CSIRO-MISA Research Program to Support BP Oil/Gas Exploration in the Great Australian Bight

CSIRO-MISA Research Program to Support BP Oil/Gas Exploration in the Great Australian Bight

Rationale

This is a proposal for a collaborative research program by CSIRO and MISA to address BP’s science needs to support oil/gas exploration in the Great Australian Bight (GAB).

Knowledge Gaps

Relatively little physical, chemical and biological data have been collected from the deep water ecosystems of the central GAB where exploratory drilling will occur or from the nearby western GAB; limited data are available for shelf waters of the eastern GAB. Spatial and temporal variability in physical oceanographic processes (e.g., upwelling and downwelling) and their roles in driving ecosystem structure and function are also poorly understood, especially in the central and western GAB. Virtually no data are available on regional, inter-annual and seasonal patterns of microbial, planktonic and micro-nektonic community structure and dynamics that are needed to develop conceptual and numerical ecosystem models for the region. Baseline information on levels of biodiversity and endemism in pelagic communities that will be required to develop an ecological monitoring program has not been collected. The capacity of the local bacterial assemblage to degrade hydrocarbons is unknown. Some data are available on the distribution, abundance, foraging patterns and movements of a few large apex predators (e.g., southern bluefin tuna), but there is limited information from which to predict the likely impacts of noise or spillages from oil and gas exploration on these taxa. Similarly, some surveys of benthic biodiversity in and around the GAB Marine Park have been conducted on the continental shelf in the eastern GAB, but few data are available for the deep water communities that will be drilled or shelf communities in the western GAB. Only two research cruises have surveyed the region for seeps that may be associated with hydrocarbon deposits.

Research Themes and Leaders

CSIRO and MISA have developed research proposals to address information needs identified by BP. The six themes and nominated science leaders are listed below.

·  Oceanography - John Middleton (MISA), David Griffin (CSIRO)

·  Pelagic Ecosystem Environmental Drivers - Rudy Kloser, (CSIRO), Tim Ward (MISA)

·  Benthic Biodiversity - Alan Williams (CSIRO), Jason Tanner (MISA)

·  Ecology of Apex Predators - Simon Goldsworthy (MISA), Campbell Davies (CSIRO)

·  Petroleum Geology Geochemistry - Andrew Ross (CSIRO), Bruce Ainsworth (MISA)

·  Socio-economic Baseline - Andrew Beer (MISA), Sean Pascoe (CSIRO)

Approach and Methods

This CSIRO-MISA research program involves the agencies and scientists that hold the majority of data currently available on the ecosystems of the GAB. They also collectively hold the majority of expert scientific knowledge about the system and have strong working relationships with other stakeholders (e.g., fishing and aquaculture industries) and the relevant regulatory departments of the Commonwealth and State Governments. The 12 science leaders listed above have collectively published more than 700 scientific papers and 500 major scientific reports on topics relevant to this program.

Members of this team have expertise across a wide range of disciplines and have conducted scientific studies across the spectrum of applied and theoretical ecology, and have considerable experience collaborating in large multidisciplinary studies. Some of the more relevant accomplishments of the team include:

·  establishing an Integrated Marine Observing System in the eastern GAB;

·  developing several oceanographic models for the region;

·  establishing performance assessment protocols and monitoring programs for marine protected areas;

·  developing and applying tools and protocols for assessing and monitoring deep water pelagic and benthic communities;

·  investigating critical aspects of the biology and ecology of keystone species (e.g., Australian sardine) and apex predators (e.g., southern bluefin tuna);

·  developed ecosystem models for nearby and comparable regions;

·  determination and characterisation of hydrocarbon seepage in frontier regions using novel survey approaches and technologies;

·  developing new sensors and systems to measure hydrocarbons in the marine environment;

·  assessing socio-economic status and perceptions of regional communities and developing models to estimate economic impact of development scenarios;

·  providing advice to stakeholders and policy makers with scientific advice regarding management and conservation of marine resources and habitats.

The major benefits derived from conducting the ecological research required by BP in an integrated multi-disciplinary program such as the one proposed here are the cost-efficiencies and value-adding benefits that accrue from synergies among themes. For example, the observational data and model outputs from the Oceanographic Theme will enhance studies of microbial, planktonic and micro-nektonic communities which will in turn assist studies of distribution, abundance, foraging patterns and migratory patterns of apex predator species. This approach will also provide significant logistical benefits, such as integrating cruises to collect data relevant to several themes (e.g., seep distribution, characterisation of benthic biodiversity).

