Collier, Catherine, Groom, Rachel, McMahon, Kathryn, Langlois, Lucas, Coles, Robert, Smith, Timothy, Smith, Caitlin, Navarro Otero, Alejandro, Cleguer, Christophe, li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Rangers, Normanton Rangers, Burketown Rangers, Numbulwar Numburindi Rangers, Yugul Mangi Rangers, Torres Strait Regional Authority Land and Sea Rangers, David, Madeina, Girringun Rangers, Seven Rivers Aboriginal Corporation, Tiwi Rangers, Armstrong, Jessica, Verrier, Frances, Vea, Jonathan, Angus, Laura, Karajarri Traditional Lands Association, and Wellesley Islands Rangers (2025) Northern Australia's Amazing and Diverse Seagrass Habitats: From Historical Insights to Future Priorities. In: [Presented at the Australian Marine Sciences Association Conference 2025]. 177. From: AMSA 2025: 59th Australian Marine Sciences Association Conference, 13-17 July 2025, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

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Abstract

Northern Australia's amazing and diverse seagrass habitats face complex challenges requiring innovative solutions for conservation and management. Despite tropical seagrass’ significant economic, conservation and cultural values, knowledge of these ecosystems across northern Australia has historically been fragmented and the data frequently inaccessible. This talk describes some of the large multi-institution partnerships and projects that have invested in overcoming these barriers in recent years. We’ve compiled and made publicly available historical spatial data from the Great Barrier Reef to Ningaloo and modelled seagrass species distribution for the Reef. We’ve been filling knowledge gaps mapping seagrass with Traditional Owners and rangers in the Kimberley, Tiwi Islands, South East Arnhem Land, the southern Gulf of Carpentaria, West Cape York, Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef. We’re developing new methods for establishing seagrass baselines and monitoring using drones and remote sensing. And we’re discovering more about seagrass species-specific associations for tropical fish communities and megafauna. This work has transformed our understanding of species distributions in tropical Australia, identified knowledge gaps for future research, shed light on the role of marine reserves in seagrass conservation, and highlighted the central role of Indigenous rangers in monitoring and managing Sea Country in northern Australia.

Item ID:	87680
Item Type:	Conference Item (Abstract / Summary)
Related URLs:	Organisation
Date Deposited:	05 Sep 2025 06:41
FoR Codes:	31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310305 Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) @ 50% 41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4104 Environmental management > 410401 Conservation and biodiversity @ 50%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1802 Coastal and estuarine systems and management > 180299 Coastal and estuarine systems and management not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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