Productivity, carbon assimilation and intra-annual change in tropical reef platform seagrass communities of the Torres Strait, north-eastern Australia

Detailed data on seagrass distribution, abundance, growth rates and community structure information were collected at Orman Reefs in March 2004 to estimate the above-ground productivity and carbon assimilated by seagrass meadows. Seagrass meadows were re-examined in November 2004 for comparison at the seasonal extremes of seagrass abundance. Ten seagrass species were identified in the meadows on Orman Reefs. Extensive seagrass coverage was found in March (18,700 ha) and November (21,600 ha), with seagrass covering the majority of the intertidal reef-top areas and a large proportion of the subtidal areas examined. There were marked differences in seagrass above-ground biomass, distribution and species composition between the two surveys. Major changes between March and November included a substantial decline in biomass for intertidal meadows and an expansion in area of subtidal meadows. Changes were most likely a result of greater tidal exposure of intertidal meadows prior to November leading to desiccation and temperature-related stress. The Orman Reef seagrass meadows had a total above-ground productivity of 259.8 t DW day-1 and estimated carbon assimilation of 89.4 t C day-1 in March. The majority of this production came from the intertidal meadows which accounted for 81% of the total production. Intra-annual changes in seagrass species composition, shoot density and size of meadows measured in this study were likely to have a strong influence on the total above-ground production during the year. The net estimated above-ground productivity of Orman Reefs meadows in March 2004 (1.19 g C m-2 day-1) was high compared with other tropical seagrass areas that have been studied and also higher than many other marine, estuarine and terrestrial plant communities

Long term seagrass monitoring in Cairns Harbour and Trinity Inlet: December 2006

This report details results from the December 2006 seagrass monitoring survey for Cairns Harbour and Trinity Inlet conducted as part of an annual long term monitoring program. The monitoring program was established following a baseline survey in December 2001 and examines selected representative seagrass meadows in Cairns Harbour and Trinity Inlet. Total area of each monitoring meadow, species composition and seagrass density (above ground biomass) were measured for comparison with previous surveys.\ud \ud In 2006 seagrasses in Cairns were generally healthy with total area of seagrass meadows the highest since monitoring began in 2001 and biomass for the largest meadows remaining relatively high. Within the overall area and biomass trends there were differences between intertidal and subtidal meadows and between meadows in Cairns Harbour and Trinity Inlet. There was also a substantial change to seagrasses to the south of Bessie Point resulting in the establishment of a new meadow.\ud \ud The changes to Cairns Harbour and Trinity Inlet seagrass meadows appear to be strongly linked to local and regional climate conditions and generally reflected similar changes that have occurred to seagrasses in other areas of Queensland over the same time period. The increases in intertidal seagrasses in the harbour and declines in deeper subtidal meadows further up the inlet were consistent with a return to more "normal" rainfall, temperature and light conditions over the past three years.\ud \ud The increased abundance of seagrass in Cairns Harbour may have flow on effects for fisheries in the area especially tiger and endeavour prawns which utilise these areas as a nursery ground. There was also an increase in seagrass species that are preferred as a food source by dugong and green turtles.\ud \ud Results of monitoring in 2006, combined with similar monitoring in other north Queensland locations, indicate that seagrass habitats and the marine environment in Cairns Harbour and Trinity Inlet were relatively healthy. The monitoring program has developed our understanding of the relationships between climatic changes, anthropogenic disturbance and seagrass abundance and has shown that there have been minimal impacts associated with current port and urban activities

A Multi-level process view of new venture emergence

Multi-Level Issues in Creativity and Innovation is Volume 7 of Research in Multi-Level Issues , an annual series that provides an outlet for the discussion of multi-level problems and solutions across a variety of fields of study. Using a scientific debate format of a key scholarly essay followed by two commentaries and a rebuttal, we present, in this series, theoretical work, significant empirical studies, methodological developments, analytical techniques, and philosophical treatments to advance the field of multi-level studies, regardless of disciplinary perspective.Similar to Volumes 1 through 6 (Yammarino & Dansereau, 2002, 2004, 2006; Dansereau & Yammarino, 2003, 2005, 2007), this volume, Volume 7, edited by Mumford, Hunter, and Bedell-Avers, contains five major essays with commentaries and rebuttals that cover a range of topics, but in the realms of creativity and innovation. In particular, the five critical essays offer extensive literature reviews, new model developments, methodological advancements, and some data for the study of creativity and social influence, innovation and planning, creativity and cognitive processes, sub-system configuration, and new venture emergence. While each of the major essays, and associated commentaries and rebuttals, is unique in orientation, they show a common bond in raising and addressing multi-level issues or discussing problems and solutions that involve multiple levels of analysis in creativity and innovation.It provides in-depth scholarly information on multiple level issues in organizations and time. It is international in scope