Dominca Loong

BSc

• Research Interests
• Current Projects
• Publications
  • Papers
  • Non-refereed
  • Conference and seminars

Research interests

Dominica recently relocated to Darwin to work with TRaCK having had a close affiliation with the gulf region and associated ecological programs through her work with the Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research (ACTFR) based at James Cook University, Townsville. Her work interests reflect her life desire to contribute to efforts towards the rehabilitation and maintenance of our natural ecosystems, to gaining understanding between natural and anthropogenic interactions, and to promote awareness of these findings as an aid to mutual benefits for all societal components. She has a strong belief that we need to minimise our impact on, and increase our respect for, the natural environmental and that in return we will be duly rewarded.

Her current role with TRaCK focuses on food webs associated with tropical Australian aquatic systems and will explore how flows and position within the landscape influence aquatic biodiversity. She is happy to be back exploring trophic interactions following an interlude expanding her experience with water quality and wetland condition issues.

Current projects

With ACTFR Dominica spent 7 years conducting aquatic ecological assessments for a range of clients including mining companies, the Australian Defence Force, local council and regional boards. She had the opportunity to coordinate several long-term monitoring projects allowing the compilation of substantial regional water quality datasets which were applied to the development of regional water quality guidelines. In recent years Dominica was also involved in projects investigating water and sediment quality and invertebrate diversity in gulf rivers and streams, liaising with the Mitchell River Group and Traditional Owners. She will now build on that association in her role with TRaCK which will involve field work within the Daly, Fitzroy and Mitchell River Catchments, and collaboration with a broad range of project participants from researchers nation-wide, to local stakeholders, landowners and cultural groups.

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Publications

Peer-reviewed papers

Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M., Kellaway, D.M., and Prosser, I.P. (1998). Influence of invasive macrophytes on channel morphology and hydrology in an open tropical lowland stream, and potential control by riparian shading. Freshwater Biology 39(1):171-178

Preston, N.P., Smith, D.M., Kellaway, D.M., and Bunn, S.E. (1996). The use of enriched 15N as an indicator of the assimilation of individual protein sources from compound diets for juvenile Penaeus monodon. Aquaculture 147:249-259.

Loneragan, N.R., Bunn, S.E., and Kellaway, D.M. (1997). Are mangroves and seagrasses sources of organic carbon for penaeid prawns in a tropical Australia estuary?; A multiple stable isotope study. Marine Biology 130(2): 289 - 300

Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M., and Kellaway, D.M. (1996). Contributions of sugar-cane and invasive pasture grass to aquatic food webs in a tropical lowland stream. Marine Freshwater Research 48:173-179

Non-Refereed Publications (eg, Workshop Proceedings/Magazine/Technical Reports)

Loong, D., Melzer, A., Jacobs, K. and R. Alquazar (2007) Post-seepage assessment of Alick Creek, Yabulu, QNI.Centre for Environmental Management, Central Queensland University, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University September 2007

Loong, D., and A. Davis (2007) Mount Gordon Mine Dry Season Limnological Survey June 2007. A Report for Aditya Birla Copper, Mount Gordon Operations.

Loong, Dominica and John Faithful (2007) Halifax Bay Water and Sediment Quality Study 2006-2009. Pre-Wet Season (December 2006) and Post-Wet Season (February-May 2007). A Component of a Multi-Disciplinary Southern Halifax Bay Ecological Assessment as part of the Environmental Assessment and Management Program for Queensland Nickel Pty. Ltd. (QNI). ACTFR Report No. 07/13

Loong, D., Dowe, J., Butler, B. and Burrows, D. (2007) Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA) Ecological Monitoring. Monitoring of Water Quality and Aquatic Invertebrates on the Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA) November 2006 - July 2007. ACTFR Report No. 07/12. July 2007. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research

Butler,B., Burrows,D., and Loong, D (in review) Northern Gulf Sediment Assessment – Mining Influence on the Benthic Sediment of Northern Gulf Rivers. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research

Loong, D., Dowe, J., Burrows, D., Veitch,V. and Butler, B. (2007). Tully Training Area Aquatic and Riparian Monitoring Program. Report for Defence Support – North Queensland (DS-NQ) Environment Department of Defence

