Maintaining viable waterbird populations

News Title:

60 seconds with the Goyder Chair, Jody Swirepik, Update on the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) Research Centre, Outputs from National Drinking Water Forum in remote First Nations communities Released, Successful Launch of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) Research Centre, New Fact Sheet: Translating Yannarumi into Water Resource Risk Assessments, Thank you for all those who attended Science in The Pub!, Join us for the Annual #WORLDWATERRUN from 18-24th March!, Science in the Pub presents "The Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth: A journey through droughts and floods.", Join us to Launch the New CLLMM Research Centre, New Project: Analysis of changes in high-intensity rainfall events in South Australia, Goyder Institute 2023 Annual Report Reflects on a Busy Year, New Project: Measuring the impact of Ground Water extractions on Mound Springs in Northern South Australia, CLLMM Research Centre announces a new location in the region, Goyder Institute for Water Research announces new Chair, New Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Research Centre has hit the ground running. , New Project Aims to Understand the Environmental Response of the Coorong to the 2022-2023 River Murray Flood Event, Another New Member of Staff Joins the Goyder Institute, Goyder Institute welcomes another new staff member to the team, New Goyder Institute CLLMM Research Centre Participates in Collaborative Effort to Assist with Environmental DNA Sampling for Threatened Species, Delivering a Better Understanding of Water and Ecological interactions in the Braemar, Stuart Shelf and Northern Eyre Peninsula regions for Sustainable Development, Goyder Institute announces new Director, Goyder Institute welcomes three new staff to the team, Are you the Goyder Institute’s new Communications and Engagement Coordinator?, One Basin CRC holds its first annual event, Messages from the Working together for better drinking water in the bush forum warmly received by Federal Minister Plibersek, Research to continue on environmental impact of recent floods, Help us drive sustainable, innovative and integrated water management, Farewell to Daniel Pierce, Introducing the Goyder Institute's 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, Working together for better drinking water for bush communities, Coorong Research Hub to embark on program to address the effects of climate change, Goyder Institute welcomes two new staff to the team, Supporting climate change resilience in the Coorong, New website goes live, Institute research on show at Healthy Coorong Healthy Basin Science Forum, Goyder Institute takes home back-to-back national R&D excellence awards, Increased flushing vital to Coorong’s long-term health, Ruppia restoration strategy released for southern Coorong, Institute scientists head to River Murray to study environmental impacts of flood, Your chance to contribute to the development of a Resilient Water Future for Greater Adelaide, Institute embarks on a strategic planning refresh, Team Goyder is off and running again for World Water Day, Goyder Institute extended to 2026, New research report reveals pathway to keeping Adelaide’s liveable city status, Chair Prof Barry Hart releases Institute's 2022 Annual Report, A year in review and farewell from our Director, Goyder Institute’s Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Research Project wins R&D Excellence Award, How feasible is a water resource rating system for South Australia?, New research project in the South-East kicks off with aerial survey of groundwater, Australian Government announces new Research Hub of the Goyder Institute to support the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region, Australian Government announces new Research Hub of the Goyder Institute to support the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region, Chair announcement: Goyder Institute leadership update, Policy changes are needed to better protect environmental water from climate change in the Murray-Darling Basin, Join us as the Goyder Institute prepares to Sweat4Soap once more, Limestone Coast Landscape Board partners with the Goyder Institute to investigate adaptation of the South-East drainage network, New videos showcase research to inform the management of the Coorong, One Basin CRC takes initial steps towards shaping its research program, The South Australian Government and Goyder Institute partner to establish a Water Ambassador, One Basin CRC advances towards establishment with key roles formed, How feasible is land-based aquaculture in South Australia?, Major step towards Institute’s goals achieved as Coorong research concludes, Goyder Institute wins national award for Research Excellence, One Basin CRC to drive a sustainable future for the Murray-Darling Basin, New research project established to explore the feasibility of a water resource rating system, Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Program fieldwork wraps up, Goyder Institute research supports $10 million investment to improve shorebird habitat, Floods and recent climate projections highlight the importance of ongoing water reform, Water Resources Conference at the World Expo in Dubai identifies new international partnership opportunities, ONE Basin Cooperative Research Centre takes another important