{"id":3777,"date":"2017-10-11T10:31:56","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T00:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nesptropical.edu.au\/?page_id=3777"},"modified":"2017-10-11T11:53:16","modified_gmt":"2017-10-11T01:53:16","slug":"electrifying-methods-of-evaluating-wetland-rehabilitation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nesptropical.edu.au\/index.php\/news-events\/e-newsletters-2\/october-2017\/electrifying-methods-of-evaluating-wetland-rehabilitation\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Electrifying\u2019 methods of evaluating wetland rehabilitation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr Nathan Waltham (supplied)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Research under the Tropical Water Quality Hub in the Burdekin Region is gaining state-level media coverage.<\/p>\n

Dr Nathan Waltham from JCU heads up a project<\/a> evaluating the effectiveness of efforts to repair wetland systems across the Wet Tropics.<\/p>\n

An article titled \u2018Fish control to monitor effectiveness of weed control at Sheepstation Creek\u2019<\/a> published on the website for Queensland Country Life<\/em> details Dr Waltham\u2019s surveys of native fish populations in oxygen-deprived habitats in the Burdekin River.<\/p>\n

Queensland Country Life <\/em>is a Queensland-wide publication focusing on rural news and information for farmers and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n

Dr Waltham and his team are monitoring 11 deepwater lagoon sites along Sheepstation Creek in the Burdekin Delta, using electro-stunning techniques to immobilize native fish without harming them so they can be measured and then released back into the water.<\/p>\n

Population levels of native fish species, which cannot tolerate de-oxygenated water to the same extent as introduced pest species, are a good indicator for the effectiveness of efforts to control aquatic weeds, which use up oxygen in the water.<\/p>\n

Dr Waltham said the presence of large, heathy native fish in the system were an indication of successful weed control programs by resource management groups NQ Dry Tropics and Greening Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were bringing up some really big barramundi from these systems, some up to one metre long,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me that suggests that the efforts to remove weeds through mechanical removal and spraying from boats and the air have been fairly successful, things are good.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the important takeaway is that this progress needs to be maintained and protected \u2013 any gardener can tell you that the weeds always come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using native fish as an indicator for ecosystem health is nothing new but what sets Dr Waltham\u2019s project apart is the intensity at which it is being conducted.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn each trip we are catching literally hundreds of fish,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dr Waltham and his team are hoping to shortly begin sampling waterways in the Tully area to the north.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Back to the October 2017 e-Newsletter contents<\/strong><\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Research under the Tropical Water Quality Hub in the Burdekin Region is gaining state-level media coverage. Dr Nathan Waltham from JCU heads up a project evaluating the effectiveness of efforts … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3765,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3777","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t