Endeavour Wet Tropics NRM region (managed by Terrain) Daintree Mossman Barron Mulgrave-Russell Johnstone Tully Murray Herbert Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM region (managed by NQ Dry Tropics) Black Ross Haughton Burdekin Don Mackay Whitsunday NRM region (managed by Reef Catchments) Proserpine O'Connell Pioneer Plane Fitzroy NRM region (managed by Fitzroy Basin Association) Styx Shoalwater Waterpark Fitzroy Calliope Burnett-Mary NRM region (managed by Burnett Mary Regional Group) Baffle Kolan Burnett Burrum Mary Methodology The methods underpinning this basin assessment are detailed in the Coastal Ecosystems Assessment Framework9, a tool developed in partnership with the Queensland Government (available at www.gbrmpa.gov.au). The Coastal Ecosystems Assessment Framework was developed and used as the basis of the Informing the Outlook for Great Barrier Reef coastal
Appendix C – Values and their elements that underpin matters of national environmental significance Values and elements that underpin matters of environmental significance Matters of national environmental significance (MNES) World Heritage Properties National heritage places Wetlands of international importance Listed threatened species and ecological communities Listed migratory species Commonwealth marine areas Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Biodiversity - Habitats Islands Beaches and coastlines Mangroves Seagrass meadows Coral reefs (<30m) Mesophotic (deep water) corals Lagoon floor Shoals Halimeda banks Continental slope Open waters Saltmarshes Freshwater wetlands Forest floodplain and shrublands Grass and sedgelands Woodlands Forests Rainforests Biodiversity - Species Dune & saltmarsh plants Mangroves Seagrasses Macroalgae Benthic microalgae Corals Seahorses and allies Other invertebrates Plankton and microbes Bony fish Sharks and rays Sea snakes Marine turtles Estuarine crocodile
Sequesters carbon H L M L H H Cycles carbon L H H M L H H H H Decomposition Source of Dissolved Organic Matter H H H Oxidation-reduction Biochar source H H Oxygenates water H H L Oxygenates sediments M L Regulation processes pH regulation M H PASS management H H Salinity regulation Hardness regulation H Regulates temperature ML Chemicals/heavy metal modification Biogeochemically modifies chemicals/heavy metals L M H Flocculates heavy metals H Biological processes (processes that maintain animal/plant populations) Survival/reproduction Habitat/refugia for aquatic species with reef connections H M L H H H Habitat for terrestrial species with connections to the reef H H Food source H H Habitat for ecologically important animals H H L H Dispersal/ migration/ regeneration Replenishment of ecosystems – colonisation (source/sink) H H M H H Pathway for migratory fish H Pollination Recruitment Habitat contributes significantly to recruitment H H H H H H Capacity of natural coastal ecosystems to provide ecological functions for the Great Barrier Reef44 H – high capacity for this system to provide this service, M – medium capacity for this system to provide this service, L – low capacity for this system to provide this service, N – no capacity for this system to provide this service, X – not applicable, – service is provided but capacity unknown. Boxes with no data indicate a lack of information available. Note that the capacity shown for modified systems assumes periods of low hydrological flow.
Salinity regulation 15 Hardness regulation 15 Regulates temperature L16 Chemicals/heavy metal modification Biogeochemically modifies chemicals/heavy metals X17 Flocculates heavy metals L Biological processes (processes that maintain animal/plant populations) Survival/reproduction Habitat/refugia for aquatic species with reef connections N L5 L5 L8 L12 N N L M18 Habitat for terrestrial species with connections to the reef N L L H9 L N N L L19 Food source N N N M L N L M L Habitat for ecologically important animals N N L10 N N N M L19 Dispersal/ migration/ regeneration Replenishment of ecosystems – N N N L N N N M L20