The impacts of flooding on the high-latitude, terrigenoclastic influenced coral reefs of Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia

Butler, IR; Sommer, B; Zann, M; Zhao, JX; Pandolfi, JM

The impacts of flooding on the high-latitude, terrigenoclastic influenced coral reefs of Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia

Butler, IR Sommer, B

Zann, M Zhao, JX Pandolfi, JM

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Publisher:: SPRINGER
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Coral Reefs, 2013, 32, (4), pp. 1149-1163
Issue Date:: 2013-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Butler, IR
dc.contributor.author	Sommer, B https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0617-7790
dc.contributor.author	Zann, M
dc.contributor.author	Zhao, JX
dc.contributor.author	Pandolfi, JM
dc.date.accessioned	2021-07-29T02:34:01Z
dc.date.available	2021-07-29T02:34:01Z
dc.date.issued	2013-12-01
dc.identifier.citation	Coral Reefs, 2013, 32, (4), pp. 1149-1163
dc.identifier.issn	0722-4028
dc.identifier.issn	1432-0975
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/149970
dc.description.abstract	This study examines the impacts of an acute flooding event on the marginal, high-latitude, terrigenoclastic influenced coral reefs of Hervey Bay in southeast Queensland, Australia. In January 2011, the Mary River near Hervey Bay experienced its eleventh highest flood on record. The Mary River catchment has been highly modified since European colonisation, and, as a result of heavy rain and flooding, Hervey Bay was exposed to reduced salinity and elevated levels of turbidity and nutrients for approximately 14 weeks. Through the use of photograph transects and point intercept analysis, per cent cover of coral reef benthic communities was measured prior to and just after the flooding event. Sites were located between 250 m and 5 km from the mainland and from 18 to 85 km away from the mouth of the Mary River. Overall, there was a ~40 % reduction in coral cover post-flood, including significant mortality up to 89 % at four of six reefs. Mortality did not vary with distance along the coast from the Mary River, but mortality was found to be highest closer to the mainland, where turbidity and nutrients levels were also the highest. Despite the decades of input of highly turbid and nutrient laden waters from the Mary River, recovery has occurred in the past, and, given the persistence of similar conditions, would be expected to take place again. Climate change predicts increased frequency of severe storms and flooding, and this, combined with elevated sedimentation and nutrients from the highly modified catchment, may reduce these recovery periods, resulting in the deterioration of Hervey Bay reef communities. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	SPRINGER
dc.relation.ispartof	Coral Reefs
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1007/s00338-013-1064-7
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	04 Earth Sciences, 05 Environmental Sciences, 06 Biological Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
dc.title	The impacts of flooding on the high-latitude, terrigenoclastic influenced coral reefs of Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	32
utslib.for	04 Earth Sciences
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-07-29T02:33:59Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	32
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

This study examines the impacts of an acute flooding event on the marginal, high-latitude, terrigenoclastic influenced coral reefs of Hervey Bay in southeast Queensland, Australia. In January 2011, the Mary River near Hervey Bay experienced its eleventh highest flood on record. The Mary River catchment has been highly modified since European colonisation, and, as a result of heavy rain and flooding, Hervey Bay was exposed to reduced salinity and elevated levels of turbidity and nutrients for approximately 14 weeks. Through the use of photograph transects and point intercept analysis, per cent cover of coral reef benthic communities was measured prior to and just after the flooding event. Sites were located between 250 m and 5 km from the mainland and from 18 to 85 km away from the mouth of the Mary River. Overall, there was a ~40 % reduction in coral cover post-flood, including significant mortality up to 89 % at four of six reefs. Mortality did not vary with distance along the coast from the Mary River, but mortality was found to be highest closer to the mainland, where turbidity and nutrients levels were also the highest. Despite the decades of input of highly turbid and nutrient laden waters from the Mary River, recovery has occurred in the past, and, given the persistence of similar conditions, would be expected to take place again. Climate change predicts increased frequency of severe storms and flooding, and this, combined with elevated sedimentation and nutrients from the highly modified catchment, may reduce these recovery periods, resulting in the deterioration of Hervey Bay reef communities. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/149970