Unlocking ocean mysteries across the southern oceans
Griffith University’s Whales and Climate team have received tremendous philanthropic support over the past five years enabling them to undertake research that has spanned the southern oceans of Australia, South Africa and South America.
The unique position of the Gold Coast location affords us prime access to a globally important humpback whale migration corridor and therefore a major focus of our research is the whale migrations of the Australian east cost. We have also partnered with researchers in South Africa and South America, bringing together more than 25 researchers from eight institutions in the Southern Hemisphere under the leadership of Griffith University.
Dr Jan-Olaf Meynecke
Their research has revealed new knowledge and insights into key aspects of humpback whale ecology, behaviour and environmental responses to changing climates.
In a world first trial the team was able to track migrating humpbacks using a novel suction cup method, paving the way for this less invasive device to be deployed globally.
The generosity of Griffith’s donor community has been foundational to the program’s success. It has helped to create the largest Southern Hemisphere humpback whale sighting database allowing the team develop adaptation scenarios to advance whale conservation policies.
Griffith’s Primary Forest and Climate Program have developed new methods for mapping and assessing forests and have tested these methods across boreal, tropical and temperate forests. Before the team started their research, there was no reliable spatial data mapping the world’s primary forests, they have now mapped around 50 per cent.
The research team has mapped primary forests in the Amazon Basin, table forest in Siberian Russia, mature forests in the USA and remnant old grow forest in Europe. The mature forests mapping in the USA has been evaluated by US Forest Service and NASA experts and is now being used by the Biden administration in their climate planning.
Another key metrics developed by the team is being able to measure the amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere and retained within the biomass of primary forest ecosystems, demonstrating their importance in climate change mitigation.
“With our breakthrough research, there is now the real promise that we can increase primary forest protection. We can provide communities, NGOs, businesses and government with the information, decisions support tools and enterprise models they need to transform the way primary forests are valued and protected for all,” said Brendan.
The research team’s data has also empowered the Kayapó people in Brazil to create sustainable enterprises that generate equitably distributed income for their communities, implement effective territorial surveillance and protection along 2,000 kilometres of their border, and manage their own local NGOs.
The Griffith Primary Forests and Climate Program has bold plans, including extending its cases studies and data resources to help protect primary forests. But without the generous support of its donors, none of this work would have been possible.
More than $100 million of philanthropy has already been secured to create a brighter future for all.
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