Biological and habitat monitoring
The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), through the water quality and aquatic ecosystem health sciences group, conducts a number of biological and habitat monitoring programs. Information collected via Ecosystem Health Monitoring Programs (EHMPs) assists DERM, local councils and other managers to make decisions and help reduce the impact of both natural pressures and human activities.
Aquatic ecosystem health monitoring ranges from monitoring freshwater turtles to seagrass beds and is also used to respond to certain ‘events’, such as local flooding. Monitoring both biological and habitat indicators is essential to provide an accurate assessment of ecosystem health.
Biological and habitat moniitoring activities include:
- Coastal and estuarine algal
- Coral monitoring
- Fish kills
- Introduced aquatic pests
- Marine and freshwater turtle monitoring
- Marine wildlife strandings
- Riparian vegetation
- Seagrass
More information
For data and reports on biological and habitat monitoring visit our publications page.
Last updated 10 February 2011