Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is critical to limiting human-induced climate change. However, we also need other solutions to help drawdown excess carbon dioxide already in our atmosphere.
The Blue Carbon Seascapes project seeks to establish if tropical seaweeds could provide a nature-based solution to help reduce climate change effects.
Across northern Australia we’re collaborating with Traditional Owners to monitor sea Country and gather data in remote areas to build the Northern Australian Marine Monitoring Alliance (NAMMA).
A critical step in the life cycle of a coral is when the free-swimming larvae find a surface to settle on. For each settled larva, the selected spot is where they will grow into a juvenile coral and spend their life. The settlement process is controlled by multiple factors, including the detection of chemical signals that indicate a good home.
Identifying and applying microorganisms that produce such signals can assist the successful development of large-scale coral aquaculture.
After a successful year spawning and culturing corals onboard a floating laboratory in 2022, the Woppaburra Coral Project team are returning to the field in 2023 to build on their knowledge of coral spawning in this region.
Quick summary
Coral bleaching is a coral’s response to stressful conditions. During bleaching, a coral will expel tiny algae from its tissues turning it white. It is not dead, but very stressed. It may die if the conditions are prolonged or extreme.
Bleaching is often brought on by heat stress. Changes in salinity, light, cold water and other stress can also cause corals to bleach.
In a warming world, coral reefs face unprecedented challenges.
While best-practice conventional management and reducing carbon emissions are essential; on their own, they are unlikely to be enough to sustain coral reefs in the face of continued climate change.
AIMS is working with scientists around the world to develop approaches that can help coral reefs remain resilient and sustain the values reefs provide.
Such approaches need guidance to ensure they can be effectively deployed to help coral reefs in an uncertain future.
Published 9th August 2023
Contaminants released into marine environments from human activities like wastewater outflow and discharges from industry, need to be kept within safe levels to protect the health of marine animals, habitats and the people who depend on the ocean.
The Australian and New Zealand water quality default guideline values (DGVs) set the water quality benchmark industry must achieve to ensure protection of our marine ecosystems. They are applied to contaminants like pesticides, anti-foulants, pharmaceuticals and metals, and underpin environmental management.
Like self-driving cars, self-driving or autonomous vessels are rapidly developing.
Limited testing facilities and unclear regulatory pathways are major challenges in developing operational uncrewed and autonomous marine vessels in Australia.
Tropical waters, which make up around 42 percent of the world’s oceans, pose unique challenges for marine technology.
Our services support the full development cycle from simulation validation, bench testing, tank tests through to nearshore and offshore field testing.
The ReefWorks team includes:
ReefWorks offers three marine test ranges. Drone corridors between these testing areas allow routine performance monitoring of uncrewed platforms.
