Heard Island and McDonald Islands marine park

Australia > Heard Island and McDonald Islands

The Heard and McDonald Island Marine Reserve is a subantarctic island group located in the Southern Ocean, 4,000 kilometres south-west of mainland Australia. The Reserve is managed the Australian Antarctic Division, please visit their website to learn more about this near-pristine marine region http://heardisland.antarctica.gov.au/

Research

These short articles highlight the findings from ongoing scientific research within the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Park, including exciting new discoveries and ideas for future projects.

Cryptic fishes of Australian Marine Parks

Small and/or camouflaged fish species hidden on or near the reef surface are commonly referred to as ‘cryptic’ or ‘cryptobenthic’ fishes. These species are characteristically difficult to see but are diverse and abundant throughout Australian Marine Parks and may play an important role in supporting the larger predatory fish species protected within park boundaries.

Extraordinary diversity of shallow reef habitats in Australian Marine Parks

Parks Australia manage 60 Australian Marine Parks, many of which include shallow reefs. These reef habitats are hugely diverse, and include tropical reefs dominated by hard corals; current-swept offshore bommies covered in sea whips, sea fans and soft corals; temperate rocky reefs with sea urchin barrens or low lying colourful seaweeds; and deeper rocky reefs with sessile invertebrates and large black coral trees.

Scientific papers

The following publications contain information relevant to the Heard Island and McDonald Islands marine park and adjacent waters. Click on the links to access to the publications.

