The new open-source app WISDAM (Wildlife Imagery Survey – Detection and Mapping) helps researchers & community groups to process images from aerial surveys. The app was developed by researchers from @EdithCowanUni, @jcu TropWATER, @QUT, and @AusAntarctic.

Intern spotlight: From 4WDriving on remote fieldwork to stitching together drone imagery, Ellie Pierce gained a diverse set of skills as a TropWATER intern. Read more about Ellie's internship experience:

We’re back in the field and on the water for 2025!. Earlier this month, we were joined by Jabalbina Rangers to survey subtidal seagrass from the Hope Islands to Port Douglas. The surveys are part of our assessment of the impacts of flooding from Cyclone Jasper in late 2023

Introducing i-Mangrove – an online tool for Indonesian mangrove restoration 🌿. i-Mangrove – developed by researchers from TropWATER and @CIFOR_ICRAF_ID – brings together data on mangrove coverage and losses with identified areas of restoration potential.

Congratulations to Dr Paula Cartwright on being awarded an Australia India Women Researcher’s Exchange Program fellowship, to work with remote sensing experts to improve water quality monitoring in Australian coastal ports. @AIinstitute @jcu @iitbbs

Congratulations to @brisbanecityqld on being awarded a 2024 Australian Biosecurity Award for ‘Keep Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) Cane Toad Free’. TropWATER’s eDNA laboratory has supported this valuable program since 2019, analysing water samples to detect cane toad DNA

Last week, we wrapped up our second annual coral Spawning School 🪸. Our scientists and Reef Recruits staff were joined by five Indigenous Ranger groups for hands-on training in the aquarium and lab, collecting and caring for around 200,000 coral larvae.

With training from TropWATER scientists, graziers have collected 300 water samples from their local waterways over six wet seasons to help track how sediments flow from land into the Great Barrier Reef.

Congratulations to TropWATER’s Dr Cecilia Villacorta-Rath, who has been awarded a Queensland Smithsonian Fellowship. Dr Villacorta-Rath will train in environmental DNA metabarcoding techniques, spending 10 weeks in Panama at @stri_panama .

Dugongs, dolphins, and more – our research was on display at last week’s international Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Perth 🐬. TropWATER staff presented on projects including monitoring, population genomics & drone-based photogrammetry.

Our researchers are innovating new eDNA techniques to find highly invasive yellow crazy ants, strengthening Australia’s biosecurity 🧬. eDNA allows us to detect yellow crazy ants in downstream rivers, making locating infestations faster and easier.

From wet to dry – we’re mapping waterholes and habitats to understand water movement in the Daly River catchment. Working with Malak Malak Rangers and CDU, this work will improve models of water connectivity in the region. Read more:

Seagrasses are thriving around Gladstone, with some blades reaching 0.5m in length 🌱. We surveyed 80 km of coastline at Gladstone Harbour, measuring seagrass at 2,716 sites. This is part of annual monitoring that began in 2004 in partnership with Gladstone Ports Corporation

Identifying ideal habitats for crayfish 🦞. We’re conducting experiments on the habitat preferences of redclaw crayfish – exploring their responses if water & habitat dynamics change in Northern Australia.

Are dugongs picky eaters? 🌿. Our researchers are collecting poo from seagrass meadows to be DNA tested for clues to what dugongs are eating besides seagrass, such as sponges & sea cucumbers. This project was recently funded by the Port of Townsville.

🌱 We’re finding the best way to restore ribbon grass. Our experimental trial is testing two methods for planting ribbon grass for restoration, with field trials in the Russell River beginning later this month.

We’re strengthening connections to build Reef resilience together 🪸. Yesterday, 80 attendees – including Indigenous Rangers, industry leaders, researchers, and government representatives – gathered for the Cairns-Port Douglas Reef Hub Round Up event.

Colour-coding water quality across our reefs 🌊. Our researchers are analysing the colour of oceans in satellite data along with on-site monitoring to provide insights into water quality to inform reef management.

Our water quality research was showcased at last week’s Resources Technology & Critical Minerals Trailblazer 💧. Our researchers presented a poster on their work setting meaningful water quality objectives near mining sites. 📷 Budd Photography

The latest TropWATER newsletter is out now!. This issue features our latest news & research stories, including dugong surveys, skills training with Rangers, and more: Not on our mailing list? Sign up here: