Each year, we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February) to acknowledge the contributions of the many women monitoring, researching, restoring, and protecting tropical ecosystems.

My name is Alessa. I am a Year 10 student attending St Catherine's Catholic College in Proserpine, Whitsundays. I was given the opportunity to complete my work experience with the Marine Megafauna team at James Cook University’s TropWATER, who are leaders in dugong research.

A $7.5 million partnership between North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) and James Cook University (JCU) will deliver a five-year program to advance marine science across four ports, led by JCU TropWATER.

JCU TropWATER researchers have led the most comprehensive look at the world’s dugong populations in over 20 years – revealing where more work is urgently needed.

Blue carbon is carbon captured and stored in marine and coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrass meadows, and coastal wetlands. Similarly to blue carbon, teal carbon is carbon captured by non-tidal freshwater wetlands. Through the process of photosynthesis, plants in these coastal ecosystems capture carbon dioxide from the air or seawater. 

Murky waters, resident crocodiles, dense seagrass, and elusive species make studying fish in seagrass meadows challenging – testing the limits of available monitoring techniques.

Wetlands are gaining attention as a potential water quality management tool, but how effective are they in practice across the Great Barrier Reef catchments?

A flood plume – also known as a river plume – is a large volume of freshwater discharged from a river into the ocean, caused by heavy rainfall and flooding. Plumes can carry sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other contaminants from the land into coastal and marine waters.

JCU TropWATER’s Dr Paula Cartwright recently spent eight weeks working with scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar on advancing remote sensing technologies to track key indicators of water health from space.

The new JCU TropWATER coastal health tracker brings together thousands of aerial images from our surveys of northern Australia’s coastlines in one online tool for anyone to use.

JCU TropWATER researchers have studied dugong populations for decades, and our marine megafauna team continues to lead cutting edge projects to improve our understanding of dugong ecology. This work is critical to effectively conserve this culturally and ecologically important species.

Scientists at James Cook University TropWATER are expanding their long-standing water quality monitoring and community engagement through a major new initiative – the Catchment Water Quality Alliance.

Coral recruitment is the process where coral larvae settle onto reef surfaces, survive early stages, and grow into new colonies, supporting reef recovery, resilience, and long-term ecosystem health after disturbance.

Seagrass is a marine plant – and it is the only flowering plant that can live under ocean waters. There are four major groups of seagrasses divided into around 60 to 70 species. Seagrass can sometimes be mistaken for seaweed, which is algae that does not have a true root system and reproduces via spores.

What is a nursery habitat? A nursery habitat is an ecosystem that supports juveniles of marine species. They are often coastal ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, mangroves, and saltmarshes that offer three-dimensional structures compared to flat areas of mud or sand. 

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material shed by organisms into their surroundings, such as water or soil, which scientists analyse to detect and monitor species without directly observing or capturing them.

As part of the newly-launched Water Quality Science & Agriculture Hub, Dr Stephen Lewis delves into the history of the Great Barrier Reef, tracing its development over the past 7,000 years and exploring the complexities of establishing a baseline for assessing its health.

James Cook University TropWATER scientists are boosting the recovery of seagrass meadows in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park by installing underwater fences that protected depleted seagrass from turtles grazing to give them a chance for recovery. Now, the first of these protected areas are thriving – growing ten times as thick and twice the height after just three months. 

An extensive flood plume caused by the recent severe weather event in northern Queensland is pushing vast amounts of river discharge to cover about 50,000 km2 of the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns to Mackay – stretching across inshore, mid-shelf, and outer reefs. 

A new study from James Cook University TropWATER researchers has tracked the full 30-year recovery of more than 300 hectares of mangrove forests severely damaged by a 1986 oil spill in Central America.

Nearly half the coral trout caught on the Great Barrier Reef originally come from no-take marine reserves.

To celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February), we’re highlighting some of the many women doing amazing work with TropWATER across freshwater and marine sciences.

