Green hydra, Hydra viridissima
The Supervising Scientist’s long-term biological monitoring program is undertaken to assess ecosystem-level effects by way of measured changes to indicators of biodiversity. This is achieved by monitoring fish and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in billabongs and creeks. These communities are key components of the aquatic ecosystems that are potentially at risk from mining-related contaminants.
Macroinvertebrate communities
Macroinvertebrate communities are sampled during the recessional flow period from Magela and Gulungul creeks, upstream and downstream of the mine’s influence. The data are also compared to macroinvertebrate communities at sites in reference streams, Burdulba and Nourlangie creeks, whose catchments are not influenced by mining.
Fish communities
Fish communities in deep channel billabongs are assessed for impacts every year, and in shallow lowland billabongs every two years.
Details regarding the development of the monitoring programs for macroinvertebrate and fish communities can be found in the:
- Environmental monitoring protocols to assess potential impacts from Ranger minesite on aquatic ecosystems: Fish community structure in shallow lowland billabongs
- Environmental monitoring protocols to assess potential impacts from Ranger minesite on aquatic ecosystems: Fish community structure in channel billabongs and
- Environmental monitoring protocols to assess potential impacts from Ranger minesite on aquatic ecosystems: Macroinvertebrate community structure in streams.