Faithful, John and Dominica Loong (2007) Water Quality Characterisation of the Surface Waters in Aquatic Habitats Located Within the Yabulu Nickel Refinery. A Limnological Survey - 2005/06. ACTFR Report No. 07/02

David A. Post1, Dominica Loong2, John Dowe2, Malcolm Hodgen1, Rex Keen1, Aaron Hawdon1, Cuan Petheram1, Damien Burrows2, and John Faithful2 (2006). Ecological Monitoring of the Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA) 2005/06. 1 CSIRO Land and Water, Davies Laboratory, Townsville, 2 Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University, Townsville. CSIRO Land and Water and ACTFR Client Report to Department of Defence, November 2006

Burrows,D., Veitch,V., Loong, D., Perna,C. and Butler,B. (2006) Monitoring of the health and fish passage issues of Healey’s Lagoon following removal of an extensive mat of floating aquatic weeds. June 2006. ACTFR Report No. 06/11. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research

Loong, D., Butler, B. and Burrows, D. (2006) Water quality and aquatic health assessment of Healey’s Lagoon, Haughton River Catchment, North Queensland – December 2005. Appendix to ACTFR Report No. 06/11. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research

Faithful, J., Davis, A and Loong, D. (2006) Page Creek Post-wet Season Limnological Survey May 2006 A Report for Zinifex Century Limited ACTFR Report No. 06/16 December 2006

Faithful, J., Loong, D., Davis, A. and Burrows, D. (2005) Mount Gordon Mine Dry Season Limnological Survey June / July 2005. A Report for Aditya Birla Copper, Mount Gordon Operations. ACTFR Final Report No. 05/11

Post, D., Loong, D., Dowe, J., Hodgen, M., Keen, R., Hawdon, A., Burrows, D. and Faithful, J.(2005). Ecological Monitoring of the Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA) 2004/05. CSIRO Land and Water and ACTFR Client Report to Department of Defence, December 2005.

Faithful, J., Davis, A and Loong, D. (2005) Page Creek Post-Wet Season Limnological Survey, March 2005. A report for Zinifex Century Ltd, ACTFR Report No. 05/10. September 2005

Loong, D., Butler, B., Burrows, D., Davis, A. and Faithful, J. (2004) Limnological Assessment and Benchmarking of Key Sentinel Wetlands in the Burdekin Catchment. Report to the Burdekin Dry Tropics Board as part of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality for the Burdekin Catchment: Priority Action Project No. 4. ACTFR Report No.05/09

Loong, D., Dowe, J., Brodie, J., Post, D., and Butler, B. (2004) Riparian Case Study and Community Water Quality Monitoring in the Bowen-Broken Catchment. ACTFR Report No. 04/11.Report to the Burdekin Dry Tropics Board as part of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality for the Burdekin Catchment: Priority Action Project No. 1, Improving Water Quality through On-Ground Land Management Changes in the Bowen-Broken River Catchment

Post, D., Loong, D., Burrows, D. and Faithful, J. (2004) Ecological Monitoring of the Townsville Field Training Area. CSIRO Land and Water and ACTFR Client Report, January 2004

Faithful, J., Loong, D. Davis, A. and Burrows, D (2004) Birla Mount Gordon Mine Limnological Survey. A report for Birla Mt Gordon Copper. ACTFR Report 04/12

Loong, D., Faithful, J., and Burrows, D. (2004) Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA) Ecological Monitoring. Monitoring Of Water Quality, Aquatic Invertebrates And Riparian Vegetation On The Townsville Field Training Area November 2003-June 2004.July 2004. ACTFR Report 04/07

Faithful, J. and Loong, D. (2004) Magazine Creek Baseline Environmental Survey July 2004. A Component of a Voluntary Environmental Management Program to be undertaken by Birla Mount Gordon for the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (QEPA). ACTFR Draft Report No. 04/03, August 2004.

