Effects of climate studied
Scientists at Murdoch University hope to find out how climate change is affecting populations of bull sharks and critically endangered sawfish in the Fitzroy River.
Dr Adrian Gleiss, from Murdoch's Freshwater Fish Group and Fish Health Unit, this month launched a three-year research project funded by the Australian Research Council.
He hopes to clarify how climate change is affecting sawfish populations in the Kimberley, and discover how resilient they are to rising water temperatures.
The $335,000 study will focus on sawfish and bull shark populations - zoning in on the behavioural and physiological effects of climate change and investigating which rivers are best suited for both species.
All five species of sawfish are listed as critically endangered or endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Dr Gleiss said in the past, sawfish living in the Fitzroy River had used "naturally-occurring temperature differences to thermo regulate".
Innovative technology including tagging, new theory and climate modelling will be used to monitor the movement and behaviour of both species.
Dr Gleiss said the two species were chosen because they live different lifestyles - sawfish are mostly sedentary, spending up to 50 per cent of their time lying motionless on the riverbed, while bull sharks are continuously swimming.
The study will bring together Murdoch's Dr David Morgan and Dr Steve Beatty, as well as Professor Neil Loneragan and Associate Professor Alan Lymbery.
Scientists from the University of Western Australia, University of Melbourne and Mote Marine Laboratory in the US will also contribute to the study.
