This experiment tested the effects of secondary treated sewage effluent on infaunal assemblages that were collected 50m from a sewage outfall ('outfall' assemblage). Twelve intact sediment cores were collected from this site on the Western Treatment Plant foreshore (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria) and brought back to the laboratory. Four cores were assigned to each of three treatments, which were no dose of effluent, high dose (7mls effluent per minute) or a 'no escape' treatment. The experiment ran for 13 days in December 1999. Throughout the experimental period, dissolved oxygen levels were measured and animals that migrated from the sediment were collected, counted and identified. At the end of the experiment, infauna remaining in the sediment were counted and identified and the wet weight biomass of each species group was recorded.

This experiment tested the effects of secondary treated sewage effluent on infauna assemblages that were taken from a 'reference' site immediately after a large dump of macroalgae had cleared from the mudflat. Macroalgae cover can have severe effects on infaunal assemblages so it was expected that the recent macroalgae dump would affect the responses of infauna to the effluent dosing. Twelve intact sediment cores were collected from this site on the Western Treatment Plant foreshore (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria) and brought back to the laboratory. Four cores were assigned to each of the two treatments, which were high dose (7mls effluent per minute) or no dose of effluent. The experiment ran for 13 days in October 1999. Throughout the experimental period, dissolved oxygen levels were measured and animals that migrated from the sediment were collected, counted and identified. At the end of the experiment, sediment chlorophyll levels were measured and infauna remaining in the sediment were counted and identified.

This experiment tested the effects of secondary treated sewage effluent on infauna assemblages that were collected 2km from a sewage outfall ('reference' assemblage). Twelve intact sediment cores were collected from this site on the Western Treatment Plant foreshore (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria) and brought back to the laboratory. Four cores were assigned to each of three treatments, which were low dose (3.5mls effluent per minute), high dose (7mls effluent per minute) or no dose of effluent. The experiment ran for 14 days in October 1997. Throughout the experimental period, dissolved oxygen levels were measured and animals that migrated from the sediment were collected, counted and identified. At the end of the experiment, sediment chlorophyll levels were measured and infauna remaining in the sediment were counted and identified.

This review was a synthesis of studies that monitored the effects of sewage disposal in the marine environment. Twenty studies that were conducted between 1973 and 1997 and met specific design requirements (i.e. no confounding factors, appropriate replication) were included in the review. Background data relating to discharge type, quantity, level of detail and sampling procedures of the investigation in each study were collated. Any impact that was detected was recorded for each endpoint. The magnitude of change or effect size was calculated for each study and was defined as the percent change at the impact site relative to the control sites. There were some consistencies in the monitoring strategies and benthic responses between studies in different areas. Multivariate indicators and population level analyses were the most sensitive measures for detecting sewage related impacts. Abundance usually increased at outfall sites relative to controls (30-250% magnitude of change) while species richness, diversity and evenness tended to decrease (16-90% magnitude of change). The geographic extent of the studies were limited to temperate regions except for 1 study that was conducted in Antarctica.

From the abstract of one of the referenced papers: The estimated breeding population of wandering albatrosses on Macquarie Island increased from 17 in 1956 to a maximum of 97 in 1966, and then declined at an average rate of 8.1% per year. Mark-recapture analysis shows that the population is not closed (ie subject to immigration and emigration). The decline is correlated with the onset of large-scale fishing for tuna in the southern hemisphere using longlines. The effect of longline mortality on the population dynamics of the wandering albatross is estimated. An annual number of longline hooks in the southern hemisphere tuna fishery of 41.6 million is calculated as the ceiling below which the population would begin to recover. Part of these data were collected as part of ASAC project 751 (ASAC_751), 'Status and conservation of albatrosses on Macquarie Island'.

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 1306 See the link below for public details on this project. ---- Public Summary from Project ---- The locations and characteristics of nest sites in the Larsemann Hills of three lesser-known seabird species will be mapped. Rapid survey techniques will be trialled and the diets and chronology of breeding determined. The influence of human activities on Broknes on skuas and other seabirds will be examined. Location of seabird colonies recorded using a Garmin 12XL GPS unit (averaged). Nest reference numbers refer to ANARE Research Notes 35, Breeding distribution and abundance of surface-nesting petrels in the Rauer Islands, East Antarctica by K. Green and G.W.Johnstone. The download file contains a number of photographs and a word document providing further information. Also see the metadata records: "Windmill Islands 1:10000 Some abandoned penguin rookery sites point GIS Dataset" and "Windmill Islands 1:10000 Some abandoned penguin rookery sites polygon GIS Dataset".

A combination of surveys and experiments were used to assess the reproductive patterns of Siphonaria diemenensis in 2 zones on the rocky shore at Griffith Point, San Remo, Victoria. One zone was in the high intertidal (Zone 2) and one was in the low intertidal area on the shore. There were 3 sites in Zone 1 and 2 sites in Zone 2 (see parent record for more details). The breeding season of S. diemenensis was between August and May and spawning correlated with the phases of the moon. The numbers of egg masses at each site were recorded from regular searches during the breeding seasons in 1980-81 and 1981-82. The reproduction rates were highly variable between seasons in Zone 1 and less variable in Zone 2. It was suggested that the variation in reproductive rates between the different zones was correlated with changes in food availability. An experiment was conducted to determine the reproductive effort of different sized individuals and to examine how responsive reproductive patterns are to changes in environmental conditions. On 18 August 1980, limpets were collected and placed within steel mesh enclosures (10x10cm). The enclosures were assigned to 8 different treatments groups (n=3). Details of the treatments are outlined in the attached resource. Egg masses were collected from the enclosures at regular intervals and at the completion of the experiment on 4 April 1981, 5 limpets were collected per enclosure. The shell length and dry weight was recorded for each limpet.

Exclusions were attached to artificial substrata to investigate the relative effects of predation on the development of epifaunal communities at Portsea. Exclusions were black plastic mesh cages enclosing panels that were attached to rigs under the Portsea Pier. Bare control panels and cage controls where included in the experimental design. Cage controls had the bottom and half of the roof on the cage removed. There were 2 replicate panels of each treatment that were immersed for 2, 4 or 7 months and there were 6 runs of the experiment from October 1975 to November 1977. At the conclusion of each run of the experiment the panels were fixed in 4% formalin-seawater solution. In the laboratory, the number of individuals and percent cover of colonial species on each panel were recorded. Surveys identified that grazing fish were the most abundant predator of the epifaunal community at Portsea during the experiment. Predation significantly affected the pattern of establishment of the epifaunal community. There were fewer ascidian recruits and more diverse communities on bare control panels because fish predation prevented monopolisation of space by dominant ascidian competitors. On caged panels were there was no fish grazing, the survival of colonial ascidians was greater and the panels were dominated by arborescent bryozoans and ascidians.