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Natural and anthropogenic changes to mangrove distributions in the Pioneer River Estuary (QLD, Australia)

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Abstract

We analyzed a time series of aerial photographs and Landsat satellite imagery of the Pioneer River Estuary (near Mackay, Queensland, Australia) to document both natural and anthropogenic changes in the area of mangroves available to filter river runoff between 1948 and 2002. Over 54 years, there was a net loss of 137 ha (22%) of tidal mangroves during four successive periods that were characterized by different driving mechanisms: (1) little net change (1948–1962); (2) net gain from rapid mangrove expansion (1962–1972); (3) net loss from clearing and tidal isolation (1972–1991); and (4) net loss from a severe species-specific dieback affecting over 50% of remaining mangrove cover (1991–2002). Manual digitization of aerial photographs was accurate for mapping changes in the boundaries of mangrove distributions, but this technique underestimated the total loss due to dieback. Regions of mangrove dieback were identified and mapped more accurately and efficiently after applying the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery, and then monitoring changes to the index over time. These remote sensing techniques to map and monitor mangrove changes are important for identifying habitat degradation, both spatially and temporally, in order to prioritize restoration for management of estuarine and adjacent marine ecosystems.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this work was provided by a Postgraduate Fulbright Fellowship, a NASA Graduate Student Researchers Programs Fellowship and a PADI Foundation award. We thank Greg Tooth, Judith Wake and members of the Mackay Conservation Group for field assistance, Maureen Cooper of Padaminka Nature Refuge for providing accommodation and support, and Noel Whitehead of Sunfish Mackay for raising awareness of the mangrove dieback. We are grateful to Karen Joyce for data processing assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, A316 Earth and Marine Sciences, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA

    Stacy D. Jupiter & Donald C. Potts

  2. Centre for Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Science, School of Geography, Planning & Architecture, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072, QLD, Australia

    Stacy D. Jupiter & Stuart R. Phinn

  3. Centre for Marine Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072, QLD, Australia

    Stacy D. Jupiter & Norman C. Duke

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  1. Stacy D. Jupiter
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  2. Donald C. Potts
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Correspondence to Stacy D. Jupiter.

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Jupiter, S.D., Potts, D.C., Phinn, S.R. et al. Natural and anthropogenic changes to mangrove distributions in the Pioneer River Estuary (QLD, Australia). Wetlands Ecol Manage 15, 51–62 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-006-9011-9

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