During the last two years of the proposed program, information collected in each of the themes will be synthesised to provide a conceptual model of the structure and dynamics of the GAB region ecosystem which will be used to underpin a qualitative risk assessment (hazard identification). Data collected throughout the program will also be integrated into ecosystem models that will be used to conduct a quantitative ecological risk assessment for ongoing oil/gas production in the GAB. This information will provide a basis for developing an integrated monitoring program to support potential future oil/gas drilling production. Findings will be compiled into an overarching final report to BP on the CSIRO-MISA Science Program.

Theme 2: Pelagic Ecosystem & Environmental Drivers

PI – Rudy Kloser (CSIRO), Co PI – Tim Ward (MISA)

Objectives

1)  Provide baseline information on the community structure, dynamics, biodiversity and endemism of microbes (i.e., viruses and bacteria), plankton (i.e., phytoplankton, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton) and micronekton (including squids, small pelagic and mesopelagic fish and gelatinous organisms).

2)  Assess variation in primary and secondary productivity and food web structure in relation to physical drivers, including currents, turbidity, irradiance, stratification, nutrient concentrations and turbulence.

3)  Provide information on the microbial, planktonic and micronekton communities that will inform assessments of distributions of key species.

4)  Identify key trophic pathways leading to apex predators in the Great Australian Bight (GAB).

5)  Develop tools and protocols for monitoring ecological indicators of the pelagic system.

Knowledge Gaps

There is limited data and conceptual understanding of the GAB ecosystem structure and food web function, especially in the deep water habitats of the central GAB. Baseline data are needed on the microbial, planktonic and micronekton communities of the GAB to develop conceptual and numerical models of ecosystem function and to inform future impact assessments. Data on the patterns of regional, intra- and inter-annual variability is needed to enable discrimination between long-term trends and rapid changes in ecosystem structure and food web function. This information is also needed to explain patterns in the distribution, abundance and migration of apex predators and their vulnerability to potential anthropogenic impacts. Understanding potential ecosystem impacts will require understanding of the trophodynamics of these predators and their linkages to the wider ecosystem and its physical drivers. Ecological indicators for reporting and assessing impacts are needed to establish cost-effective monitoring tools and protocols. The knowledge gaps listed above need to be addressed in both the central GAB where exploratory drilling, and potentially oil/gas production, will occur and downstream in shelf waters of the eastern GAB.

Methods

Task 1: Characterise spatial and temporal variability of plankton communities

·  Process zooplankton and ichthyoplankton samples collected from the eastern GAB since 1998 (~300 samples per year, 1998-2007, 2009, 2011).

·  Morphological identification to putative taxa and size spectral analysis using Laser Optical Particle Counter (LOPC).

·  Multivariate analysis of patterns of community structure in relation to physical drivers.

·  Complete report, identify potential ecological indicators.

Task 2: Characterise seasonal and spatial variability of plankton, and micronekton communities

·  Submit proposal for two surveys on RV Investigator in 2014-15

·  Field surveys in winter 2014 and summer 2015 with 3 main transects (east, west and middle of GAB Marine Park); 8 sampling stations per transect.

·  Field surveys and laboratory analyses to include:

o  collection of water samples for nutrients, microbial and planktonic communities analyses

o  analysis of macro and micro-nutrient concentrations from water samples

o  size fractionated analyses of phytoplankton pigments via HPLC

o  in-situ assessment of primary productivity using FIRe fluorometry

o  identification of microbial and planktonic communities by flow cytometry, microscopy and molecular techniques

o  net, acoustic and optical sampling of zooplankton and micronekton for biomass, diversity, energetics and trophic linkages.

·  Detailed analysis of structure, dynamics, biodiversity and endemism of the microbial and planktonic and micronekton communities.

·  Identification of ecological indicators and description of potential monitoring program.

Task 3: Predator diets and trophic pathways

·  Field surveys to collect tissue samples from apex predators to overlap with RV Investigator surveys in space and time.

·  Using biochemical (stable isotopes, signature fatty acids) and traditional (stomach content) techniques identify major trophic pathways leading to apex predators in the region.

Who

CSIRO: Kloser, Thompson, Young, Richardson

MISA: Ward, van Ruth, Leterme, Doubell, Mitchell, Beheragary, Goldsworthy

Linkages

·  Use information from the Oceanography Theme for analyses of community structure in relation to physical drivers.

·  Provide information to assist elucidation of factors driving distribution, abundance and migration patterns of apex predators.

·  Provide data and information to assist the understanding of patterns of benthic community structure and microbes with capacity to degrade hydrocarbons.