It’s been one year since Tropical Cyclone Jasper tore through Far North Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef – and James Cook University scientists say the sediment-laden floods that followed have caused extreme damage to inshore habitats that will take years to recover.

TropWATER supports postgraduate students to work with us on ongoing research projects, gaining hands-on experience and key skills for their career development. Below are highlights from past interns, reflecting on their experiences with TropWATER. 

JCU TropWATER scientists featured their research to the critical minerals sector at last week’s Regional Trailblazer Showcase and Stakeholder Forum in Townsville – emphasising the need to tailor water quality objectives for freshwater ecosystems near mines.

James Cook University TropWATER scientists are unlocking vital clues about the diets of globally endangered dugongs by studying the DNA found in an unusual source – dugong poo.

TropWATER’s Dr Cecilia Villacorta-Rath has been awarded a Queensland Smithsonian Fellowship to train in environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques to assess habitat health on the Great Barrier Reef.

Traditional Owners and Indigenous Rangers are key partners in many ongoing TropWATER projects. Our collaborations include mapping seagrass and coral reefs on Sea Country, conducting Traditional Owner-led dugong surveys, monitoring mangrove shorelines, performing eDNA monitoring of invasive species, and participating in wetland protection initiatives.

Two outstanding JCU marine science students have been awarded Bachelor of Science scholarships – equipping them with unique real-world experience on the Great Barrier Reef under the guidance of leading marine researchers.

The 2024 Australasian Coastal Restoration Network (ACRN) symposium was recently held at the University of Sydney, bringing together key professionals working in coastal, estuarine, and marine restoration. 

New research suggests that the effectiveness of water quality catchment models – used to identify sediment hotspots in Great Barrier Reef catchments – can be enhanced by incorporating river sediment tracing and independent water samples.

Drones could fast-track how scientists collect data on one of the most elusive marine mammals in the Great Barrier Reef.

Our scientists lead seagrass and inshore water quality monitoring across large areas of the inshore Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, contributing critical data to the recently released 2022–2023 Marine Monitoring Program Annual Report.

Restricting spearfishing in some 'yellow zones' in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has doubled the abundance of coral trout, according to new research led by James Cook University scientists.

A James Cook University report has found evidence that sea level rise is visibly impacting mangroves across approximately 80% of the coastline from Cairns to Gladstone, with significant erosion visible along the sea edges, scouring of saltmarshes and landward movement of mangroves.

The common melaleuca ‘paper-bark’ tree could be a powerhouse not only in storing carbon but also in filtering farm runoff – and farmers and scientists are teaming up to understand how big of an impact these native trees have.

For six wet seasons at nine properties across the Bowen-Bogie-Broken catchments, graziers have collected 300 water samples from their local waterways – helping to track how sediments flow from the land into the Great Barrier Reef.

To mark World Oceans Day, Cotton On Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cotton On Group, has committed $2 million to co-launch a world-first conservation project, ‘The Reef Cooperative’. 

From coral trout and snapper to wrasses, butterflyfish, and damselfish – the inshore reef habitats of Great Barrier Reef islands are known for their complex and rich fish communities.

A new report from James Cook University’s TropWATER reveals a thriving dugong population in far northern Queensland, stretching from Cape York to Mission Beach – a stark contrast to concerning dugong numbers in southern Queensland.

Graziers and scientists are working together to understand how, when, and where sediment moves from the land into the Bowen, Broken, and Bogie catchments – building a more accurate understanding of the local water quality. 

As yellow crazy ants invade habitats across Queensland, James Cook University researchers have developed a world-first environmental DNA (eDNA) method that can detect infestations of the highly invasive species.

The Women Warriors of the Torres Strait – an all-female crew of Traditional Owners, rangers, and scientists led by the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) Sea Team and James Cook University – have set sail as part of the Great Reef Census to survey the northernmost section in the Torres Strait, northern Australia. 

A study has found concerning new evidence of long-term declines in coral reef fish around highly visited inshore islands of the Great Barrier Reef. 

