Providing practical, evidence-based solutions for tackling increasing challenges to marine ecosystem health
We provide practical, evidence-based solutions for tackling the increasing challenges to coastal ecosystem health, biodiversity and fisheries from excessive nutrients and toxicants, fishing pressure and climate change. Marine ecosystems are under increasing threat from these stressors but they also support activities highly valued by humans, including tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, and recreation. In an era of rapid global change we seek to enhance the values derived from coastal ecosystems, including tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, and recreation.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to preserving the biodiversity and ecological balance of our oceans, ensuring their long-term health and resilience for future generations.
We support efforts to make fisheries and aquaculture sustainable
Fisheries production across the globe is either static or in decline, with pressures from overfishing, pollution and climate change. We support efforts to ensure the future sustainability of fisheries production by integrating ecosystem, economic and social drivers. Our work is focused on Australia and developing countries to help balance production and environmental sustainability of fisheries.
We support biodiversity and conservation planning
The marine environment has a wealth of species across a myriad of habitats. We develop tools and techniques to effectively manage human impacts on coral reefs, coastal mangrove and seagrass habitats, intertidal zones and pelagic environments.
We develop methods and approaches to monitor and reduce land based pollution and its impact
Human activities result in a range of pollutants being discharged from catchments, including nutrients and micropollutants which can result in algal blooms, dead zones, toxicity to specific organisms, and loss of seagrass meadows. Our research aims to understand these impacts and develop new tools and approaches for monitoring and managing their impacts in marine systems.
We seek ways to deal with climate change impacts and develop mitigation strategies
Biodiversity and ecosystem function of marine systems are already being heavily impacted by climate change, e.g., coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef. We support efforts to manage these risks and mitigate the impact of future global climate change and ocean acidification, and their interactions with other stressors, such as land based pollution, using our knowledge and understanding of ecosystem function and response.
Read about some of our projects:
- Ecological competition between corals and macroalgae in a high carbon dioxide world_Understanding the mechanisms and implications for reef ecosystems (PDF 342KB)
- Promoting resilience of marine ecosystems through connectivity (PDF 250KB)
- Ridge to reef fisheries (PDF 282KB)
- The Global Wetlands Project (GLOW)