Boost for crucial mangrove research

Charles Darwin University researchers have received a grant of $200, 000 for urgent mangrove research to understand the threats posed by climate change.

The Northern Territory Minister for Environment and Natural Resources Lauren Moss announced the funding for the collaborative research between NTG and CDU.

“We have already seen the devastating impact climate change has had on mangroves in the Gulf of Carpentaria and that’s where a lot of CDU’s research will be focused,” Ms Moss said.

“It is crucial that we respect and care for these unique and important assets by maintaining healthy ecosystems and protecting biodiversity.”

Boasting 52 species of mangrove, Australia’s mainland has 11,000km of mangrove-lined coast, around 18 per cent of the total coastline.

In the Northern Territory, mangroves cover about 4120km of the Territory’s 10,953km coastline and river systems, equating to more than one-third of Australia’s mangroves.

CDU Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods’ Professor Lindsay Hutley said a better understanding of Territory mangroves was required to limit the mangrove dieback that has occurred in the Gulf of Carpentaria. 

“A significant area of mangroves in the Gulf of Carpentaria has been damaged and we need to act now to assess the risks of future occurrences and develop mitigation and adaptation strategies to best manage our coastline into the future, a future which is likely to be shaped by fundamental changes to the climate of North Australia,” Professor Hutley said.

“Mangrove ecosystems are vital; they stabilise coastlines and provide essential habitat for fish and mud crab breeding cycles.”

Professor Hutley said the funding would assist with research to understand the potential threats mangrove systems may face in the next 50 years or more.

The funding will be used to leverage about $500,000 of additional research funds through the Australian Research Council’s Linkage Projects scheme and foster collaboration with other world-leading research agencies.