Project Details
Overview Historical coastlines project A joint initiative by UQ-CMS Marine Botany Group with the coastal CRC, Central Queensland University, DPI Fisheries, and the UQ Biophysical Remote Sensing Group. Investigations included assessments of historic change in coastal environments, recognising that estuarine environments are particularly dynamic places. This project addressed recent change over the last century, noting in particular how they have accelerated dramatically in recent times. Significant change is now recorded within human life spans and individual memory. Types of changes observed include: clearing of catchment vegetation; development of industrial, urban and port areas bordering estuaries; reclamation of tidal wetlands; and, deterioration of wetland and estuarine water quality with both periodic and chronic pollution. The goal of this project was to provide a basic assessment of avaiable evidence of change as the baseline and context from which future change will be assessed. A key outcome for the project were maps showing spatial change in selected, tidal estuarine locations within the context of their current status. A range of supportive evidence was be compiled, including historical photographs, early charts of harbour areas, fishery catch records as well as oral evidence. A further goal was an assessment of elevational change using historical photographs in part, but also using correlations between vegetation type and tidal bank topography. Permanent transects provide field reference locations for monitoring on-going change, including that expected with both changing sea level and climatic conditions. The project focused on Moreton Region, Port Curtis and Fitzroy Estuary regions from 2001-2003. Coastal habitats assessed will chiefly include tidal wetland areas primarily, namely: mud flats, salt pans, salt marshes and mangroves.
Assessing historical change in coastal environments Port Curtis, Fitzroy River Estuary and Moreton Bay regions This report contains the findings of the historical assessments of the Port Curtis, Fitzroy River estuary and Moreton Bay regions. The information and findings were gathered over the duration of a three year program with the Historical Coastlines Project of the Coastal CRC. Duke, N.C., P. Lawn, C.M. Roelfsema, S. Phinn, K.N. Zahmel, D. Pedersen, C. Harris, N. Steggles and C. Tack 2003. Assessing historical change in coastal environments. Port Curtis, Fitzroy River Estuary and Moreton Bay regions. Final Report to the CRC for Coastal Zone Estuary & Waterway Management. Historical Coastlines Project, Marine Botany Group, Centre for Marine Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane. 258 pages plus appendices. DOWNLOAD 19Mb Frontcover (2mb) Ch 0 Foreword (130kb) Ch 1 Introduction (800Kb) Ch 2 Project Overview (96Kb) Ch 3 Methods (128Kb) Ch 4 PortCurtis (3.3Mb) Ch 5 Fitzroy (4.6Mb) Ch 6 Moreton (5.2Mb) Ch 7 Conclusion (196Kb) Ch 8 References (130Kb) Ch 9 Appendices (2.3Mb)