Publications by Year
Saline Pit Lakes – What Biodiversity Values Can They Offer At Closure And Beyond?.
Trophic roles of tadpoles in tropical Australian streams.
Genotypic and morphological variation between Galaxiella nigrostriata (Galaxiidae) populations: implications for conservation
Omnivory and opportunism characterize food webs in a large dry-tropics river system.
Dynamics of habitats and macroinvertebrate assemblages in rivers of the Australian dry tropics.
Macroinvertebrate assemblages in rivers of the Australian dry tropics are highly variable.
Gut content and stable isotope analyses provide complementary understanding of ontogenetic dietary shifts and trophic relationships among fishes in a tropical river.
How representative are pit lakes of regional natural water bodies? A case study from silica sand mining
In many regions, regulators view pit lakes akin to natural lakes and impose similar guidelines for water quality and biodiversity. At Kemerton (south Western Australia), extraction of silica sands is creating a…
In many regions, regulators view pit lakes akin to natural lakes and impose similar guidelines for water quality and biodiversity. At Kemerton (south Western Australia), extraction of silica sands is creating a large deep dredge pond. This is progressively split into smaller lakes, which are then rehabilitated. The water quality and macroinvertebrate communities of a rehabilitated pond, 3 other artificial wetlands, and 13 nearby natural wetlands were investigated. Catchment rehabilitation has successfully returned some terrestrial vegetation, however the pond edge lacked a developed riparian zone. Species diversity and abundance was substantially lower (≈ 50% and 10% respectively) than in natural wetlands. Overall the macroinvertebrate communities and water quality of artificial wetlands were significantly different to the natural wetlands.
Limiting factors for crayfish and finfish in acidic coal pit lakes
World-wide, open-cut mining operations often leave pit lakes at closure. The Collie Lake District in south-west Australia has 13 pit lakes from open-cut coal extraction, with more expected. Many lakes may offer…
World-wide, open-cut mining operations often leave pit lakes at closure. The Collie Lake District in south-west Australia has 13 pit lakes from open-cut coal extraction, with more expected. Many lakes may offer beneficial end uses as fisheries habitat for biodiversity or for recreational species. However, pit lakes may have degraded water quality due to Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD). A literature review and survey for marron (endemic crayfish of biodiversity and recreational value) and fin-fish (of only biodiversity value) found that crayfish were likely more limited by habitat and food availability, and fin-fish by water quality. Management of these mild acidic water bodies must address both issues if sustainable fisheries and aquatic biodiversity are desired beneficial end uses.
Setting restoration goals for restoring pit lakes as aquatic ecosystems: a case study from south west Australia.
Pit lakes may form when open cut mining leaves a pit void that then fills with ground and surface waters. This often replaces terrestrial ecosystems that existed prior to mining with an…
Pit lakes may form when open cut mining leaves a pit void that then fills with ground and surface waters. This often replaces terrestrial ecosystems that existed prior to mining with an aquatic ecosystem, affording an opportunity to improve regional aquatic biodiversity values through targeted aquatic restoration (McCullough and van Etten, 2011). Restoration theory provides guidance when restoring disturbed systems towards landscapes that are of regional value and relevance. But how do we identify a restoration target for a novel aquatic habitat that only exists in the new post-mining landscape? This paper presents a process of first identifying and then surveying local representative aquatic systems, to provide a direction for pit lake restoration efforts and achievement criteria for pit lake relinquishment, using a case study from a sand mining operation amongst wetlands in southwestern Australia. The company mines silica sands following mechanical removal of topsoil and then extraction of the ore from below the watertable by dredging. Assessment of wetland and riparian vegetation was achieved through the establishment and measurement of temporary monitoring transects acrossfive natural wetlands in the Kemerton area. Several more regional wetlands were also visited and observations made to supplement and validate these data. Distinct vegetation zonation was found across each wetland, although typically wetland basins were unvegetated or filled with younger woody plants with patchy distributions. Fringing riparian vegetation consisted of few species (commonly the paperbark Melaleuca rhaphiophylla and the sedgeLepidosperma longitudinale), but community composition and structure were variable between wetlands. The pattern of vegetation seen across natural wetlands was best explained by topography and soil chemistry, with low lying wetland areas more likely to experience regular flooding and accumulate organic matter and nutrients. In conclusion, where they are available, regional natural waterbodies may constitute the best valid restoration goal. Nevertheless, the goal may need to consist of a range of closure design opportunities, rather than a single target.
Sand mining restoration on the Swan Coastal Plain using topsoil – learning from monitoring of previous rehabilitation attempts.
This paper reports on the results of several years of monitoring rehabilitation at a silica sand mine on the Swan Coastal Plain, south of Perth. Mining here occurs below the regional watertable…
This paper reports on the results of several years of monitoring rehabilitation at a silica sand mine on the Swan Coastal Plain, south of Perth. Mining here occurs below the regional watertable and leaves a post-mine landscape of dredge pond voids (pit lakes) with surrounding battered slopes. The restoration we recommended was to develop the pit lakes as wetlands of regional analogue and value. Several different restoration techniques have been applied to re-vegetate pit lake slopes over many years which have enabled an evaluation of reasons for success/failure of different restoration approaches. Learning acquired clearly showed the benefits of using fresh topsoil for restoration over topsoil that has been stockpiled for several years. Most topsoil used in restoration was from seasonal wetlands and consequently restoration was most successful in the riparian zone from the edge of pit lakes to about 2 m vertically above the water table. Topsoil restored areas above this level remained poor in plant species and cover. Conversely, remedial seeding/planting proved largely unsuccessful. Permanently and seasonally flooded pit lake margins recolonised relatively quickly and successfully with native sedges and rushes. Development of rehabilitated upper slope plant communities over time was evident with loss of typical wetland species and greater growth and survivorship of upland and dampland plant species on mid to upper rehabilitated slopes. Plant communities of lower slopes showed a converse pattern of development, with a shift towards a more typical wetland composition. We believe matching topsoil to site and development of topographic profiles similar to natural wetlands of the region are the keys to optimising restoration success of sand mines with shallow water tables.
Black-stripe minnow Galaxiella nigrostriata (Shipway 1953) (Pisces: Galaxiidae), a review and discussion.
Bioassay toxicity assessment of mining pit lake water remediated with limestone and phosphorus.
More than water quality: environmental limitations to a fishery in acid pit lakes of Collie, south-west Australia.
Marron (Cherax cainii Austin) are a freshwater crayfish native to permanent waterbodies in the south-west of Western Australia. A popular aquaculture and sports species, marron are considered a potential end-use fishery species…
Marron (Cherax cainii Austin) are a freshwater crayfish native to permanent waterbodies in the south-west of Western Australia. A popular aquaculture and sports species, marron are considered a potential end-use fishery species for and have been deliberately released into several historic pit lakes of the Collie coal mining region. This study investigated what environmental factors in these acid mine drainage (AMD) contaminated pit lakes might be affecting the health and success of existing marron fisheries. Although pit lake water quality was often low (pH