Associate Professor Troy Gaston

There is growing demand for novel coastal protection approaches that also provide co-benefits such as enhanced biodiversity. Rock-fillets, which are used to stabilise eroding banks in estuaries, can be colonised by mangroves, and may provide habitat for estuarine fauna. However, it is unknown whether hybrid mangrove/rock-fillet habitats are functionally equivalent to natural mangroves, for estuarine fauna. To determine whether hybrid mangrove habitats are functionally equivalent to natural mangroves, we used d13C and d15N stable isotope analyses to describe the isotopic niche space and overlap of estuarine species in these two habitats across three estuaries in NSW, Australia. Using a Bayesian standard ellipse analysis of isotopic niche area, over half the 12 species observed had larger isotopic niche areas in natural mangroves compared to hybrid habitats, however there were no clear patterns for species between habitats. Natural mangroves and hybrid rock-fillet habitats were isotopically distinct for all species sampled (low proportional overlap, 0¿19%) suggesting they are not, at present, wholistically functionally equivalent. Estuarine communities from the two habitat types, however, had similar isotopic niches. Hybrid communities displayed a broader range of d13C values compared to natural mangroves, suggesting mangrove/rock-fillet habitats have a more diverse range of basal food sources. These findings demonstrate the potential for defence solutions to provide unique co-benefits by supporting food webs, but also that natural habitats provide unique ecosystem services that should be protected and rehabilitated where possible. Future modelling and monitoring of habitat utilisation and species performance could provide further insight into the co-benefits and trade-offs of hybrid habitats.

Climate change driven Sea Level Rise (SLR) is creating a major global environmental crisis in coastal ecosystems, however, limited practical solutions are provided to prevent or mitigate the impacts. Here, we propose a novel eco-engineering solution to protect highly valued vegetated intertidal ecosystems. The new ¿Tidal Replicate Method¿ involves the creation of a synthetic tidal regime that mimics the desired hydroperiod for intertidal wetlands. This synthetic tidal regime can then be applied via automated tidal control systems, ¿SmartGates¿, at suitable locations. As a proof of concept study, this method was applied at an intertidal wetland with the aim of restabilising saltmarsh vegetation at a location representative of SLR. Results from aerial drone surveys and on-ground vegetation sampling indicated that the Tidal Replicate Method effectively established saltmarsh onsite over a 3-year period of post-restoration, showing the method is able to protect endangered intertidal ecosystems from submersion. If applied globally, this method can protect high value coastal wetlands with similar environmental settings, including over 1,184,000¿ha of Ramsar coastal wetlands. This equates to a saving of US$230 billion in ecosystem services per year. This solution can play an important role in the global effort to conserve coastal wetlands under accelerating SLR.

Stable isotopes are often used to determine the ecological role of different age classes of animals, but particularly for young animals this approach may be compromised. During gestation and or incubation body tissues of the young are derived directly from the mother. In neonates or post hatching, there is a period of transformation as the young grow and forage independently, but during this period different organs will continue to reflect the maternal isotopic signature as a function of their turnover rate. How long this maternal hangover persists remains poorly understood. We applied a multi-tracer approach (d15N, d13C and d34S) to stable isotope signatures in juvenile bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) up to 6.5 years post parturition. We found that maternal provisioning was detectable for up to 3.5 years after birth in muscle but only detectable in young-of-the-year for liver. Inclusion of sulphur revealed when maternal signatures disappeared from low-turnover tissue, while also identifying the spatial and trophic ecology patterns from fast-turnover tissue. These results reveal the importance of sampling fast turnover tissues to study the trophic ecology of juvenile elasmobranchs, and how the use of only d15N and d13C isotopes is likely to make maternal patterns more difficult to detect.