step forward, New project established to inform future urban water management options for Adelaide, In Focus: Research providing knowledge to identify climate adaptation pathways for the Coorong and Lower Lakes region, Running for World Wetlands Day (2 February 2022), 2022 shaping up to be an important year, Great progress towards our third term goals as 2021 draws to a close, In Focus: Research providing knowledge to restore a functioning Coorong food web, Welcome news for the ONE Basin Cooperative Research Centre, Impact of second-term projects continue to ‘flow’, Goyder Institute announced as winner of Australian Water Association’s SA Branch R&D award, The Goyder Institute’s new Interim Director looks to an exciting year ahead, In Focus: Research providing knowledge to maintain viable waterbird populations in the Coorong South Lagoon, Goyder Institute team surpasses its #Sweat4Soap target, Call for participation – water resources conference at World Expo in Dubai, Independent evaluation highlights success of Institute’s second term, Goyder Institute team commits to #Sweat4Soap, In Focus: Research providing knowledge to inform the future management of aquatic plants and algae in the Coorong South Lagoon, In Focus: Research providing knowledge to inform the future management of nutrient levels in the Coorong South Lagoon, Goyder Institute partners in the ONE Basin CRC rebid, IPCC 2021 Report on Climate Change emphasises need for the Goyder Institute to continue to support climate mitigation and adaptation, Goyder Institute showcases its Strategic Plan, Goyder Institute unveils new branding, The Sustainable Development Goals and the Goyder Institute for Water Research, Coorong scientific research project crosses halfway mark, Translating Ngarrindjeri Yannarumi into water resource risk assessments, Reducing fine sediment loads into Adelaide’s coastal waters, Project Coorong’s Science Forum resources now available, From South Lagoon to Siberia: tracking Coorong waterbirds via satellite, Interim management updates, New South Australian Government Climate Change Action Plan provides framework for future research of the Goyder Institute, Institute welcomes new Research Program Manager, ONE Basin CRC bid Stage 2 progresses to final stages, Congratulations Prof McKay – winner Premier’s Water Professional of the Year Award, Second term finishes strong – a year in review from the Director, ANNOUNCEMENT: Goyder Institute welcomes a new Chair and Management Board and Research Advisory Committee representatives, Citizen Science: a key part of the Goyder Institute’s involvement in the HCHB program, Finding ancient water in the outback – new research to support remote communities and enterprises, Vale Professor Peter Teasdale, Goyder Institute partners with the Australian and South Australian governments to restore a wetland of international importance - the Coorong’s South Lagoon, ANNOUNCEMENT: Goyder Institute partners establish the third term of the Institute, ONE Basin CRC bid continues to take shape to address the needs of basin governments, industries and communities, Flow on effects – new tools to support the integrated management of river flows and floodplain infrastructure along the River Murray, Advancing integrated management of Spencer Gulf for economic, social and ecological outcomes, Sea grass communities in Gulf St Vincent to benefit from new stormwater management intervention project, ICE WaRM ceases operations after 15 years of advancing excellence in water leadership across the globe, Agricultural technologies in South Australia survey, Investigations underway to help restore the Coorong, Expert panel recommendations inform changes to groundwater management in the Lower Limestone Coast, ONE Basin CRC bid gains momentum, R&D plan charts course for the year ahead, New research papers outline innovative approaches for water exploration and palaeovalley evolution, Call for expressions of interest – ONE Basin Cooperative Research Centre, A year in review from the Director, Research establishes proof of concept for blue carbon benefits from tidal reconnection of coastal wetlands, New research identifies the importance of healthy coastal habitats for combating climate change, New tools to help growers sustainably expand production in the Northern Adelaide Corridor, New research advances blue carbon opportunities in South Australia, Goyder Institute joins Smart Water Mission to New Zealand, Women changing the future of water, State Government seeks community feedback on Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Action Plan, Water managers now able to predict potential foodweb changes associated with floodplain inundation, Women in Water -- visibility matters, SA's droughts are getting worse -- new published research informed by Institute's SA Climate Ready data, G-FLOWS project enters final stages -- characterising the dimensions of a newly discovered paleochannel in the APY Lands, Goyder Institute for Water Research awarded Minister's Award for Excellence, Goyder Institute projects recognised for informing international best practice approaches to Indigenous engagement, Congratulations to Darryl Day -- Water Professional of the Year, Goyder Institute releases findings of independent review of the science underpinning water allocation reductions in the South East, Carbon offsets research to support the State Carbon Sequestration Strategy