Loong, D. and Faithful, J. (2003) Microbiological status of Paluma Township weirs. A report for Thuringowa Water. ACTFR Report No. 03/21, August 2003. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Faithful, J., Loong, D. and Burrows, D. (2003) Mount Gordon Mine dry season limnological survey, December 2002. A report for Western Metals Copper, Mount Gordon Operations. ACTFR Report No. 03/07, August 2003. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research

Loong, D. and Faithful, J. (2003) Impacts of motorised watercraft on Ross Dam – intensive activity survey. A report for NQ Water. ACTFR Report No. 03/14, July 2003. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Brodie, J. and Loong, D. (2003) Environmental impact and receiving waters monitoring program for Coral Sea Farms of Australia, Seymour River. Report No. 03/06, March 2003. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Loong, D. and Faithful, J. (2003) An assessment of lead in the sediment of Lake Paluma following a dam works incident. Report for NQ Water. ACTFR Report No. 03/01, January 2003. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Werren, G., Butler, B. and Loong, D. (2002) Environmental impact assessment of Paluma town weir supply augmentation proposal: flora, fauna and water quality. A report for Connell-Wagner Pty Ltd, consultants to Thuringowa City Council. ACTFR Report No. 02/14, November 2002. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Faithful, J., Loong, D. and Perna, C. (2002) Ross River Aquatic Weed Study. A preliminary assessment of the impacts of aquatic weeds harvesting on the physico-chemical and chemical water quality of Ross River March to October 2002. A report to Maunsell Australia (Townsville) Pty. Ltd. ACTFR Report No. 02/09. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Loong, D. (2002) Impacts of motorised watercraft on the aquatic birdlife of Ross River and Ross Dam –literature review. ACTFR Report No. 02/02. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Faithful, J. and Loong, D. (2001) Impacts of motorised watercraft on Ross Dam - baseline impoundment surveys. ACTFR Report No. 01/11. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Loong, D., Faithful, J. and Brodie, J. (2001) An assessment of potential water quality impacts by motorised watercraft in Ross River Dam: a literature review. ACTFR Report No. 01/09. September 2001. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Haynes, D. and Loong, D. (2001) Antifoulant (butyltin and copper) concentrations in sediments from the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Australia. Environmental Pollution 120 (2): 391-396.

Loong, D. and Lukacs, G. (2000) Scoping report: ecological sustainability guidelines for waterways. ACTFR Report No. 00/12. September 2000. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research.

Kellaway, D. (1999) Sources, fates and consequences of pollutants in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait: conference abstracts 29-30 June 1999, Mercure Inn, Townsville. Workshop Series No. 25. Great Barrier Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Australia, 26pp.

Kellaway, D. (1999) Antifoulants in sediment of the Great Barrier Reef: concentrations and risk assessment of tributyltin and copper. Unpublished report for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Australia, 28pp.

Kwan, D., Haynes, D., Ryan, D., and Kellaway, D. (1999). Torres Strait heavy metals monitoring project (1999-2001). Progress Report No.1 to the Torres Strait Regional Authority May 1999, unpublished report, 5pp.

Haynes D, Kellaway, D., and Davis, K. (eds.) (1998). Protection of Wetlands adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef: Proceedings of a Workshop held in Babinda, Queensland, Australia, 25-26 September 1997.

Conference and seminar presentations

2006 - Bringing Water Quality Monitoring and Interpretation up in line with the Tropics. Presentation for the Coastal Catchments Initiative, part of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, Burdekin Dry Tropics. February 2006, Townsville

2006 - Water, water everywhere? Presentation on wetlands to the Wildlife Preservation Society, March 2006

2004 - Improving Water Quality through Land Management Changes in the Bowen-Broken River Catchment: Riparian Case Study. Milestone presentation as part of NAP PAP1 for the Burdekin Dry Tropics

1999 - Copper and Tributyltin in GBRMP sediments. Conference presentation ACRS, South Molle Island, Whitsundays, September 1999

1999 - Antifoulants in sediment of the Great Barrier Reef: concentrations and risk assessment of tributyltin and copper. Conference presentation (Sources, fates and consequences of pollutants in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait). June 1999, Mercure Inn, Townsville