Background: Understanding movement patterns of a species is vital for optimising conservation and management strategies. This information is often difficult to obtain in the marine realm for species that regularly occur at depth. The common sawshark (Pristiophorus cirratus) is a small, benthic-associated elasmobranch species that occurs from shallow to deep-sea environments. No information is known regarding its movement ecology. Despite this, P. cirrata are still regularly landed as nontargeted catch in the south eastern Australian fisheries. Three individuals were tagged with pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) off the coast of Tasmania, Australia, to test the viability of satellite tagging on these small elasmobranchs and to provide novel insights into their movement. Results: Tags were successfully retained for up to 3 weeks, but movement differed on an individual basis. All three individuals displayed a post-release response to tagging and limited vertical movement was observed for up to 5¿7¿days post-tagging. Temperature loggers on the tags suggest the animals were not stationary but moved horizontally during this time, presumably in a flight response. After this response, continuous wavelet transformations identified diel vertical movements in one individual at cyclical intervals of 12- and 24-hour periods; however, two others did not display as clear a pattern. Temperature was not significantly correlated with movement in the study period. The deepest depths recorded during the deployments for all individuals was approximately 120 m and the shallowest was 5 m. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that sawsharks can be successfully tagged by pop-up satellite archival tags. The data presented here show that sawsharks regularly move both horizontally and vertically in the water column, which was an unexpected result for this small benthic species. Additional research aimed at resolving the trophic ecology will help identify the drivers of these movements and help to better define the ecological, behavioural and physiological roles of these sharks in their ecosystems. These data describe a substantial ability to move in the common sawshark that was previously unknown and provides the first account of movement ecology on the family of sawsharks: Pristiophoridae.

Pesticides are frequently employed to enhance agricultural production. Neonicotinoid pesticides (including imidacloprid) are often used to control sucking insects but have been shown to impact aquatic crustaceans. Imidacloprid is highly water soluble and has been detected in estuaries where it has been applied in adjacent catchments. We examined the impact of environmentally relevant concentrations of imidacloprid on Eastern School Prawn (Metapenaeus macleayi), an important exploited crustacean in Australia. Prawns were held for 8 days in estuarine water containing 0¿4 µg L-1 of imidacloprid to assess potential lethal and non-lethal impacts. There was a non-linear relationship between exposure concentration and tissue concentration, with tissue concentrations peaking at exposures of 1.4 µg L-1 (1.16 to 1.64 µg L-1, 90% C.I.). There was no evidence for direct mortality associated with imidacloprid exposure, but exposure did influence the organism metabolome which likely reflects alterations in metabolic homeostasis, such as changes in the fatty acid composition which indicate a shift in lipid homeostasis. There was a positive correlation between exposure concentration and moulting frequency. Shedding of the exoskeleton may represent a mechanism through which prawns can expel the contaminant from their bodies. These results indicate that prawns experience several different sub-lethal effects when exposed to these pesticides, which may have implications for the health of populations.

In south-eastern Australia, the same baited, round traps (comprising 50¿57-mm mesh netting) are used to target giant mud, Scylla serrata and blue swimmer crabs, Portunus armatus in spatially separated fisheries. Both fisheries are characterised by the common, problematic discarding of undersized portunids (<85 and 65 mm carapace length; CL for S. serrata and P. armatus) and fish (yellowfin bream, Acanthopagrus australis). This poor selectivity was addressed here in two experiments assessing the utility of (1) traps partially or completely covered in larger mesh (91 mm to match the minimum legal size of the smaller P. armatus), and then (2) any cumulative benefits of fitting species-specific escape gaps. In experiment 1, there were no differences among catches of legal-sized portunids associated with either partial, or complete trap coverage with larger mesh. Irrespective of mesh coverage, both designs of 91-mm traps also retained significantly fewer (by up to 42%) undersized P. armatus and A. australis. In experiment 2, replicate traps completely covered in 91-mm mesh were tested against conventional traps comprising 56-mm mesh, and traps with the same mesh sizes, but also three escape gaps configured for either S. serrata (46 × 120 mm) or P. armatus (36 × 120 mm) (i.e. four treatments in total). All modified traps maintained catches of legal-sized S. serrata, and only the 91-mm traps with escape gaps caught fewer legal-sized P. armatus. Fewer undersized S. serrata, P. armatus and A. australis (mean catches reduced by up to 49%) were retained in all larger-meshed than small-meshed traps, and in all of those traps with escape gaps (by up to 95%) than without. While there were no significant cumulative benefits of escape gaps in larger-meshed traps (measured by a statistical interaction), there was a trend of fewer unwanted catches overall. These data support configuring portunid traps with mesh sizes matching the morphology of the smallest legal-sized target species. But, simply retroactively fitting escape gaps in existing, smaller-meshed traps will also realize positive selectivity benefits.