Indigenous rangers and scientists team up to drive coral growth on the Great Barrier Reef during spawning season and beyond. A team of scientists, First Nations Rangers, tourism operators, and conservationists have collected millions of coral sperm and egg bundles at Moore Reef on Gunggandji Sea Country, 50 kilometers offshore from Cairns.

James Cook University TropWATER scientists are major contributors to the most comprehensive and rigorous review of water quality and the Great Barrier Reef – confirming that elevated levels of fine sediments, nutrients and pesticides continue to have detrimental impacts on the Great Barrier Reef, especially inshore ecosystems.

A new report from James Cook University (JCU) TropWATER reveals a long-term decline in dugong populations along the Great Barrier Reef, spanning from Mission Beach to Bundaberg, and Hervey Bay in the Great Sandy Strait.

James Cook University scientists are studying a previously unknown manta ray aggregation at Holbourne Island – capturing photographs of the mantas’ distinct markings and deploying satellite and acoustic tracking tags. 

Back-to-back cyclones have exposed the Great Barrier Reef to extensive and persistent flood plumes from Ingham up to Cape York Peninsula, with terrestrial runoff lathering coral reef and seagrass ecosystems for weeks. 

As ocean temperatures continue to warm over the Great Barrier Reef this summer, James Cook University scientists have reported areas of moderate to severe coral bleaching around the Keppel Islands, offshore from Rockhampton.

A TropWATER-led water quality monitoring project has won the Agriculture and Regional Development award at the 34th Banksia National Sustainability Awards.

James Cook University scientists will lead seagrass restoration research spanning tropical Australia’s two oceans.

Mangroves are nature’s blue carbon powerhouses – capable of capturing and storing significant amounts of carbon – making them a vital tool in mitigating the climate crisis.

Growing native bushfoods could reverse environmental degradation and offer better food security. But how do we get bushfoods in the agricultural sector in a market saturated by modern crops?

Hinchinbrook Island historically boasts extensive seagrass meadows and a thriving dugong population, but the region is still recovering from the devastating impacts of Cyclone Yasi more than a decade ago.

Assessing the body size and body condition of dugongs using drone-based photogrammetry Assessments of individual animal health and condition can signal early signs of population-level effects in wildlife from environmental and anthropogenic factors.

James Cook University scientists are in the air conducting a critical Queensland-wide dugong population survey – counting dugongs along 2000 kilometers of coastline in under two months.

The first meadow-scale seagrass restoration project in Tropical Australia is set to breathe new life into two vital seagrass areas of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

TropWATER is working with OzFish and the Townsville City Council to use environmental DNA (eDNA) methods to improve waterway monitoring in the Australian tropics. 

A revolutionary new DNA detection method has helped rediscover an iconic species of turtle last seen more than 25 years ago in a northern Queensland river.

Breakthrough research by James Cook University scientists has solved the mystery of the catastrophic death of 40 million mangrove trees around the Gulf of Carpentaria in 2016 – and the discovery could help scientists predict, and possibly prevent, future events.

Coles and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation have announced a 10-year, $10 million partnership to help strengthen the regeneration and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.

In the lead-up to National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June), scientists from James Cook University are upskilling Torres Strait rangers this week to be the eyes and ears in protecting seagrass meadows in the northernmost part of the Great Barrier Reef.

Large-scale monitoring of seagrass meadows across Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait reveals there is almost no seagrass remaining across most of the previously mapped areas.

Researchers analyzing more than one million satellite images have discovered 4,000 square kilometers of tidal wetlands have been lost globally over twenty years – but ecosystem restoration and natural processes are playing a part in reducing total losses. 

Wuthathi Land and Sea Custodians will use drones, helicopters, and drop camera surveys to map seagrass habitats on Wuthathi Sea Country in Northern Cape York, in partnership with TropWATER scientists.

Native freshwater turtles have been caught in the battle to keep feral pigs out of coastal wetlands, with many adult turtles becoming fatally trapped by fences.

Genetic clues in the water could lead scientists to the last surviving populations of frogs on the brink of extinction – and it could be our last hope to find them.