican Banks where they ranged in density from 84.90 ± 55.07 m-2 for site 3 at Pelican Banks South to 849.04 ± 101.69 m-2 for site GH1 at Pelican Banks North. Zostera capricorni seeds were also found at the Wiggins Island site at a density of 560.37 ± 104.63 m-2, but were absent from all sites at Fishermans Landing and Facing Island (Table 1). Zostera capricorni seeds were also subsequently found during the regular April permanent transect monitoring event. These seeds were also found at Pelican Banks and Wiggins Island but were absent from Fishermans Landing and Facing Island (see section 6 above).

Halophila ovalis seeds were found at both sites at Fishermans Landing (470.24 ± 157.26 m-2 and 117.56 ± 81.57 m-2 at site FL1 and FL2 respectively). Halophila ovalis were also found at Wiggins Island (169.81 ± 92.03 m-2) but were absent from all sites at Pelican Banks and Facing Island (Table 2). There were no Halodule uninervis seeds found at any sites sampled in March 2011.The viability of seeds was not able to be determined due to the effect of freezing the samples.

Table 1. Average density (seeds m-2) of Zostera capricorni and Halophila ovalis seeds at permanent transect sites from sediment seed cores collected at Gladstone Harbour in March 2011.

Impact

Zone Location (site) Density of Zostera capricorni seeds (m-2)

Density of Halophila ovalis seeds (m-2)

Pelican Banks North (GH1) 849.04 ± 101.69 (n = 30) 0 (n = 15)

Pelican Banks North (GH2) 654.27 ± 188.50 (n = 30) 0 (n = 16)

Pelican Banks North (pooled) 747.16 ± 105.88 (n = 60) na

Pelican Banks South (GH3) 84.90 ± 55.07 (n = 30) 0 (n = 15)

Pelican Banks South (GH4) 86.36 ± 43.62 (n = 30) 0 (n = 15)

Pelican Banks South (sites pooled) 84.90 ± 34.60 (n = 60) na

Out

er H

arbo

ur

Facing Island (FH1) 0 (n = 30) 0 (n = 15)

Fishermans Landing (FL1) 0 (n = 30) 470.24 ± 157.56 (n =13)

Fishermans Landing (FL2) 0 (n = 30) 117.56 ± 81.57 (n = 14)

Fishermans Landing (sites pooled) na 283.01 ± 91.54 (n = 27) Inne

r H

arbo

ur

Wiggins Island (WW1) 560.37 ± 104.63 (n = 30) 169.81 ± 92.03 (n = 13)

