Science : Year 11 - Integrated Science General - Marine Ecosystems: Home

Mangroves of the West
Mangrove forests are one of Australia’s most geographically widespread ecosystems.
They provide a crucial role in the protection of Australia’s coastline as well as being
vital for the biological health and productivity of Australia’s coastal waters.

The Mangrove forest type occurs in manyof Australia’s coastal regions, but has atotal area of only 0.9 million hectares, or 0.6% of Australia’s native forest cover. Australian Mangrove forests contain 41 species of mangrove from 19 plant families. More than half of the world’s mangrove species are found in Australia.

Between the beaches there are rocky headlands. Some dip steeply into the ocean, while others are more gently sloping, or even horizontal to the water surface.

Reefs provide a foundation for many plants and animals, supporting a great diversity of marine organisms that rely on the reef for food, protection, shelter and somewhere to reproduce. Reefs create a natural buffer to strong winds and waves that would otherwise erode the coastline.

Includes links to explore Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island is a place of raw, rugged and pristine beauty.
The marine environment supports a plethora of tropical fish and coral with it's warmer waters from the Leeuwin Current and its terrestrial environment shows evidence of geological importance.

The Rottnest Island Authority is working hard to maintain the environment on the 19-square-kilometre island which is also an A-class nature reserve, the highest level of environmental protection.

Rottnest’s coastal habitat is made up of the sandy beaches, sand dunes and limestone cliffs

Help care for the Swan Canning Riverpark - an ad produced by the Swan River Trust in Perth, Western Australia.

At the most westerly point of the Australian continent, Shark Bay, with its islands and the land surrounding it, has three exceptional natural features: its vast sea-grass beds, which are the largest (4,800 km2) and richest in the world; its dugong ('sea cow') population; and its stromatolites

Shark Bay is a World Heritage Site, in Gascoyne, Western Australia. It is famous for its amazing sites, and for its dolphins. It is located 830 km north of Perth.

Includes links to :
About the river system
Ecosystem health and management
Planning, development and permits
Policies, plans and procedures manual
Rivers and Estuaries Science

The Swan-Canning Estuary lies at the heart of Perth as its two rivers meet and flow onward to the ocean at Fremantle. The Swan River, also known as the Derbarl Yerrigan, it is a place of deep spiritual and mythological significance to south-west Western Australia’s Traditional Owners, the Noongar people.

Head north from Perth and encounter four distinct parks destinations that offer spectacular experiences inland as well as on the water: Cervantes and Jurien Bay with the unique rock formations of the Pinnacles, Kalbarri's spectacular coastal cliffs and breathtaking deep, wide river gorge and then the two world heritage areas: Shark Bay and the Ningaloo Coast.

Ningaloo Marine Park is a World Heritage-listed site found half way up the West Australian coastline. The crystalline water harbours the world’s largest fringing reef, a 260-kilometre (162-mile) long coral reef swarming with turtles, tropical fish, manta rays, humpback whales and the elusive whale shark

Includes links to the following West Australian marine environments:-.
Marine parks and reserves
Marine wildlife
Marine wildlife response
Whale watching
Marine Parks WA

The 604,500 hectare marine and terrestrial property of Ningaloo Coast, on the remote western coast of Australia, includes one of the longest near-shore reefs in the world.
The terrestrial part of the site features subterranean water bodies with a substantial network of caves, conduits, and groundwater streams. They support a variety of rare species that contribute to the exceptional biodiversity of the marine and terrestrial site.

Whales, dolphins, dugongs, manta rays, huge cod, turtles and whale sharks are abundant at Ningaloo Reef, part of the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Coast. It is the largest fringing coral reef in Australia and the only large reef in the world found close to a continental land mass, making it an easy snorkel from shore.

With its white, sandy beaches, turquoise waters, rust-red sand dunes and abundant wildlife, Shark Bay became Western Australia’s first World Heritage listed area in 1991. The colourful and diverse landscapes, rare fauna and flora and world class examples of Earth’s ecological processes are what qualify Shark Bay for World Heritage listing - the features that make it a truly remarkable place.
Includes links to :-
Monkey Mia
Francois Peron
Shark Bay
Shell Beach
Hamelin Pool
Dirk Hartog Island
Edel Land

Seagrasses are marine plants with the same basic structure as land plants in that they have root systems and produce flowers. They grow in shallow coastal waters with sandy or muddy bottoms and low wave energy – all characteristics of Shark Bay.

Western Australia’s Shark Bay, or Gutharraguda (two-waters), is recognised on the World Heritage List as a place of exceptional natural features. The bay’s 13 species of temperate and tropical seagrasses provide food and habitat for dugongs, turtles and sharks, as well as many fish species.

A comprehensive guide to to life i and around Perth Beaches.:
• Chordates (mainly vertebrates –
animals with a backbone);
• Invertebrates (animals without a
backbone);
• Seagrasses and algae; and
• Unusual finds!

Perth NRM works with community groups, schools and local councils to preserve, protect and enhance the coastline and beaches in our region.

Discover Marmion Marine Park and the underwater wonders that lie beneath.
The Marmion Angling and Aquatic Club (MAAC) dive and snorkel trail consists of 20 informative plinths located on the sea floor. It is suitable for SCUBA divers and snorkellers depending on weather conditions, experience and ability.

They are an ancient species of flowering plants that grow submerged in all of the world’s oceans. Seagrasses link offshore coral reefs with coastal mangrove forests. Today, these “prairies of the sea,” along with mangroves, are on the decline globally.

Although they are regarded as one of the most important ecosystems, mangrove forests are among the most threatened habitats in the world, and mangrove loss is rampant across the globe.

Still photographs of the 'Best beaches in Perth (Greater Perth) - Australia'

Ningaloo Reef is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Australia, but it is also an important research site. Scientists from the ANU Research School of Biology have been studying marine habitat and ecology here for the past ten years. Their findings inform reef management practices

Join marine scientist, Anna Cresswell on a unique journey in a mini-submarine through the secret garden of one of the world’s most spectacular reefs, Ningaloo. Dive beneath the waves and witness coral spawning in mass synchrony. This underwater explosion is a dazzling and psychedelic creator of life and attracts the smallest and largest sea life, including the whale shark!.

The Marmion Angling and Aquatic Club (MAAC) dive and snorkel trail consists of 20 informative plinths located on the sea floor. It is suitable for SCUBA divers and snorkellers depending on weather conditions, experience and ability