Environmental History and Ecology of Moreton Bay

The south-east Queensland region is currently experiencing the most rapid urbanisation 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 Bay provides 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 alike.

About the Author

Daryl McPhee is currently Head of Higher Degree Research at Bond University and a Director of the Commonwealth Government's Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. He is the author of Fisheries Management in Australia, and contributed to The Gold Coast Transformed: From Wilderness to Urban Ecosystem. Much of his other published work has focused on understanding cross-disciplinary issues in marine and coastal areas. He has spent over 25 years researching Moreton Bay and has built up a wealth of knowledge on the region.