More area of dieback reported ...
2017 Gulf of Carpentaria Update Day 2: Around Pormpuraaw
Survey Locations: Christmas Ck, Mitchell R, South Mitchell R, Nassau R.
Issues Observed: Mangrove dieback, shoreline erosion, saltpan surface erosion, storm damage, lightning strike, estuary bank erosion, vehicle damage to saltpans, cattle grazing and tracks through tidal wetlands.
Another massive mangrove dieback area was seen along several kilometeres south of Pormpuraaw. This extends the current area of known mangrove extent by hundreds of km and likely hundred of hectares. This area is predominantly experiencing foreshore dieback. The Pormpuraaw Indigenous Rangers and Traditional Owners have advised that this dieback also began around late 2015. There is obvious concern from local Traditional Owners, Property managers and residents about the dieback and its effects on fisheries and shoreline stability. There are many local stories about the dieback that will no doubt assist in gaining a better understanding of the dieback event and its impact.
Within the dieback area there is no obvious signs of seedling recruitment from the impacted species, although there are saltmarsh plants and Aegialitis growing in some dieback area which may be confused as recovery from satellite and aerial imagery.
Another key issue observed has been sheet erosion across saltpans and erosion head formation at terrestrial margins of tidal wetlands. This is particularly bad in the Nassau R estuary where, in combination with shoreline erosion, bank erosion, and mangrove ecotone shift, it seems the whole system is on the move landward. It's interesting that this system is undergoing much more obvious change compared to estuaries further North near Weipa.
Rob Coles (TropWATER) surveyed these areas for seagrass distribution back in the 80's and notes that the seagrass beds are almost in exactly the same place (patchy, but stable) as they were ~30 years ago which is good news.
These surveys are supported by Australian Department of the Environment and Energy and a collaboration between NESP hubs: Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub NESP TWQ Hub Marine Biodiversity Hub Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub and TropWATER James Cook University
ENDS
The text above was from here ...
https://www.facebook.com/MangroveWatch/ ... 9747141381
Good overview here ...
http://www.nespnorthern.edu.au/projects ... e-dieback/
This is serious sh.t ... if future El Nino events are as strong or stronger, and the dieback continues, much of the Gulf coastline will become unproductive.