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update

17

DISCUSSION In July 2011, seagrasses at permanent transect sites in Port Curtis and Rodds Bay showed signs of recovery. Both the cover and above-ground biomass of seagrass had increased significantly at all locations excluding Facing Island where the cover of seagrass had declined further since April 2011. Furthermore, there were new shoots of Zostera capricorni and Halophila ovalis seen scattered across some sites, including those where transects had been devoid of seagrass during the April survey. The increase in seagrass cover was expected at most locations, for example Pelican Banks North and South, Fishermans Landing and Rodds Bay where there were similar increases seen from April to August 2010. Despite signs of recovery, seagrass cover at these locations was significantly lower than levels seen the previous winter (August 2010). This is not surprising given that seagrasses at a number of sites had been either absent or at extremely low levels during surveys from February to April 2011. The weather patterns associated with the La Nina (high rainfall, turbid water, and high cloud cover) and early rainfall over the spring period in 2010 were likely to have had a negative impact on seagrass health in November 2010 (Sankey et al. 2011a). Seasonal recovery was likely further inhibited by the extent of rainfall and flooding events in 2011 reducing water quality and available light (Vision Environment 2011). Facing Island was the only location where seagrass cover had declined since April 2011. This could be expected given that similar declines occurred at this location from April to August 2010. Based on previous surveys, we would expect to see some recovery at this site in November 2011. However, continuous declines combined with unfavourable weather conditions may have reduced below-ground energy stores and potential seed banks from which recovery could occur (Sankey and Rasheed 2009). There was no evidence of a seed bank found at the Facing Island site and any future recovery would rely largely on the remnant biomass. In March 2011 Zostera capricorni seeds were found at fairly high densities at both Pelican Banks North and South and also at the Wiggins Island site where the majority of the above ground seagrass has been lost. Seed densities were within the range found in areas of Moreton Bay in South East Queensland (X to X seeds m-2; Conacher et al. 1994). During our investigations, a potential seed bank for Halophila ovalis was also discovered at both the Wiggins Island and Fishermans Landing sites which had a very low cover of seagrass at the time. Subsequently, in July 2011, new shoots were discovered scattered across sites at Wiggins Island, Fishermans Landing and Rodds Bay. Although the viability of seeds could not be determined in the laboratory, the appearance of new shoots where there was previously very little above-ground biomass indicates that at least some recovery may be attributed to the germination of seeds stored in the sediment. It is unclear how long viable seeds may persist in the sediment but studies have founds some Zostera capricorni seeds present in the sediment up to 4 months after peak flowering and seed production (Conacher et al. 1994) These results are promising in terms of resilience of some of these seagrass meadows. The seed bank status was not determined at Rodds Bay but given the recovery seen during the July 2011 survey, there are likely to be seeds stored in the sediment at this site. The spring to summer period is typically the peak season for seagrasses in Port Curtis and Rodds Bay and we would expect to see further recovery across all sites at the next sampling event (November 2011) based on previous surveys. However monitoring has only been undertaken at most sites since 2009 and it may take some time for seasonal trends and natural variation in seagrass abundance to become apparent. Collecting information from inner and outer harbour

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update

18

sites will provide essential baseline information to assess the health of seagrasses during upcoming dredging operations.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update

19

REFERENCES Abal, E.G. and Dennison, W.C. (1996). Seagrass depth range and water quality in southern

Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 47: 763-771. Burkholder, J. M., Tomasko, D. A. & Touchette, B. W. (2007) Seagrasses and eutrophication.

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 350: 46-72. Chartrand, K. M., McKenna, S. A., Pertrou, K., Jimenez-Denness, I., Franklin, J., Sankey, T. L.,

Hedge, S. A., Rasheed, M. A. and Ralph, P. J. (2010) Port Curtis Benthic Primary Producer Habitat Assessment and Health Studies Update: Interim Report December 2010. DEEDI Publication. Fisheries Queensland, Cairns, 128 pp.

Chartrand, K., Rasheed, M. A. & Unsworth, R. K. F. (2009) Long-term seagrass monitoring in Port

Curtis and Rodds Bay, Gladstone - November 2008 QPI&F Publication PR09-4407, 32pp. CQU (2004) Port Curtis Seagrass Monitoring Programme - Gladstone Port Authority Surveys:

February 1997 – May 2004. (ed^(eds. Centre for Environmental Management, Faculty of Arts, Health and Sciences, Central Queensland University, Gladstone, Queensland.

Heck, K. L., Carruthers, T. J. B., Duarte, C. M., Hughes, A. R., Kendrick, G., Orth, R. J. & Williams,

S. W. (2008) Trophic transfers from seagrass meadows subsidize diverse marine and terrestrial consumers. Ecosystems 11: 1198-1210.

Johnson, M. Heck Jnr, K, and Fourqurean, J. (2006). Nutrient content of seagrasses and epiphytes

in the northern Gulf of Mexico: Evidence of phosphorus and nitrogen limitation. Aquatic Botany 85: 103-111.

Kirkman, H. (1978). Decline of seagrass in northern areas of Moreton Bay, Queensland. Aquatic

Botany 5: 63-76 McKenzie, L.J., Campbell, S.J., Vidler, K.E. & Mellors, J.E. (2007). Seagrass-Watch: Manual for

Mapping and Monitoring Seagrass Resources. (Seagrass-Watch HQ, Cairns) 114pp. McKenzie, L. J., Lee Long, W. J., Coles, R. G. & Roder, C. A. (2000) Seagrass-Watch: Community

Based Monitoring Of Seagrass Resources. Biol. Mar. Medit. 7: 393-396. McKenzie, L. J. & Unsworth, R. K. F. (2009) Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan

(Reef Rescue) - Marine Monitoring Program: Intertidal Seagrass. Final Report for the Sampling Period 1st September 2008 - 31st May 2009. Fisheries Queensland, Cairns, 127pp.

