Defining the importance of ecological processes for monitoring aquatic habitats for conservation and rehabilitation objectives at the Ranger uranium mine, Kakadu Region, Australia

A critical assessment identifies riparian habitats and biotic interactions as the most vulnerable ecological processes to potential mine-derived stressors in Kakadu National Park's Magela Creek catchment. The study prioritizes these processes for monitoring, emphasizing the need for early detection indicators during the rehabilitation phase of the Ranger uranium mine due to significant lags in biological response times. While current assessment endpoints are adequate for operational phases, additional indicators are crucial to prevent undetected impacts on underlying ecological processes that sustain ecosystem structure and function.

Bartolo, R. E., Harford, A. J., Humphrey, C. L., George, A. K., & van Dam, R. A. (2018). Defining the importance of ecological processes for monitoring aquatic habitats for conservation and rehabilitation objectives at the Ranger uranium mine, Kakadu Region, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 69(7), 1026–1046. https://doi.org/10.1071/mf17256