Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn Sound
Coastal environments and their associated biota provide numerous environmental, economic and societal services. Cockburn Sound, a temperate embayment on the lower west coast of Western Australia, is immensely important for the State and adjacent capital city of Perth. However, urbanisation and assoc...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| author | Peter J. Mitchell Daniel E. Yeoh Kurt N. Krispyn Claire N. Greenwell Sorcha Cronin-O’Reilly Delphine B.H. Chabanne Glenn A. Hyndes Danielle Johnston David V. Fairclough Claire Wellington Alan Cottingham Gary Jackson Jeffrey V. Norriss Matias Braccini Hector Lozano-Montes Chandra P. Salgado Kent Erin Clitheroe Alissa Tate James W. Penn Marion Massam Neil R. Loneragan James R. Tweedley |
| author_facet | Peter J. Mitchell Daniel E. Yeoh Kurt N. Krispyn Claire N. Greenwell Sorcha Cronin-O’Reilly Delphine B.H. Chabanne Glenn A. Hyndes Danielle Johnston David V. Fairclough Claire Wellington Alan Cottingham Gary Jackson Jeffrey V. Norriss Matias Braccini Hector Lozano-Montes Chandra P. Salgado Kent Erin Clitheroe Alissa Tate James W. Penn Marion Massam Neil R. Loneragan James R. Tweedley |
| author_sort | Peter J. Mitchell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Coastal environments and their associated biota provide numerous environmental, economic and societal services. Cockburn Sound, a temperate embayment on the lower west coast of Western Australia, is immensely important for the State and adjacent capital city of Perth. However, urbanisation and associated terrestrial and marine development has the potential to threaten this important ecosystem. This study collated published and unpublished data to review the current state of the ecological resources of Cockburn Sound and describe how they have changed over the past century. Post-WWII, the embayment began undergoing pronounced anthropogenic changes that limited oceanic water exchange, increased nutrient load, modified benthic habitats and increased fishing pressure. The most visual outcome of these changes was substantial eutrophication and the loss of 77% of seagrass habitats. However, the increased primary productivity from elevated nutrient inputs produced high commercial fishery yields of up to ~1,700 t in the early 1990s before improved wastewater regulation and restricted fishing access steadily reduced commercial catches to ~300 t in recent years. Despite substantial anthropogenic-induced changes, Cockburn Sound has remained a diverse and ecologically important area. For example, the embayment is a key spawning area for large aggregations of Snapper, is a breeding and feeding site for seventeen marine bird species (including Little Penguins) and, is frequented by numerous protected species such as pinnipeds, dolphins, and White and Grey Nurse sharks. In recent decades, numerous projects have been initiated to restore parts of Cockburn Sound with mixed success, including seagrass transplantation, deployment of artificial reefs and stocking of key fish species, mainly Snapper. Nevertheless, while still biodiverse, there are signs of considerable ecological stress from escalating anthropogenic pressures and the cumulative impacts of ongoing and future developments, including climate change, which may severely impact the functioning of this important ecosystem. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5ff29b34331b47f083d62816a6717fa0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-5ff29b34331b47f083d62816a6717fa02025-08-20T02:07:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-06-011210.3389/fmars.2025.15636541563654Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn SoundPeter J. Mitchell0Daniel E. Yeoh1Kurt N. Krispyn2Claire N. Greenwell3Sorcha Cronin-O’Reilly4Delphine B.H. Chabanne5Glenn A. Hyndes6Danielle Johnston7David V. Fairclough8Claire Wellington9Alan Cottingham10Gary Jackson11Jeffrey V. Norriss12Matias Braccini13Hector Lozano-Montes14Chandra P. Salgado Kent15Erin Clitheroe16Alissa Tate17James W. Penn18Marion Massam19Neil R. Loneragan20James R. Tweedley21Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaCentre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaCentre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaWestern Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaCoastal environments and their associated biota provide numerous environmental, economic and societal services. Cockburn Sound, a temperate embayment on the lower west coast of Western Australia, is immensely important for the State and adjacent capital city of Perth. However, urbanisation and associated terrestrial and marine development has the potential to threaten this important ecosystem. This study collated published and unpublished data to review the current state of the ecological resources of Cockburn Sound and describe how they have changed over the past century. Post-WWII, the embayment began undergoing pronounced anthropogenic changes that limited oceanic water exchange, increased nutrient load, modified benthic habitats and increased fishing pressure. The most visual outcome of these changes was substantial eutrophication and the loss of 77% of seagrass habitats. However, the increased primary productivity from elevated nutrient inputs produced high commercial fishery yields of up to ~1,700 t in the early 1990s before improved wastewater regulation and restricted fishing access steadily reduced commercial catches to ~300 t in recent years. Despite substantial anthropogenic-induced changes, Cockburn Sound has remained a diverse and ecologically important area. For example, the embayment is a key spawning area for large aggregations of Snapper, is a breeding and feeding site for seventeen marine bird species (including Little Penguins) and, is frequented by numerous protected species such as pinnipeds, dolphins, and White and Grey Nurse sharks. In recent decades, numerous projects have been initiated to restore parts of Cockburn Sound with mixed success, including seagrass transplantation, deployment of artificial reefs and stocking of key fish species, mainly Snapper. Nevertheless, while still biodiverse, there are signs of considerable ecological stress from escalating anthropogenic pressures and the cumulative impacts of ongoing and future developments, including climate change, which may severely impact the functioning of this important ecosystem.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1563654/fullanthropogenic developmentbiodiversityecosystem changeeutrophicationfisheriesindustry |
| spellingShingle | Peter J. Mitchell Daniel E. Yeoh Kurt N. Krispyn Claire N. Greenwell Sorcha Cronin-O’Reilly Delphine B.H. Chabanne Glenn A. Hyndes Danielle Johnston David V. Fairclough Claire Wellington Alan Cottingham Gary Jackson Jeffrey V. Norriss Matias Braccini Hector Lozano-Montes Chandra P. Salgado Kent Erin Clitheroe Alissa Tate James W. Penn Marion Massam Neil R. Loneragan James R. Tweedley Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn Sound Frontiers in Marine Science anthropogenic development biodiversity ecosystem change eutrophication fisheries industry |
| title | Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn Sound |
| title_full | Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn Sound |
| title_fullStr | Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn Sound |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn Sound |
| title_short | Ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment: Cockburn Sound |
| title_sort | ecological resources of a heavily modified and utilised temperate coastal embayment cockburn sound |
| topic | anthropogenic development biodiversity ecosystem change eutrophication fisheries industry |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1563654/full |
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