Environmental History and Ecology of Moreton Bay [Paperback]

The south-east Queensland region is currently experiencing the most rapid urbanization in Australia. This growth in human population, industry and infrastructure puts pressure on the unique and diverse natural environment of Moreton Bay. Much loved by locals and holiday-goers, Moreton Bay is also an important biogeographic region because its coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves and saltmarshes provide a supportive environment for both tropical and temperate species. The bay supports a large number of species of global conservation significance, including marine turtles, dugongs, dolphins, whales and migratory shorebirds, which use the area for feeding or breeding.

Environmental History and Ecology of Moreton Bayprovides an interdisciplinary examination of Moreton Bay, increasing understanding of existing and emerging pressures on the region and how these may be mitigated and managed. With chapters on the bay's human uses by Aboriginal peoples and later settlers, its geology, water quality, marine habitats and animal communities, and commercial and recreational fisheries, this book will be of value to students in the marine sciences, environmental consultants, policy-makers and recreational fishers.1. Introduction
2. The Physical Environment  Geology, Geomorphology and Sedimentology
3. The History of Human Use of the Moreton Bay Region
4. Benthic Habitats in Moreton Bay
5. Fish and Invertebrate Diversity in the Moreton Bay Region
6. Species of Conservation Significance in Moreton Bay: The Charismatic Inhabitants
7. The Fisheries of Moreton Bay and the Fisheries Biology and Ecology of Key Species
8. Nutrients, Sediments, Pollutants and their Impacts
9. Where to Now?
Index