State and trends of ecological processes

Marine environment (2011)

State and trends of ecological processes

This assessment summary has changed in 2016

The new 2016 assessment summary combines ecological processes, physical & chemical processes and pests, introduced species. diseases and algal blooms

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

State and trends of ecological processes

Connectivity—spatial/physical disjunctions

This assessment summary component has changed in 2016.

Connectivity within the marine environment is predominantly driven by physical processes which influence spatial/physical disjunctions, biological, migration , flyways, recruitment, settlement, genome structures, genetic adaptation. The assessments were merged and the title revised to reflect the primary driver of connectivity in the marine environment and focus the assessment on an area where the most information is available.
This component is now included in a different summary

Connectivity based on physical processes

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

South-east has been significantly affected

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Connectivity—biological, migration, flyways

This assessment summary component has changed in 2016.

Connectivity within the marine environment is predominantly driven by physical processes which influence spatial/physical disjunctions, biological, migration , flyways, recruitment, settlement, genome structures, genetic adaptation. The assessments were merged and the title revised to reflect the primary driver of connectivity in the marine environment and focus the assessment on an area where the most information is available.
This component is now included in a different summary

Connectivity based on physical processes

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

South-east in poor condition and continues to decline

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Connectivity—recruitment, settlement

This assessment summary component has changed in 2016.

Connectivity within the marine environment is predominantly driven by physical processes which influence spatial/physical disjunctions, biological, migration , flyways, recruitment, settlement, genome structures, genetic adaptation. The assessments were merged and the title revised to reflect the primary driver of connectivity in the marine environment and focus the assessment on an area where the most information is available.
This component is now included in a different summary

Connectivity based on physical processes

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

Variable across the regions, improving in some and declining in others

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Connectivity—genome structures, genetic adaptation

This assessment summary component has changed in 2016.

Connectivity within the marine environment is predominantly driven by physical processes which influence spatial/physical disjunctions, biological, migration , flyways, recruitment, settlement, genome structures, genetic adaptation. The assessments were merged and the title revised to reflect the primary driver of connectivity in the marine environment and focus the assessment on an area where the most information is available.
This component is now included in a different summary

Connectivity based on physical processes

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

Knowledge base very limited and condition hard to assess

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Nesting, roosting and nursery sites

Knowledge base very limited and condition hard to assess

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Feeding grounds

Whale feeding grounds significantly affected by human activities in the south-west and north-west

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Water column, pelagic productivity

no longer required

Primary productivity (production at the base of the food chain) is quite distinct from secondary productivity (production at the next level up from the base of the food chain)and therefore it doesn't make scientific sense to combine them into 'pelagic productivity'. Assessments of the water column are already presented in Water column inner shelf (0-25m), water column outer shelf (25-250m), water column slope (250-700m), water column abyss (>700m). There is no need to repeat the assessment again here

Primary productivity

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

Good to very good in all regions

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Benthic productivity

This component is now included in a different summary

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

Good to very good in all regions

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Reef building

Condition poor in south-east

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Symbiosis—fish, corals, molluscs

Knowledge base very limited and condition hard to assess

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Predation

Condition of the worst areas very poor in the south-west and north

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Herbivory processes

This component is now included in a different summary

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

Declines observed in the east

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Filter feeding

Condition poor in the south-east

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Microbial processes

This assessment summary component has changed in 2016.

The assessment title was revised to support provision a comprehensive assessment for the marine environment.
This component is now included in a different summary

Marine microbial communities and processes

State and trends in indicators of marine ecosystem health

Knowledge base very limited and condition hard to assess

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Regional features

Assessed four ecological process features that principally occur in only one region

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Limited

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Marine biodiversity

Assessment Summary Key

Grades

Very good

There are no significant changes in ecological processes as a result of human activities

Good

There are some significant changes in ecological processes as a result of human activities in some areas,
but these are not to the extent that they are significantly affecting ecosystem functions

Poor

There are substantial changes in ecological processes as a result of human activities, and these are significantly
affecting ecosystem functions in some areas

Very poor

There are substantial changes in ecological processes across a wide area of the region as a result of human
activities, and ecosystem functions are seriously affected in much of the region

Recent Trends

Improving
Stable
Deteriorating
Unclear

Confidence

Adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence and high level of consensus
Somewhat adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence or high level of consensus
Limited: Limited evidence or limited consensus
Very limited: Limited evidence and limited consensus
Low: Evidence and consensus too low to make an assessment

Comparability

Comparable: Grade and trend are comparable to the previous assessment
Somewhat comparable: Grade and trend are somewhat comparable to the previous assessment
Not comparable: Grade and trend are not comparable to the previous assessment
Not previously assessed

Ward T (2011). Marine environment: State and trends of ecological processes. In: Australia state of the environment 2011, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra, https://soe.environment.gov.au/assessment-summary-63-state-and-trends-ecological-processes, DOI 10.4226/94/58b657ea7c296

The assessment summaries in State of the Environment reporting provide snapshots of key information, and focus on identifying areas for continued or more concentrated attention on strengthening environmental systems to cope with pressures in the future. Assessment summaries are provided for state and trend, pressures and management responses in each of the themes. The summary text in the assessment tables should be read in conjunction with the explanatory text in each section of the theme chapters.

The authors have indicated the strength of the evidence for assessments with a ‘level of confidence’. If adequate high-quality data were available or consensus was high, confidence is indicated as high. If there were only limited data or consensus to determine grades, confidence is indicated as low. Where data are insufficient to attempt scores, this is also indicated, and the component remains on the list to remind readers that it is still an important aspect of the Australian environment, and that more information is needed to improve our understanding and capacity to respond to environmental challenges.

Dr Trevor Ward

State and trends of ecological processes