Marine and estuarine studies of the Dickson Inlet area, Port Douglas, north Queensland

This research was undertaken to describe the marine and estuarine environment of Dickson Inlet, Port Douglas and consisted of the following projects: 1. Studies of the hydrology of Dickson Inlet, including the use of a water exchange model to predict the effect of the removal of mangroves on sedimentation rates in the Inlet.2. Studies of the soil and water chemistry and mangrove forest structure and productivity in Dickson Inlet, with a brief survey of forest types in the nearby Mowbray River.3. Studies of the fish and zooplankton communities inhabiting the waterways of the Inlet. These, like the hydrodynamics studies, were again carried out in both the wet and dry seasons as the hydrological conditions leading to greater stresses are likely to primarily affect these faunal communities.4. A summary of the likely key ecological relationships in the mangrove/waterway complex of Dickson Inlet, and their sensitivity to past, present and projected disturbances.The initial brief was expanded in August 1989 to include:5. A report on the status and significance of the near-shore Alexandra Reef system. The study was instigated because of proposed developments for the Dickson Inlet area, including expansions to the Mirage Resort at Port Douglas. Research was concentrated primarily on the role of mangroves in the Dickson Inlet area, because these were the forest and faunal communities, which would be directly affected by most proposed developments.

本研究旨在描述道格拉斯港迪克森湾（Dickson Inlet）的海洋与河口环境，初始研究内容包含以下项目：
1. 迪克森湾水文学研究，包括利用水交换模型（water exchange model）预测移除红树林（mangrove）对该海湾沉积速率（sedimentation rates）的影响。
2. 迪克森湾水土化学、红树林（mangrove）群落结构与生产力研究，并对邻近莫布雷河（Mowbray River）流域的森林类型开展简要调查。
3. 栖息于该海湾水道的鱼类与浮游动物（zooplankton）群落研究。与水动力学（hydrodynamics）研究一致，本次研究同样于旱季与雨季开展——因引发更强水文胁迫的环境条件，大概率会对这类动物群落（faunal communities）造成首要影响。
4. 迪克森湾红树林-水道复合生态系统（mangrove/waterway complex）关键生态关系的总结，及其对历史、当前与预测扰动的敏感性。
1989年8月，初始研究纲要得到扩展，新增第5项研究：
5. 近岸亚历山德拉礁群（Alexandra Reef）的现状与重要性报告。
本研究因迪克森湾区域的多项拟建开发项目而启动，其中包括道格拉斯港海市蜃楼度假村（Mirage Resort）的扩建工程。研究主要聚焦于迪克森湾区域红树林（mangrove）的生态作用，因其为绝大多数拟建开发项目将直接影响的森林与动物群落（faunal communities）。