Timeline

2013: Tasks 1 (complete laboratory analysis), 2 (proposal for research cruises)

2014: Tasks 1 (data analysis, final report – identify potential ecological indicators), 2 (research cruise winter), 3 (sample collection to coincide with Task 2 field studies)

2015: Tasks 2 (research cruise summer, baseline description of GAB ecosystem structure and function), 3 (baseline description of GAB trophic structure)

2016: Tasks 2 (data analysis, final report – synthesis, identify ecological indicators, describe monitoring program), 3 (data analysis, final report – synthesis, identify ecological indicators, describe monitoring program including key indicators)

Outputs & Outcomes

Task 1 Zooplankton and ichthyoplankton communities

Outputs

·  Baseline description of patterns of spatial and seasonal variability in the zooplankton and ichthoplankton communities of the eastern GAB

·  Evaluation of potential ecological indicators, monitoring tools and protocols

Outcomes

·  Basis for establishing a plankton monitoring program for the pelagic ecosystem

Task 2 Microbial, planktonic and micronekton communities

Outputs

·  Baseline description of patterns of spatial and seasonal variability in the microbial, planktonic and micronekton communities of the central GAB

·  Evaluation of potential ecological indicators, monitoring tools and protocols

Outcomes

·  Basis for establishing a plankton monitoring program for the pelagic ecosystem

Task 3 Predator diets and trophic pathways

Output

·  Identified diets of key species and trophic pathways, including critical prey species

Outcomes

·  Basis for establishing a monitoring program for the pelagic ecosystem

CVs & Selected Publications

Dr Rudy Kloser is team leader of the CSIRO deep-water ecosystems status and predictions group. The team investigates the impacts on benthic and pelagic ecosystems of extractive and utilisation industries. They provide underpinning observations and advice for the sustainable management of deepwater Australian fisheries and associated RFMOs. More broadly the team provides research support for the development and application of biodiversity mapping, prediction and monitoring methodologies for regional marine planning. In this way projects are carried out that look at understanding the structure and function of deep-water pelagic and benthic ecosystems in a changing and variable climate with anthropogenic impacts.

Selected publications

Kloser, R.J., Keith, G., and Althaus, F. (2010). Key Ecological Features of the East and South-east Marine Regions: Shelf Incising Canyons. Report to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, June 2010, copy held CSIRO., 21.

Kloser, R.J., Ryan, T., Young, J., and Lewis, M.E. (2009). Ocean basin scale acoustic observations of mid-trophic fishes, potential and challenges. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66, 998-1006.

Demer, D.A., Kloser, R.J., MacLennan, D., and Ona, E. (2009). An introduction to the proceedings and a synthesis of the 2008 ICES Symposium on the Ecosystem Approach with Fisheries Acoustics and Complementary Technologies (SEAFACTS). ICES Journal of Marine Science 66, 961-965.

Williams, A., Bax, N.J., Kloser, R.J., Althaus, F., Barker, B., and Keith, G. (2009). Australia's deep-water reserve network: implications of false homogeneity for classifying abiotic surrogates of biodiversity. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66, 214-224.

Kloser, R.J., Williams, A., and Butler, A.J. (2007). Exploratory Surveys of Seabed Habitats in Australia’s Deep Ocean using Remote Sensing – Needs and Realities in Todd, B.J., and Greene, H.G., eds., Mapping the Seafloor for Habitat Characterization. Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper 47.

Assoc Professor Tim Ward leads SARDI’s Fisheries Science Program and has led multidisciplinary studies of the pelagic ecology of the Great Australian Bight since 1998. This work has included leading stock and ecosystem-based assessment of the South Australian Sardine Fishery and developing and conducting a performance assessment program for the GAB Marine Protected Area. He and other MISA staff have worked extensively and published numerous papers with members of the other project themes.

Selected publications

Ward, T.M., Burch, P., McLeay, L.J., and Ivey, A.R. (2011). Use of the Daily Egg Production Method for stock assessment of sardine, Sardinops sagax; lessons learnt over a decade of application off southern Australia. Reviews in Fisheries Science 19, 1-20.

Van Ruth, P.D., Ganf, G.G., and Ward, T.M. (2010). The influence of mixing on primary productivity: a unique interpretation of classical critical depth theory. Progress in Oceanography 85, 224-235.

Ward, T.M., McLeay, L.J., Dimmlich, W.F., Rogers, P.J., McClatchie, S., Mathews, R., Kaempf, J., and Van Ruth, P.D. (2006). Pelagic ecology of a northern boundary current system: effects of upwelling on the production and distribution of sardine, anchovy and southern bluefin tuna in the eastern Great Australian Bight. Fisheries Oceanography 15, 191-207.

Ward, T.M., Sorokin, S.J., Currie, D.R., Rogers, P.J., and McLeay, L.J. (2006). Epifaunal assemblages of the eastern Great Australian Bight: effectiveness of a benthic protection zone in representing regional biodiversity Continental Shelf Research 26, 25-40.