McKenna, S.A., van de Wetering, C., Wilkinson, J., and Rasheed, M.A. (2021) Port of Abbot Point Long-Term Seagrass Monitoring Program - 2020. A Report for North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP). Report. TropWATER, Cairns, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

In 2020 seagrass in the annually monitored meadows at Abbot Point were in an overall good condition, improving in status from satisfactory the previous two years and poor in 2017 following TC Debbie.

• Inshore seagrasses ranged in condition from good to very good, while the offshore seagrass meadow was in satisfactory condition.

• Cymodocea serrulata was present in the monitored meadows for the first time since 2015.

• Halodule uninervis, a higher light requiring species had a greater presence in the offshore monitoring meadow and was found to 11.4 m below mean sea level.

• In 2020 environmental conditions were favourable for seagrass growth with a mild wet season and no extreme weather events.

• This is the first year that a full condition score has been applied to the Abbot Point offshore monitoring meadow incorporating area into the indices as well as biomass and species composition.

• The improved condition of seagrass at Abbot Point in 2020 means they were likely to have increased resilience to future natural and anthropogenic pressures compared with recent years.

Item ID:	75097
Item Type:	Report (Report)
Keywords:	Port of Abbot Point, Seagrass, Monitoring
Related URLs:	Publisher
Copyright Information:	© James Cook University, 2021.
Funders:	North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP)
Date Deposited:	20 Oct 2022 01:55
FoR Codes:	41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4104 Environmental management > 410404 Environmental management @ 100%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1899 Other environmental management > 189999 Other environmental management not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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