Download Regional Natural Resource Management Research Development

Regional Natural Resource Management
Research Development & Investigation
Priorities– 2008/09
5th December 2007
To discuss this document and potential Research Development & Investigation
projects contact:
Linda Grant
Regional Catchment Strategy Coordinator
Glenelg Hopkins CMA
79 French Street
Hamilton VIC 3300
Phone: 03 5571 2526
Fax: 03 5571 2935
E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
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Glenelg Hopkins CMA has developed Research Development and Investigation
(RD&I) Priorities for the period to 2008/09.
The Corangamite Research, Development and Investigation Strategy 2006-2010 has
been used as the framework for the interim internal process to determine these
priorities.
The RD&I priorities are categories under the following five spheres:
Spheres
Anthroposphere
The Anthroposphere is that part of the environment that is made or modified by
humans for use in human activities. It is comprised of all human interactions and
includes all social, cultural and economic aspects of human society.
It is important to note that this theme is focused on Anthroposphere issues related
directly to natural resource management (NRM) therefore the focus is on the
interaction between the Anthroposphere and the four other spheres.
It is also important to note that the theme covers the investigation of the processes,
methodologies and models adopted for policy development, planning, monitoring and
evaluation in NRM.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere contains all the air. It extends from less than 1m below the planet’s
surface to more than 10,000km above the planet’s surface. The upper portion of the
atmosphere protects the organisms of the biosphere from the Sun’s ultraviolet
radiation. As air in the lower atmosphere is heated or cooled, it moves around the
planet creating climate. This sphere includes climatic systems and the interaction
between the atmosphere and hydrosphere (eg: rainfall).
Biosphere
The biosphere contains all living things which includes all of the plants, animals and
micro-organisms on Earth. Within the biosphere, living things form ecological
communities based on the physical surroundings of an area. This theme includes
terrestrial and aquatic (including marine), flora, fauna and the ecological systems of
which they are a part. It also includes the interaction between the biosphere and
hydrosphere (eg: riparian vegetation) and the biosphere and lithosphere (eg: soil
biota).
Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere contains all the solid, liquid and gaseous water on the planet. It
ranges from 10-20km in thickness. The hydrosphere extends from Earth’s surface
downward several kilometers into the lithosphere and upward about 12km in the
atmosphere. This theme includes water quality in rivers, oceans and lake and the
interaction between the hydrosphere and the lithosphere (eg: floodplains).
Aquatic systems refers to: coastal waters, estuaries, flood plains, groundwater,
marine waters, the riparian zones, rivers, wetlands and lakes.
Lithosphere
The Lithosphere is all of the solid land of the planet’s crust, and the liquid land near
the centre of the planet. However, focus here is on the outermost layers of the
Lithosphere- loose soil, sand, clay and rock.
Includes examination of soil quality across the landscape and the interaction between
the Lithosphere, Hydrosphere and Atmosphere (eg: soil erosion) and many
landscape scale issues (eg: salinity).
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Lithosphere
Investigate the role of soil biology in supporting healthy soils.
Identify native grass species suitable for saline discharge planting.
Identify existing salinity models and their applicability to the region for prioritising investment and forecasting benefits.
Biosphere
Baseline information on fish diversity and abundance in priority sub-catchments and in drought refuge areas. Ongoing monitoring to assess the impacts of
catchment improvements and drought.
Investigate benefits of isolated paddock Red Gums to land health and biodiversity.
Investigate the feasibility of European Carp control options in Rocklands Reservoir.
Investigate Spiny crayfish population response to closure of recreational fishery.
Investigate and quantify benefits of native vegetation in harbouring beneficial biota for pest management and develop best practice regional guidelines.
Hydrosphere
Improve our understanding of relationships between flow regime (including groundwater contribution) and diversity and abundance of in-stream communities
and demonstrate and quantify the benefits from environmental flows in the Glenelg River.
Understand the geomorphologic and ecological recovery process in waterways undergoing rehabilitation through re-snagging and sand removal
Continue to build understanding of groundwater flow systems, their interaction with surface water and their extractive capacity.
Develop a better understanding of different river types and their recovery potentials and define targets for these, within the Glenelg Hopkins region. What is
'good'?
Specific studies to fill knowledge gaps identified during EWR studies for Merri River –· Monitoring to demonstrate the effectiveness of environmental flow
regimes in maintaining water quality and minimising algal blooms within the Bromfield St weir pool. This would be complemented by modelling to refine the
proposed 10 day turn over time.
Anthroposphere
Investigate natural resource management group health, membership recruitment and retention (includes Landcare and other groups) and collect base line
regional data.
Determine the economic value of estuaries, including the environmental values (eg: ecosystem services) and the social values (eg: recreational fishing and
tourism).
What are the community aspirations for environment and natural resource condition in the region?
Atmosphere
Investigate the impact of climate change on ecosystems and their ability to adapt.
Investigate the impact of climate change on agricultural systems and the capacity of the region to adapt.
Investigate the impact of climate change on groundwater and surface water resources.
What is the potential for carbon sequestration in the Glenelg Hopkins region?
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