Tilapia lake virus (TiLV) has caused mass mortalities in farmed and wild tilapia with serious economic and ecological consequences. Until recently, this virus was the sole member of the Amnoonviridae, a family within the order Articulavirales comprising segmented negative-sense RNA viruses. We sought to identify additional viruses within the Amnoonviridae through total RNA sequencing (meta-transcriptomics) and data mining of published transcriptomes. Accordingly, we sampled marine fish species from both Australia and China and discovered several segments of two new viruses within the Amnoonviridae, tentatively called Flavolineata virus and Piscibus virus, respectively. In addition, by mining vertebrate transcriptome data, we identified nine additional virus transcripts matching to multiple genomic segments of TiLV in both marine and freshwater fish. These new viruses retained sequence conservation with the distantly related Orthomyxoviridae in the RdRp subunit PB1, but formed a distinct and diverse phylogenetic group. These data suggest that the Amnoonviridae have a broad host range within fish and that greater animal sampling will identify additional divergent members of the Articulavirales.

Dietary habits and intra- and inter-specific trophic ecology of co-occurring Lepidotrigla mulhalli and L. vanessa from south-eastern Australia were analysed using stomach content and stable isotope ratios (d13C and d15N). Both species are bottom-feeding carnivores that consumed mainly benthic crustaceans, but teleosts were also abundant in the diet of larger L. vanessa. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) ordination and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) of dietary data revealed significant inter-specific dietary differences; i.e. food resource partitioning. Carbon (d13C) and nitrogen (d15N) stable isotope values were similar between L. mulhalli and L. vanessa, however, suggesting similar trophic positioning. Ontogenetic changes in diet composition and stable isotope values were evident. As L. vanessa grew, they preyed upon larger individuals, such as teleosts and caridean shrmips, but no such trend was observed in the diets of L. mulhalli. Adults of both species were significantly enriched in 15N relative to juvenile conspecifics thus supporting these data. Consequently, in this study, both methodologies, i.e. stomach content and stable isotope analyses, provided evidence of inter- and/or intra-specific dietary segregations and trophic niche partitioning between co-occurring L. mulhalli and L. vanessa off Tasmanian waters.

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are the non-material benefits obtained from ecosystems that contribute to human well-being. They are often under-represented in ecosystem services assessments due to difficulties identifying and valuing intangible attributes. This risks a lack of understanding and consideration of CES by decision-makers. A systematic review was done on coastal and marine CES to identify: geographic distribution of research; effective methods for assessing CES; specific habitats/ecosystems that supply CES; subcategories most frequently addressed; and knowledge gaps. Results revealed limited information exists about coastal and marine CES. There is a disparity in the global distribution of studies with little knowledge about CES in developing countries, as well as a disparity within developed countries; with most research undertaken in Europe and North America. There is a dearth of information on CES derived from specific coastal and marine habitats/ecosystems, reflecting a poor understanding of socio-ecological relationships and the different values people assign to these areas. There is a need to develop indicators with the capacity to measure and track changes in CES over time. Participatory approaches using qualitative methods were most effective in identifying CES; however, these lacked a deliberative element that would provide a comprehensive assessment of shared values in public areas. Overall, publications typically theorised about the usefulness of data on CES to inform and support decision makers, and more research is required on how qualitative data on CES can be represented for practical use by coastal and marine resource managers, and the value of these in the real world.

Biodiversity loss caused by invasive species is particularly problematic in freshwater ecosystems, which are among the world's most threatened habitats. Invasive fish such as the eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, have been implicated in the decline of amphibians, which suffer high extinction rates globally. Although G. holbrooki is one of the most studied freshwater fish, its diet shows wide geographic variation and its impact on amphibian populations remains unclear. Stable isotopes 13C and 15N were used in 10 urban ponds in Sydney, Australia to compare the diet of G. holbrooki in January, April and May 2013 using a stable isotope mixing model. Gambusia holbrooki was carnivorous and fed on invertebrates (24¿39%), tadpoles (25¿32%) and conspecifics (20¿45%). In contrast to previous studies, primary producers were a negligible part of Gambusia holbrooki diet (<10%). Its diet in late autumn comprised a high proportion of conspecifics (up to 45%) owing to the depletion of other food sources before winter (metamorphosis of larvae). This study provides evidence of high rates of predation on native tadpoles and invertebrates by a highly invasive fish. This knowledge should be incorporated into amphibian releases through head-starting tadpoles or using soft releases where tadpoles are placed in predator-free enclosures until larvae are large enough to avoid predation. Considering the dire conservation status of amphibians globally and the growing interest for invertebrates, it is suggested that stable isotopes are valuable to identify threats from predation in order to target conservation practice toward suitable priorities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Despite the global distribution of sawsharks, little is known about their diets or their role in the marine biosphere. As species in higher trophic positions are generally considered to be more at risk to perturbations such as fishing, understanding their role in the food chain will enable better conservation and management strategies for these species. Two sawshark species (Pristiophorus cirratus, Pristiophorus nudipinnis) co-occur in waters off east Tasmania, Australia. This study determined the trophic positions of these sawsharks and whether they avoided competing with each other through resource partitioning. Isotopic analysis of muscle tissue revealed that P. cirratus and P. nudipinnis had significantly different trophic levels, with P. cirratus likely to have a diet of primary consumers and P. nudipinnis likely to have a piscivorous diet. Owing to their different isotopic signatures, it is also likely that the sawshark rostrum has multiple functions. Both species shifted to higher trophic levels during ontogeny. Maternal isotopic signatures were detectable in P. cirratus juveniles.

Tiger flathead, Neoplatycephalus richardsoni (Castelnau), and sand flathead, Platycephalus bassensis Cuvier, are undifferentiated and managed with a common legal minimum length (LML). The Commonwealth Trawl Sector (CTS) and the Tasmanian Danish-seine fishery (TDSF) use a minimum codend mesh sizes of 90 and 70 mm, respectively. The codend mesh size should be tailored to the LML, which is based on the length of first maturity of females (M50). This study found the length-girth relationship of N. richardsoni and P. bassensis was not significantly different. Using the covered codend method, these two species had 50% retention lengths (L50) of 294 ± 2 and 307 ± 3 mm, in 70-mm and 90-mm codends, respectively. L50 estimates for mesh sizes from this study and others produced a curvilinear relationship: y = 120 ln(x) - 214, with an r2 of 0.8504. The size at maturity (M50) for female N. richardsoni was 337 mm, which is larger than the estimate for female P. bassensis (247 mm). There is a mismatch between the estimates of L50, the estimates of M50 and the LMLs in each fishery, leading to suboptimal exploitation of female Platycephalus. The model produced in this paper recommends a codend mesh size of 98 mm for both fisheries to exploit Platycephalus species sustainably.

This article describes the regulatory framework and assessment process of urban wastewater reuse in two distinct regions of Australia, the Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania and the Hunter region of New South Wales. Relative similarities are evident between human population, water availability and recent necessity for reuse feasibility assessments. In the Hunter, assessments informed a state government led catchment-scale water security strategy. In Launceston, the need for assessments stems from a condition of the environmental permits for individual facilities. Salient institutional, social, economic and political barriers mire the assessment process for, and success of, wastewater reuse. Distinct legal, policy and procedural differences exist between the two cases. Future reuse guidelines should identify the different drivers for wastewater reuse and avoid studies that meet administratively predetermined selection.