Rasheed, M.A., O'Grady, D., and Scott, E. (2016) Dugong Feeding Ecology and Habitat Use on Intertidal Banks of Port Curtis and Rodds Bay – Interim Progress Report 2015. Report. TropWATER, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

Dugong (Dugong dugon) are large herbivorous marine mammals restricted in range to tropical and sub-tropical locations of the Indo-west Pacific region. Dugong habitats generally correspond to shallow water seagrass meadows as their diet consists predominately of seagrass, although they also eat macro-invertebrates and algae (Marsh et al. 2011). Since the 1960s, dugong populations have been declining rapidly and are currently listed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Within the Gladstone region, a relatively small dugong population utilises a large area of Port Curtis and Rodds Bay where seagrass meadows are extensive enough to support dugong feeding (Sobtzick et al. 2013; Bryant et al. 2014a). As there are no other known major areas of seagrass between Shoalwater Bay and Hervey Bay, the Gladstone area is a potentially important connecting habitat for dugong populations in southern Queensland (Sobtzick et al. 2013). While there are some reports of preferential selection of seagrass by dugongs in Queensland (Preen 1992) the seasonality of dugong feedingwithin these meadows is not well understood for this area.

Item ID:	80186
Item Type:	Report (Report)
Copyright Information:	© Gladstone Ports Corporation and James Cook University, 2015.
Date Deposited:	29 Aug 2023 22:56
FoR Codes:	31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310305 Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) @ 50% 41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4104 Environmental management > 410402 Environmental assessment and monitoring @ 50%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1802 Coastal and estuarine systems and management > 180201 Assessment and management of coastal and estuarine ecosystems @ 100%
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