Marine ecosystems

The marine ecosystems program supports the sustainable use and development of South Australia’s coastal and marine resources.

Through strategic science capabilities, we provide technical advice across government, industry, and the community.

Research areas

Marine ecosystems has 4 subprograms.

Ecosystem effect of fishing and aquaculture

This subprogram undertakes research into the effects of fishing and aquaculture on marine ecosystems. The key focus is on:

  • assessing and mitigating interactions between fishing, aquaculture, and protected marine species such as dolphins and seals
  • ecosystem modelling to inform sustainable management of aquatic resources.

We assess the status and health of populations of marine protected species. Using satellite telemetry, biologging and spatial modelling tools, we determine their foraging ecology, key habitats, and overlap and interactions with human activities.

We are working on:

  • state-wide fishery ecosystem models to evaluate alternative harvest strategies under future climate scenarios
  • assisting the SA sardine fishery to reduce interactions with common dolphins
  • evaluating the impacts of fur seal interactions with the Lakes and Coorong Fishery
  • assessing ecological and population dynamics of the endangered Australian sea lion.

Environmental assessment and rehabilitation

This subprogram researches the sustainable use of marine ecosystems, to enhance production of marine resources, and the industry’s social license to operate.

Key research areas are:

  • developing blue carbon initiatives
  • understanding how marine fisheries and aquaculture production systems interact with their environment
  • investigating causes of marine environmental degradation
  • developing strategies to reduce potential habitat degradation
  • rehabilitating degraded habitats to enhance socio-economic benefits
  • deep-sea benthic ecology
  • conducting commercial environmental impact assessments.

Our major projects include:

  • an extensive study of the benthic ecology of the Great Australian Bight
  • long-term investigations into the environmental effects of aquaculture in Spencer Gulf
  • seagrass rehabilitation along the Adelaide metropolitan coast, including the largest area of seagrass restoration in Australia
  • a survey of the possible impacts of climate change on marine invertebrates
  • research into the health of reefs between the Murray Mouth and Yorke Peninsula.

Biosecurity

This subprogram researches the distribution, environmental impacts, control and management of invasive marine organisms and diseases.

We develop technology to aid industry in meeting biosecurity challenges. Key capabilities are:

  • molecular environmental detection
  • diagnostic system validation
  • risk analysis
  • spatial modelling.

A key component of our capacity is a biological containment level 2 facility for aquatic biosecurity research – the South Australian Aquatic Biosecurity Centre (SAABC).

Our successes include:

  • large-scale removal of the introduced marine pest algae, Caulerpa taxifolia, from West Lakes
  • developing and implementing a surveillance system for marine pests using molecular tools
  • containment of Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) virus (OsHV-1) to the Port River
  • maintaining freedom from the POMS virus for the SA Pacific oyster aquaculture industry.

Oceanography

This subprogram conducts oceanographic research, providing scientific and technical advice to government and industry-funded projects, and other researchers.

Managing sustainable marine environments requires local, physical and biological oceanography. We measure and model the transport and dispersal of:

  • sediments
  • heat
  • pathogens
  • pollutants
  • nutrients
  • marine biota.

Our recent major projects include:

  • tuna and finfish aquaculture development
  • sustainable desalination
  • maintaining the southern Australian node of the national integrated Marine Observing System (MOS)
  • applying hind-cast ocean and ecosystem models for:
    • ocean currents
    • surface waves
    • larval dispersal
    • nutrients
    • phytoplankton
    • seagrass
  • partnering with the Bureau of Meteorology to develop the eSA-Marine system, for data-assimilating hydrodynamic and wave forecast modelling.

Collaborations

Major collaborative partners include:

Contact

Professor Simon Goldsworthy – Program Leader
Marine ecosystems, SARDI
Phone: (08) 8429 0268
Email: simon.goldsworthy@sa.gov.au

Dr Roger Kirkwood – Ecosystem effect of fishing and aquaculture
Phone: (08) 8429 2515
Email: roger.kirkwood@sa.gov.au

Associate Professor Jason Tanner – Environmental assessment and rehabilitation
Phone: (08) 8429 0119
Email: jason.tanner@sa.gov.au

Dr Marty Deveney – Biosecurity
Phone: (08) 8429 0742
Email: marty.deveney@sa.gov.au

Dr Mark Doubell – Oceanography
Phone: (08) 8429 0982
Email: mark.doubell@sa.gov.au

Page last reviewed: 01 Dec 2022

 


Top of page