Project Partners:

The University of Adelaide

Research Theme:

N/A

Status:

Project Overview

The Coorong, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert Ramsar Wetland is ranked as South Australia’s most important wetland and one of Australia’s most important wetland in terms of the numbers of waterbirds that it supports (Kingsford et al., 2012). Numerous studies show that Coorong waterbird numbers have declined over the past 20 years (Kingsford and Porter, 2009; Paton et al. 2019), with current abundances well below historic levels (Paton et al., 2018). Remaining waterbird populations are now particularly vulnerable to current threats and future perturbations at the site. Habitat degradation internationally has resulted in a global decline in migratory bird numbers, and in the Coorong, the main driver of decline is thought to be a reduction in the availability of food resources (Paton et al., 2018), driven by fundamental modifications to hydrology and water quality.

Progress Update and Key Findings

Investigations to date have been instrumental in our understanding of how waterbirds use the Coorong, how this varies in space and time, and what local drivers (food availability, hydrology) influence these patterns (e.g., Paton et al. 2009, Rogers and Paton 2009, Paton et al. 2015). The viability of waterbird populations in the Coorong depends on the availability of high-quality foraging habitat at appropriate times of year. Migratory shorebirds move to the Coorong seasonally between October to November, using the wetland as a feeding ground through summer and into autumn (Paton, 2010).

In addition, the Coorong provides a critical drought refuge for waterbirds across southern Australia (Paton, 2010). However, there is limited capacity to predict how waterbirds may respond to different management scenarios in the Coorong. These scenarios will use integrated knowledge from an ecosystem-based approach to improve habitat quality while considering multiple spatial and temporal variability, and trade-offs among diverse habitat requirements of different key waterbird species. The project approach will follow existing frameworks for wetland management practice for conserving key waterbird habitats (e.g. Ma et al., 2010).

Waterbirds use the Coorong in the context of the broader landscape, and there are likely to be opportunities to restore the waterbird populations that use the Coorong by increasing the available habitat across the broader landscape. This will be particularly important during the current period where ecological restoration within the Coorong is needed. Knowledge of where and when waterbirds move within the Coorong and across the broader landscape and the habitat quality across this landscape is a critical knowledge gap that is limiting the ability to manage the matrix of wetlands across the region to support viable waterbird populations.


The Waterbirds Component is addressing the following questions:

  • How do we effectively measure “habitat quality” for key waterbird species (e.g., through responses in distribution and abundance, foraging performance measures), in order to predict and evaluate the response of waterbirds to management interventions?
  • What are the critical habitat features within the Coorong that are required to maintain and increase the abundances or performances of key waterbird species in the Coorong South Lagoon?
  • What are the critical habitat features of these wetlands in the broader landscape that make them suitable habitat for key waterbird species in the Coorong South Lagoon?
  • How will key waterbird species in the Coorong South Lagoon respond to different management scenarios, including changed operations and new management interventions?
  • How will key waterbird species of the Coorong South Lagoon respond to different management scenarios in priority wetlands for restoration in the surrounding landscape, including changed operations and new management interventions?
  • How do key waterbirds of the Coorong use the Coorong and wetlands in the broader landscape?
  • Can suitable complementary habitat be provided in wetlands in the broader landscape to improve abundances of key waterbird species in the Coorong South Lagoon? What management interventions are required to support this?

