Australia State of the Environment Report

Key Finding

2016 Variability in the phases of these climate phenomena change rainfall patterns, sea surface temperatures, surface winds and oceanic currents. These changes can influence the degree of vertical mixing through the water column and the relative location of cyclone events. Simultaneous...

Australia’s marine environment currently contributes approximately $50 billion per year to Australia’s overall economy; this contribution is expected to double by 2025

2016

Key Finding

... ecosystem services, such as carbon dioxide absorption, nutrient cycling and coastal protection. ...

Soil

2016

Report Content

... but can degrade rapidly. Some types of degradation, such as nutrient depletion, can be corrected by fertilisation, but this correction may ...

Introduction 2016

2016

At a glance

... ecosystem services, such as carbon dioxide absorption, nutrient cycling and coastal protection ( Eadie & Hoisington 2011 , NMSC 2015 ). ...

The natural environment

2016

Antarctic environment

Report Content

... biomass in the Southern Ocean. They play a crucial role in nutrient cycling ( Hutchins et al. 2009 , Pearce et al. 2010 ). The species ...

Executive Summary - Coasts

2016

Executive Summary

... deterioration of the coast. For example, widespread nutrient enrichment of coastal waterways has substantially altered the processes of nutrient cycling , sulfur metabolism and carbon fixation. Destruction of critical ...

Soil and water management is crucial for a productive landscape

2016

Key Finding

... management and soil conservation measures. Pesticide and nutrient run-off is also being significantly reduced in some industries, ...

Executive Summary - Marine environment

2016

Executive Summary

... ecosystem services, such as carbon dioxide absorption, nutrient cycling and coastal protection. Our oceans are subject to many varied pressures ...

Drivers influencing the marine environment

2016

Report Content

... and regulation, atmospheric and climate regulation, nutrient cycling and fertility, and protection of coastal regions ( UNEP 2006 , Worm et ...

Overview of resilience of the marine environment

2016

Resilience

Report Content

... densities and their ability to maintain properties, such as nutrient cycling or food web functioning ( Hughes et al. 2005 , Levin & Lubchenco 2008 ...

Coastal land

2016

Report Content

... Soil is a critical resource for water, carbon, energy and nutrient cycling . It provides fundamental support for nearly all coastal land ...

Biodiversity: Ecological processes

2016

Report Content

... be affected through bottom-up processes such as increased nutrient addition to local waters. For estuaries, there are many uncertainties ... process that maintains water quality and biogeochemical cycling in coastal waters. Filter feeders can be particularly important in ...

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Land clearing

2016

Report Content

... over millennia. Vegetation has adapted to the frequently nutrient-poor and sporadically wet soils, and its rooting patterns and ... native vegetation has many impacts on soil, changing the cycling of water, nutrients, sediments and solutes. Soils take decades, and in ...

Overview of state and trends of coasts

2016

Report Content

... degradation. In addition to ongoing pressure from metal and nutrient pollution, coastal waterways are threatened by new classes of ... have substantially altered the processes of nutrient cycling, sulfur metabolism and carbon fixation. Several estuaries and bays ...

Risks to the Antarctic environment 2016

2016

Antarctic environment

Risks

At a glance

... 1:169–192. Hutchins DA, Mulholland MR & Fu F (2009). Nutrient cycles and marine microbes in a CO2-enriched ocean. Oceanography ...

Coastal waters

2016

Report Content

... include excess metals, nutrients and organic matter (see Nutrient pollution ), and industrial chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, ... include excess metals, nutrients and organic matter (see Nutrient pollution ), and industrial chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, ... since ecosystems vary in their requirements and cycling rates. Excess nutrients can have severe negative environmental ...

Outlook for the marine environment 2016

2016

Outlook

At a glance

... nationally important, providing ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and climate regulation, and economic wealth through industries such as ...

Several factors, such as ocean acidification, increasing wind strength and changes in ocean circulation in the Southern Ocean, may affect the base of Antarctic food webs

2016

Antarctic environment

Key Finding

2016 Dissolved carbon dioxide acidifies the ocean and reduces the availability of carbonate ions that shell-making organisms require for calcification, reducing the ability of these organisms to form shells. This may affect their reproductive capabilities and recruitment. Changes in the...

Investment in Indigenous land and sea management has increased participation

2016

Key Finding

2016 The critical role that Indigenous Australians can play in managing the land environment has been formally recognised, and land management provides an important means of employment in many remote areas. Confusing and bureaucratic processes still limit engagement of Indigenous people in...

Overview of state and trends of the built environment

2016

Built environment

Report Content

... services such as flood mitigation, water quality control and nutrient cycling. Biodiversity within cities and towns also offers opportunities to ...

Resilience of marine systems

2016

Resilience

Report Content

... and their ability to maintain aggregate properties, such as nutrient cycling or trophic functioning ( Levin & Lubchenco 2008 , Hughes et al. 2010 ...

Figure WAT15 Extract of the ecosystem health report card for the Theresa catchment in the Queensland Fitzroy Basin, 2014

2016

Inland water

Map

... the Queensland Fitzroy Basin, 2014 A map of showing the nutrient levels in the Theresa catchment in the Queensland Fitzroy Basin in ...

Soil: Carbon dynamics

2016

Report Content

... indicates the functioning of many ecosystem processes (e.g. nutrient and waste cycling, water storage, biodiversity ). The carbon comes primarily from plant ...

Soil: Understanding

2016

Report Content

... of soil condition in agro-ecosystems are: carbon and nutrient content acidity ( pH ) and acidification trend soil structure and ... a soil’s thickness, structure, porosity, and carbon and nutrient content determine its susceptibility to erosion. The carbon and ...

Marine regions

2016

Report Content

... & Picault 1990 ). Although Coral Sea waters are considered nutrient poor at the surface, a deep chlorophyll maximum layer, resulting from ... waters are generally of low to moderate productivity, and nutrient availability is strongly regulated by vertical mixing of the water ...

Pressures affecting the marine environment

2016, 2011

Assessment summary

... Not assessed Topics Climate change Climate change - nutrient supply and cycling This assessment summary component has changed from 2011. Many ...

Box WAT3 Great Barrier Reef catchments: best management practices

2016

Inland water