Roberts, Kelsey E., Valkan, Rebecca S. and Cook, Carly N. (2018). Measuring progress in marine protection: A new set of metrics to evaluate the strength of marine protected area networks.
Belton, F, Schmieder, R, Marshall, G, Mitchell, W, Budd, G and Nezamoddini-Kachouie, N. (2016). Macroscopic inclusions in retreating glaciers on Heard Island.
Peron, C, Welsford, D.C, Ziegler, P, Lamb, T.D, Gasco, N, Chazeau, C, Sinegre, R and Duhamel, G. (2016). Modelling spatial distribution of Patagonian toothfish through life-stages and sex and its implications for the fishery on the Kerguelen Plateau..
Thiers, L, Delord, K, Bost, C. A, Guinet, C and Weimerskirch, H. (2016). Important marine sectors for the top predator community around Kerguelen Archipelago.
Toomey, L, Welsford, D, Appleyard, S. A, Polanowski, A, Faux, C, Deagle, B. E, Belchier, M, Marthick, J and Jarman, S. (2016). Genetic structure of Patagonian toothfish populations from otolith DNA.
Bulman, C. M and Fulton, E. A. (2015). Bentho-pelagic coupling in Commonwealth Marine Reserves.
Devillers, R, Pressey, R. L, Grech, A, Kittinger, J. N, Edgar, G. J, Ward, T and Watson, R. (2015). Reinventing residual reserves in the sea: are we favouring ease of establishment over need for protection?.
Raymond, B, Lea, M.A, Patterson, T, Andrews?Goff, V, Sharples, R, Charrassin, J.B, Cottin, M, Emmerson, L, Gales, N, Gales, R and Goldsworthy, S.D. (2015). Important marine habitat off east Antarctica revealed by two decades of multi?species predator tracking.
Trathan, P. N, Garcia-Borboroglu, P, Boersma, D, Bost, C. A, Crawford, R. J, Crossin, G. T, Cuthbert, R. J, Dann, P, Davis, L. S, De La Puente, S and Ellenberg, U. (2015). Pollution, habitat loss, fishing, and climate change as critical threats to penguins.
Delord, K, Barbraud, C, Bost, C. A, Deceuninck, B, Lefebvre, T, Lutz, R, Micol, T, Phillips, R. A, Trathan, P. N and Weimerskirch, H. (2014). Areas of importance for seabirds tracked from French southern territories, and recommendations for conservation.
Huang, Z, Nichol, S. L, Harris, P. T and Caley, M. J. (2014). Classification of submarine canyons of the Australian continental margin.
Pyper, W. (2014). Deep sea cameras reveal limited impact of fishing around Heard Island.
Welsford, D. C, Ewing, G. P, Constable, A. J, Hibberd, T and Kilpatrick, R. (2014). Demersal fishing interactions with marine benthos in the Australian EEZ of the Southern Ocean : an assessment of the vulnerability of benthic habitats to impact by demersal gears.
Eriksson, C , Burton, H , Fitch, S , Schulz, M and van den Hoff, J. (2013). Daily accumulation rates of marine debris on sub-Antarctic island beaches.
Whittaker, J. M, Goncharov, A, Williams, S. E, Muller, R. D and Leitchenkov, G. (2013). Global sediment thickness data set updated for the Australian-Antarctic Southern Ocean.
Arangio, R. (2012). Minimising whale depredation on longline fishing.
2011., State of the Environment Committee. (2011). Australia State of the Environment 2011: Chapter 6 Marine environment..
Candy, S. G, Welsford, D. C, Lamb, T, Verdouw, J. J and Hutchins, J. J. (2011). Estimation of natural mortality for the Patagonian toothfish at Heard and McDonald Islands using catch-at-age and aged mark-recapture data from the main trawl ground.
Chambers, L. E, Devney, C. A, Congdon, B. C, Dunlop, N, Woehler, E. J and Dann, P. (2011). Observed and predicted effects of climate on Australian seabirds.
Duhamel, G and Williams, R. (2011). History of whaling, sealing, fishery and aquaculture trials in the area of the Kerguelen Plateau.
Marko, P. B, Nance, H. A and Guynn, K. D. (2011). Genetic detection of mislabeled fish from a certified sustainable fishery.
Osterblom, H and Sumaila, U.R. (2011). Toothfish crises, actor diversity and the emergence of compliance mechanisms in the Southern Ocean.
Smith, P. J, Steinke, D, McMillan, P, Stewart, A and Ward, R. D. (2011). DNA barcoding of morid cods reveals deep divergence in the antitropical Halargyreus johnsoni but little distinction between Antimora rostrata and Antimora microlepis.
Ziegler, P. E, Welsford, D. C and Constable, A. J. (2011). Length-based assessments revisited-why stock status and fishing mortaliIty of long-lived specIes such as toothfIsh cannot be inferred from length-frequency data alone.
Ceccarelli, D. (2010). Research and Monitoring in Australia's Commonwealth Marine Protected Areas: A Review.
Van der Putten, N, Verbruggen, C, Ochyra, R, Verleyen, E and Frenot, Y. (2010). Subantarctic flowering plants: pre-glacial survivors or post-glacial immigrants?.
Ceccarelli, D. M. (2009). Impacts of plastic debris on Australian marine wildlife.
Hibberd, T and Moore, K. (2009). Field identification guide to Heard Island and McDonald Islands benthic invertebrates: a guide for scientific observers aboard fishing vessels.
Lawton, K, Kirkwood, R, Robertson, G and Raymond, B. (2008). Preferred foraging areas of Heard Island albatrosses during chick raising and implications for the management of incidental mortality in fisheries.
Thost, D. E and Truffer, M. (2008). Glacier recession on Heard Island, southern I ndian ocean.
Waugh, S. M, Baker, G. B, Gales, R and Croxall, J. P. (2008). CCAMLR process of risk assessment to minimise the effects of longline fishing mortality on seabirds.
Budd, G. M. (2007). Australian exploration of Heard Island, 1947-1971.
Casper, R. M, Jarman, S. N, Gales, N. J and Hindell, M. A. (2007). Combining DNA and morphological analyses of faecal samples improves insight into trophic interactions: a case study using a generalist predator.
Frydman, S and Gales, N. (2007). HeardMap: Tracking marine vertebrate populations in near real time.
Bergstrom, D. M, Turner, P. A, Scott, J, Copson, G and Shaw, J. (2006). Restricted plant species on sub-Antarctic Macquarie and Heard Islands.