Project Impacts

Detailed investigations are focusing on a subset of species that are dependent on the Coorong South Lagoon. The subset was selected on the following criteria:

  1. Species that have been identified in the 2015 Ecological Character Description for the Coorong South Lagoon.
  2. Species that have undergone demonstrable declines in the Coorong South Lagoon since 2000.
  3. Species that represent, ecologically, a broader group of species, such that the overall list of key water bird species adequately represents the ecology of the entire waterbird community of the Coorong South Lagoon.
  4. Where evidence is available for individual species, species for which there is demonstrable evidence that the Coorong population is declining at rates above global population declines (thereby demonstrating that Coorong habitat is having a significant influence on declines).

Based on these criteria, the following list of species were selected for tagging and tracking studies,

  • Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
  • Red-necked Avocet
  • Chestnut Teal
  • Australian Pelican

To achieve the above, this Component has four interconnected tasks:

  • Activity 1 – Habitat suitability models for key waterbird species. The objective of this activity is to develop an understanding of how key waterbird species will respond to future management scenarios within the Coorong South Lagoon. This will be achieved through the compilation of existing knowledge, models and data; the development of new models for key waterbird species using existing knowledge and targeted data collection to fill model data gaps where there are critical uncertainty implications; and running of models to assess the responses of key waterbird species to various management scenarios, including different operational scenarios and management interventions being considered.
  • Activity 2 – Measures of habitat quality for key waterbird Species. The objective of this activity is to develop measures of habitat quality for key waterbird species that can be used to assess responses to various management interventions (modelling/prediction and monitoring/evaluation). This will be achieved through a systematic review of the evidence regarding methodologies for assessing habitat quality in comparable waterbird species; analysis of existing data (compiled through Activity 1); and testing of measures of habitat quality (in Activities 1, 3 and 4).
  • Activity 3 – Key waterbird species response models for priority landscape wetlands. The objective of this activity is to develop an understanding of how key waterbird species of the Coorong South Lagoon will respond to future management scenarios within priority wetlands for restoration in the broader landscape. This will be achieved through the compilation of existing knowledge and data; surveys of priority wetlands, including measures of waterbird abundance and distribution, habitat quality, and biophysical indicators that influence habitat quality; populating the models established in Activity 1 with data compiled for the priority wetlands and collected through field surveys of priority wetlands; and running of models to assess the responses of key waterbird species to various management interventions being considered.
  • Activity 4 – Spatial ecology of key waterbird species in the Coorong and wetlands in the broader landscapes. The objective of this activity is to develop an understanding of how key waterbird species will respond to future management scenarios within the Coorong South Lagoon and surrounding landscape (aimed at restoring Coorong populations). This will be achieved through a combination of approaches to track the movement of individuals and populations between the Coorong (with a focus on the South Lagoon) and wetlands in the broader landscape. The method selected will depend on the key waterbird species and consist of seasonal surveys and/or movement studies of individuals for a subset of key waterbird species. The data collected will be combined with remotely-sensed habitat data to generate landscape-scale spatial models, that can be used to inform planning and prioritisation of wetland restoration and management.

Research Outputs

Response models for waterbird species of the south-east of South Australia

Response models for key waterbird species of the Coorong

Review of the ecology, status and modelling of waterbird populations of the Coorong South Lagoon

Spatial and temporal habitat use by key waterbird species in the Coorong.

Recommended habitat quality measures for key waterbird species in the Coorong.

Assessing waterbird habitat quality in the Coorong

Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin: 5. Waterbirds

Project News

Restoring a functioning Coorong food web

Restoring a functioning Coorong food web

Restoring a functioning Coorong food web

Restoring a functioning Coorong food web

Investigating the drivers and control of filamentous algae and restoration of aquatic plants in the Coorong

Investigating the drivers and control of filamentous algae and restoration of aquatic plants in the Coorong

Understanding Coorong nutrient dynamics

Understanding Coorong nutrient dynamics

Contact Us

The University of Adelaide, North Terrace Adelaide South Australia

Postal Address
C/- The Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA 5005

Twitter Linkedin Vimeo

About Us

Our Work​

Research Outputs

News

Events

Subscribe to eNews