Mellors, J.E. (1991). An evaluation of a rapid visual technique for estimating seagrass biomass,

Aquatic Botany 42: 67-73. Rasheed M. A., Dew K. R., McKenzie L. J., Coles R. G., Kerville S. and Campbell S. J. (2008).

Producivity, carbon assimilation and intra-annual change in tropical reef platform seagrass communities of the Torres Strait, north-eastern Australia. Continental Shelf Research 28:2292-2303.

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update

20

Sankey, T. L., Hedge, S.A., McKenzie, L. J., S. A., McCormack, C. V. and Rasheed, M. A. (2011a) Gladstone Permanent Transect Seagrass Monitoring – April 2011 Update, DEEDI Publication. Fisheries Queensland, Cairns, 30pp.

Sankey, T. L. and Rasheed, M. A. (2009). Long Term Seagrass Monitoring in the Port of Mourilyan

- December 2008. QPI&F Publication PR09-4426 (QPI&F, Cairns). 21 pp. Sankey, T. L. and Rasheed, M. A. (2011b). Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring

Sites - February and March 2011 Update. DEEDI Publication. Fisheries Queensland, Cairns, 24 pp.

Vision Environmnent (2011). WBDEM Benthic PAR & Temperature Data Summary: December

2010 to March 2011. Vision Environment, Gladstone, 26 pp. Zar’s 4th Edition Biostatistical Analysis

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update

21

Appendix 1 Summary of statistical results for seagrass percent cover versus survey for Permanent Transect monitoring locations in Gladstone Harbour and Rodds Bay (November 2009 to July 2011). All meadows failed the equal variance test (i.e. Bartlett’s test) and therefore the Behrens-Fisher test was used. Each cell contains the t’ statistic for each comparison and degrees of freedom stated below in brackets. Shaded cells indicate a significant difference of p < 0.01. Fishermans Landing

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.1644 (109)

Apr-10 5.0706 (90)

3.5747 (75)

Aug-10 5.0521 (83)

3.5313 (72)

0.3715 (127)

Nov-10 3.7553 (104)

2.7662 (82)

1.7247 (122)

1.5740 (113)

Feb-11 7.6454 (65)

5.0595 (65)

4.2773 (65)

5.5253 (65)

5.3065 (65)

Mar-11 7.6750 (65)

5.0776 (65)

-4.3420 (65)

5.6017 (65)

5.3569 (65)

1.2383 (86)

Apr-11 7.6911 (65)

5.0876 (65)

4.3778 (65)

5.6437 (65)

5.3847 (65)

1.9474 (65)

1.6827 (72)

Jul-11 7.5951 (65)

5.0304 (65)

4.1750 (67)

5.4011 (67)

5.2248 (66)

1.6543 (89)

6.0727 (69)

20.7664 (65)

Rodds Bay

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 2.7002 (69)

Apr-10 2.7002 (69)

Aug-10 0.0865 (93)

31.9772 (65)

31.9772 (65)

Nov-10 0.8322 (102)

15.5729 (65)

15.5729 (65)

1.5337 (127)

Feb-11 2.6827 (69)

132.0000 (65)

132.0000 (65)

6.0264 (65)

3.4580 (65)

Apr-11 2.5291 (71)

30.0823 (65)

30.0823 (65)

5.6321 (73)

3.1494 (71)

6.2795 (68)

Jul-11 1.9917 (73)

60.5372 (65)

60.5372 (65)

4.3563 (83)

2.0948 (78)

23.4834 (66)

4.3909 (115)

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update

22

Pelican Banks South

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 6.9793 (115)

Apr-10 13.2506 (102)

6.6881 (125)

Aug-10 9.4121 (102)

1.7615 (125)

5.5568 (130)

Nov-10 9.7797 (106)

2.6771 (128)

4.0491 (129)