Budd, G. M. (2006). Exploration of Heard Island between 1947 and 1971.
Kuhn, K. L and Gaffney, P. M. (2006). Preliminary assessment of population structure in the mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari).
Research, Australian National Committee on Antarctic (2006). Australian Antarctic Territory, Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and observations on Macquarie Island Tasmania.
Turner, P. A. M, Scott, J. J and Rozefelds, A. C. (2006). Probable long distance dispersal of Leptinella plumosa Hook. f. to Heard Island: habitat, status and discussion of its arrival.
Wienecke, B and Robertson, G. (2006). Comparison of foraging strategies of incubating king penguins Aptenodytes patagonicus from Macquarie and Heard islands.
Chown, Steven L, Bruce, Hull and Kevin, J. Gaston. (2005). Human impacts, energy availability and invasion across Southern Ocean Islands.
Frenot, Y, Bergstrom, D. M, Gloaguen, J. C, Tavenard, R and Strullu, D. G. (2005). The first record of mycorrhizae on sub-Antarctic Heard Island: a preliminary examination.
Hayes, D, Lyne, V, Condie, S, Griffiths, B, Pigot, S and Hallegraeff, G. (2005). Collation and Analysis of Oceanographic Datasets for National Marine Bioregionalisation.
Last, P, Lyne, V, Yearsley, G, Gledhill, D, Gomon, M, Rees, T and White, W. (2005). Validation of national demersal fish datasets for the regionalisation of the Australian continental slope and outer shelf (> 40 m depth).
McMahon, C. R, Bester, M. N, Burton, H. R, Hindell, M. A and Bradshaw, C. J. (2005). Population status, trends and a re-examination of the hypotheses explaining the recent declines of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina.
Scott, J. J and Kirkpatrick, J. B. (2005). Changes in subantarctic Heard Island vegetation at sites occupied by Poa annua, 1987-2000.
Stephenson, J, Budd, G. M, Manning, J and Hansbro, P. (2005). Major eruption-induced changes to the McDonald Islands, southern I ndian Ocean.
Beggs, P. J and Selkirk, P. M. (2004). Identification of von Karman vortices in the surface winds of heard island.
Gales, N. and Constable, A. (2004). Who eats whom around Heard Island.
Hooper, J. N and Ekins, M. (2004). Collation and validation of museum collection databases related to the distribution of marine sponges in northern Australia.
Skotnicki, M. L, Mackenzie, A. M, Ninham, J. A and Selkirk, P. M. (2004). High levels of genetic variability in the moss Ceratodon purpureus from continental Antarctica, subantarctic Heard and Macquarie Islands, and Australasia.
Van de Vijver, B, Beyens, L, Vincke, S and Gremmen, N. J. (2004). Moss-inhabiting diatom communities from Heard Island, sub-Antarctic.
Whinam, J, Selkirk, P. M, Downing, A. J and Hull, B. (2004). Return of the megaherbs: plant colonisation of derelict ANARE station buildings on sub-Antarctic Heard Island.
Chown, S. L and Klok, C. J. (2003). Altitudinal body size clines: latitudinal effects associated with changing seasonality.
Kock, K. H and Everson, I. (2003). Shedding new light on the life cycle of mackerel icefish in the Southern Ocean.
Page, B, Welling, A, Chambellant, M, Goldsworthy, S. D, Dorr, T and van Veen, R. (2003). Population status and breeding season chronology of Heard Island fur seals.
Appleyard, S. A, Ward, R. D and Williams, R. (2002). Population structure of the Patagonian toothfish around Heard, McDonald and Macquarie Islands.
Baker, G. B, Gales, R, Hamilton, S and Wilkinson, V. (2002). Albatrosses and petrels in Australia: a review of their conservation and management.
Bergstrom, D. M, Whinam, J and Belbin, L. (2002). A classification of subantarctic Heard Island vegetation.
Bulman, C. M, He, X and Koslow, J. A. (2002). Trophic ecology of the mid-slope demersal fish community off southern Tasmania, Australia.
Greenslade, P. (2002). Assessing the risk of exotic Collembola invading subantarctic islands: prioritising quarantine management: Proceedings of the Xth international Colloquium on Apterygota.
Marshall, D. J and Chown, S. L. (2002). The acarine fauna of Heard Island.
Wienecke, B and Robertson, G. (2002). Seabird and seal--fisheries interactions in the Australian Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides trawl fishery.
Woehler, E. J, Auman, H. J and Riddle, M. J. (2002). Long-term population increase of black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophrys at Heard Island, 1947/1948-2000/2001.
Chown, S and Klok, C. (2001). Habitat use, diet and body size of Heard Island weevils.
Budd, G. M. (2000). Changes in Heard Island glaciers, king penguins and fur seals since 1947.
Kiernan, K and McConnell, A. (1999). Geomorphology of the Sub-Antarctic Australian Territory of Heard Island-McDonald Island.
Moore, G. J, Wienecke, B and Robertson, G. (1999). Seasonal change in foraging areas and dive depths of breeding king penguins at Heard Island.
Slip, D. J and Burton, H. R. (1999). Population status and seasonal haulout patterns of the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) at Heard Island.
Green, K, Slip, D. J and Moore, G. J. (1998). The take of fish species by seabirds and marine mammals in the Australian Fisheries Zone around Heard Island: the potential for competition with a commercial fishery.
Claridge, G and Wbm Oceanics, Australia (1997). Guidelines for managing visitation to seabird breeding islands Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Guinet, C, Cherel, Y, Ridoux, V and Jouventin, P. (1996). Consumption of marine resources by seabirds and seals in Crozet and Kerguelen waters: changes in relation to consumer biomass.
Woehler, E. J and Green, K. (1992). Consumption of marine resources by seabirds and seals at Heard Island and the McDonald Islands.
Budd, G. M and Stephenson, P. J. (1968). Recent glacier retreat on Heard Island.

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