Project 8 - Australian Mangrove & Saltmarsh SpeciesMangroves and saltmarshes form a readily recognizable vegetation type, contain many diverse kinds of plant and animal species and have high ecological and conservation significance. They present a logical and compelling focus for a national multidisciplinary biodiversity documentation project.
Challenges
The aim of this collaborative project is to create species level content for projects such as the Atlas of Living Australia and for research, education and public information. It will build on existing biodiversity information management activities, resources and expertise around the nation and beyond. Information on the plant and animal species found in Australian mangroves and saltmarshes will be collated, with emphasis on taxonomy, appearance, identification, biology, distribution and ecology. The project will focus on developing active and inclusive partnerships to provide freely available on-line access to information using current biodiversity information management technologies. This particular project is being planned to be the nucleus of a larger and self sustaining national project documenting the species of Australian mangrove and saltmarsh communities.
Seeking solutions
Links will be developed with mangrove and saltmarsh researchers, experts and other collections and institutions to facilitate the development of species lists and profiles for plant and animal taxa occurring in Australian mangrove habitats. The approach is to begin with the obligate core mangrove species in order to develop the collaborations, methodologies and technology, and the content format. As the information builds and the system is established, the project will expand to incorporate the facultative, transient and marginal species of the mangrove and saltmarsh communities.
A comprehensive species list of plants occurring in mangrove and saltmarsh habitats will be compiled and detailed profiles written for each species. These profiles will include nomenclature and taxonomy, a concise summary, botanical description, distribution, ecology, biology and images. An online key to Mangrove plant species will be built, initially focusing on about 40 arborescent obligate species.
Data and information will be delivered as part of the CERF Taxonomy Research and Information Network contributions and will be available through portals of the Australian National Herbarium and the Australia's Virtual Herbarium (plant only), the On-line Zoological Catalogue of Australian Museums (animals only), the Atlas of Living Australia, and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Benefits
This project will create the most comprehensive and sustainable online resource for Australian mangrove communities. The information will be incorporated into the Atlas of Living Australia and will provide a model for future projects.
Project progress
February 2010
Revamp of the Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Species wiki
Information collated for the Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh species project continues to be made available on the TRIN wiki. The project home page on the TRIN wiki has developed into a valuable resource – a one-stopshop for mangrove and saltmarsh information. Collated information continues to be modified to ensure its accuracy, and to improve delivery format, assisting sustainable management and highlighting areas needed for further research.
Addition of the Mangrove & Saltmarsh Resource Directory
A resource directory has been added as a compendium of government policies and programs, and international and national research and educational institutions and projects relating to Australian mangroves and saltmarshes.
Addition of an online bibliography to Australian Mangroves and Saltmarshes
The addition of a bibliography will assist those interested in Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh ecosystems to find further information on the topic efficiently. In-text references throughout the project wiki automatically link back to the entry on the bibliography page.
Key to obligate Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh plant species
The online interactive Key to Mangrove Plant Species of Australia has been uploaded to the Wiki ready for testing in February and March. An interactive map is being developed with the help of the bioinformatics team as an alternative entry point into the key.
This project will create an evolving and sustainable online resource for identification of species found in Australian mangrove and saltmarsh communities, covering all the major groups of plants and animals.