1.1413 (129)

Feb-11 16.5953 (89)

10.0398 (111)

2.5659 (123)

9.2058 (123)

7.3576 (119)

Mar-11 14.9748 (97)

8.5707 (121)

1.7234 (129)

7.6282 (129)

6.0461 (127)

0.6382 (127)

Apr-11 18.7828 (82)

12.4147 (100)

4.5336 (113)

11.8948 (113)

9.7083 (108)

2.0024 (126)

2.5161 (117)

Jul-11 9.0862 (123)

3.4578 (128)

1.5262 (117)

2.3740 (117)

1.4707 (122)

3.3067 (102)

2.7399 (113)

4.5367 (92)

Facing Island

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.0135 (64)

Apr-10 1.9656 (59)

2.0137 (61)

Aug-10 3.5884 (56)

3.7009 (58)

1.6715 (63)

Nov-10 2.2116 (57)

2.2722 (59)

0.1184 (64)

1.5841 (64)

Feb-11 9.2009 (36)

9.7318 (37)

7.3743 (40)

4.7210 (41)

7.6252 (41)

Mar-11 9.1365 (38)

9.6360 (39)

7.4074 (43)

4.9368 (45)

7.6435 (45)

1.0594 (62)

Apr-11 11.5259 (32)

12.2734 (33)

10.2203 (33)

7.4440 (33)

10.7226 (33)

5.1499 (39)

2.8493 (37)

Jul-11 11.9031 (32)

12.6803 (32)

10.7150 (33)

7.9672 (33)

11.2583 (33)

6.4618 (36)

3.8927 (35)

3.4696 (61)

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update

23

Pelican Banks North

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.1983 (130)

Apr-10 6.9452 (86)

6.7615 (87)

Aug-10 1.4527 (98)

1.1300 (100)

7.6365 (122)

Nov-10 0.9859 (130)

1.2014 (130)

5.5423 (87)

2.7154 (100)

Feb-11 11.3563 (73)

11.3192 (74)

7.0379 (108)

16.5863 (93)

14.2075 (73)

Mar-11 8.9967 (83)

8.8804 (85)

3.5289 (129)

11.7666 (119)

11.4311 (84)

2.5092 (112)

Apr-11 10.2225 (76)

10.1429 (77)

5.0522 (119)

14.2878 (103)

12.9201 (77)

1.9438 (126)

0.9118 (123)

Jul-11 6.9967 (78)

6.7959 (79)

1.2978 (123)

8.7136 (107)

9.5439 (79)

10.2658 (123)

5.5612 (126)

7.5847 (129)

Wiggins Island

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.7989 (61)

Apr-10 7.8782 (34)

6.8135 (35)

Aug-10 8.7793 (33)

7.8211 (33)

1.6439 (50)

Nov-10 8.5585 (33)

7.5792 (34)

1.3807 (59)

0.1523 (60)

Feb-11 9.4660 (32)

8.6262 (32)

4.0974 (32)

3.8641 (33)

3.1276 (32)

Mar-11 9.4786 (32)

8.6412 (32)

4.1567 (32)

3.9697 (32)

3.2065 (32)

1.0000 (32)

Apr-11 9.4786 (32)

8.6412 (32)

4.1567 (32)

3.9697 (32)

3.2065 (32)

1.0000 (32)

Jul-11 9.2895 (32)

8.4139 (32)

3.2822 (35)

2.4424 (41)

2.0554 (37)

9.4952 (36)

31.6168 (32)

31.6168 (32)

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 24

Appendix 2. Summary of statistical results for seagrass percent cover versus survey for Permanent Transect monitoring locations in Gladstone Harbour and Rodds Bay (November 2009 to July 2011). All meadows failed the equal variance test (i.e. Bartlett’s test) and therefore the Behrens-Fisher test was used. Each cell contains the t’ statistic for each comparison and degrees of freedom stated below in brackets. Shaded cells indicate a significant difference of p < 0.01. Fishermans Landing

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 1.4607 (30)

Apr-10 1.7551 (24)

0.2969 (30)

Aug-10 2.3216 (17)

