"The Aquatic Ecosystems study aimed to provide robust, evidence-based risk assessment of potential ecological impacts of onshore gas development on aquatic systems in the region, and provide for the protect significant and/or sensitive aquatic habitats or areas. Potential adverse effects of gas development include negative impacts on the quality of surface and groundwater, and on the quantity of groundwater for maintenance of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Rigorous risk assessment requires information on the diversity of biological assets present in both surface and groundwater of the region.
This study addresses the biological assets of surface waters, including fish, turtles and other aquatic reptiles, and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Stygofaunal diversity and distribution has been addressed in the SREBA Beetaloo Sub-basin stygofauna baseline assessment report but key results are summarised in this report. Full aquatic ecosystem results are presented in this report.",
Notes
Made available by via Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT),
Table of contents
1. Executive Summary - 2. Introduction - 3. Mapping of Aquatic Ecosystems - 4. Water Quality - 5. Taxonomic and Genetic Investigations of Fishes to Identify Ecological Assets - 6. Composition of Aquatic Biodiversity: Fish, Turtles and Invertebrates - 7. Compositions of Aquatic Biodiversity: Aquatic Plants - 8. Composition of Aquatic Biodiversity: Frogs - 9. Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Aquatic Biodiversity - 10. Environmental DNA of Significant Species - 11. Significant Habitat and Species - 12. Summary - 13. References - 14. Appendices,