1.0011 (17)

0.9927 (17)

Nov-10 1.2852 (22)

0.4122 (28)

1.0244 (40)

13.0542 (67)

Feb-11 2.4774 (17)

1.2247 (17)

1.3186 (17)

3.5834 (17)

3.0780 (65)

Apr-11 2.4798 (17)

1.2280 (17)

1.3234 (17)

3.6373 (17)

3.0843 (65)

1.5532 (85)

Jul-11 1.4197 (25)

0.1730 (25)

0.6619 (55)

8.4007 (66)

0.3969 (122)

17.3369 (65)

17.6590 (65)

Rodds Bay

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 1.0305 (17)

Apr-10 1.0305 (17)

Aug-10 0.8593 (17)

604.0452 (17)

604.0452 (17)

Nov-10 4.8444 (80)

13.9538 (65)

13.9538 (65)

12.7052 (65)

Feb-11 1.0288 (17)

5208.3333(69)

5208.3333 (69)

3.3905 (17)

3.7754 (65)

Apr-11 1.0174 (17)

2022.7262(65)

2022.7262 (65)

3.1615 (18)

3.7706 (65)

6.7233 (72)

Jul-11 8.1079 (82)

30.3962 (65)

30.3962 (65)

26.7251 (65)

1.2400 (124)

30.2673 (65)

29.8151 (65)

Comment [cm4]: Need to fill in remaining stats from excel worksheet

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 25

Pelican Banks South

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.1054 (29)

Apr-10 3.2535 (20)

4.5949 (25)

Aug-10 0.7800 (27)

1.0487 (34)

1.4866 (26)

Nov-10 1.5990 (21)

2.3204 (28)

2.4822 (61)

0.4694 (31)

Feb-11 5.6624 (17)

9.2160 (17)

3.0684 (18)

6.3680 (17)

8.7382 (69)

Apr-11 6.0311 (17)

9.8672 (17)

4.1214 (17)

7.0239 (17)

9.8981 (66)

4.5854 (87)

Jul-11 5.2091 (17)

8.4795 (17)

1.7500 (19)

5.5857 (18)

7.4482 (70)

5.0041 (126)

14.4215 (81)

Facing Island

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.0310 (15)

Apr-10 2.9304 (12)

2.5453 (11)

Aug-10 4.3193 (9)

3.5695 (9)

0.1366 (13)

Nov-10 5.0295 (9)

4.0812 (9)

0.0389 (11)

0.2931 (18)

Feb-11 5.8225 (8)

4.5775 (8)

0.3009 (8)

0.1204 (8)

0.7970 (34)

Apr-11 7.0385 (8)

5.5624 (8)

1.9633 (8)

3.7272 (8)

4.3563 (32)

29.3835 (36)

Jul-11 6.2401 (8)

4.9511 (8)

0.8205 (9)

1.6822 (10)

1.6187 (44)

7.9561 (42)

11.7075 (33)

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 26

Pelican Banks North

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.5973 (29)

Apr-10 0.5882 (33)

1.9800 (25)

Aug-10 0.3658 (34)

0.8943 (28)

0.8707 (33)

Nov-10 1.8757 (59)

0.6375 (34)

2.3521 (71)

1.5810 (61)

Feb-11 6.6956 (17)

7.8599 (17)

5.7704 (17)

8.5330 (17)

14.8324 (65)

Apr-11 6.9771 (17)

8.0404 (17)

6.1077 (17)

8.8326 (17)

15.1220 (65)

3.3866 (127)

Jul-11 6.0798 (17)

7.4735 (17)

5.0194 (17)

7.8996 (17)

14.2867 (65)

8.4302 (127)

13.3317 (130)

Wiggins Island

Survey Nov-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jul-11

Nov-09

Jan-10 0.0420 (15)

Apr-10 2.2662 (8)

3.1918 (8)

Aug-10 2.2997 (8)

3.2482 (8)

0.1406 (15)

Nov-10 2.4073 (8)

3.4071 (8)

1.3064 (8)

1.5322 (8)

Feb-11 2.4139 (8)

3.4159 (8)

1.4010 (8)

1.6594 (8)

4.4101 (33)

Apr-11 2.4141 (8)

3.4161 (8)

1.4036 (8)

1.6628 (8)

4.5298 (32)

1.0000 (32)

Jul-11 1.9286 (8)

2.7359 (8)

3.2563 (31)

4.0924 (38)

12.8295 (32)

13.5766 (32)

13.6597 (32)

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 27

Appendix 3A Seagrass leaf production (mg DW shoot -1 day -1) at Port Curtis in February and April 2020 and April 2011. Data acquired through leaf marking techniques.

Species Region Location Month Growth mg DW shoot-1 day-1

Feb 2010 0.21 ± 0.05 (n = 19) Halodule uninervis

Outer Harbour Facing Island

Apr 2010 0.15 ± 0.01 (n = 17)

Inner Harbour Wiggins Island Feb 2010 0.15 ± 0.04 (n = 12)

Facing Island Apr 2010 0.45 ± 0.33 (n = 2) Zostera

capricorni Outer Harbour Pelican Banks

North Apr 2011 0.08 ± 0.01 (n = 7)

Appendix 3B Seagrass rhizome and shoot production (mg DW meristem-1 day-1) at Port Curtis in April, May, September and November 2010 and April 2011. Values include daily production of rhizome and shoots (leaves) but does not include root production. Data acquired through rhizome tagging techniques.

Species Region Location Month Growth mg DW day-1

Wiggins Island April 2010 0.43 ± 0.05 (n = 17) Inner

Harbour Fishermans Landing Nov 2010 0.79 ± 0.15 (n =14) Halophila

ovalis Outer

Harbour Pelicans North Sept 2010 0.16 (n = 1)

Facing Island May 2010 0.28 ± 0.05 (n = 9) Halodule uninervis

Outer Harbour Pelicans

Banks North Sep 2010 1.79 ± 0.47 (n = 11)

Sep 2010 0.29 ± 0.03 (n = 6) Zostera capricorni

Outer Harbour

Pelicans Banks North Apr 2011 0.20 ± 0.03 (n = 17)

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 28

Appendix 4A. Seagrass species composition at Wiggins Island, Fishermans Landing and Rodds Bay from November 2009 to July 2011.

Fishermans Landing

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Nov 09 Jan 10 Apr 10 Aug 10 Nov 10 Feb 11 Mar 11 Apr 11 Jul 11

%Sp

ecie

s C

ompo

sitio

n

Halophila ovalis

Zostera capricorni

Wiggins Island

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Nov 09 Jan 10 Apr 10 Aug 10 Nov 10 Feb 11 Mar 11 Apr 11 Jul 11

% S

peci

es C

ompo

sitio

n

Halophila ovalis

Zostera capricorni

Rodds Bay

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Nov 09 Jan 10 Apr 10 Aug 10 Nov 10 Feb 11 Apr 11 Jul 11

% S

peci

es C

ompo

sitio

n

Halophila decipiensHalodule uninervisHalophila ovalisZostera capricorni

Gladstone Permanent Transects Seagrass Monitoring Sites – July 2011 Update 29

Appendix 4B. Seagrass species composition at Facing Island, Pelican Banks North and Pelican Banks South from November 2009 to July 2011.

Facing Island

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Nov 09 Jan 10 Apr 10 Aug 10 Nov 10 Feb 11 Mar 11 Apr 11 Jul 11

% S

peci

es C

ompo

sitio

n

Halodule uninervis

Halophila ovalis

Zostera capricorni

Pelican Banks North

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Nov 09 Jan 10 Apr 10 Aug 10 Nov 10 Feb 11 Mar 11 Apr 11 Jul 11

% S

peci

es C

ompo

sitio

n

Halodule uninervis

Halophila ovalis

Zostera capricorni

Pelican Banks South

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Nov 09 Jan 10 Apr 10 Aug 10 Nov 10 Feb 11 Mar 11 Apr 11 Jul 11

% S

peci

es C

ompo

sitio

n

Halophila spinulosaHalodule uninervisHalophila ovalisZostera capricorni