The Perth office has started the late summer refugia pool aquatic ecology sampling program for a number of sites across the south-west of Western Australia. The pools tend to be hot, salty and a bit smelly at this time of year, just waiting for the winter rains to start to freshen up the system. Dry-land salinity has significantly impacted the quality of these river systems with once freshwater habitats turned to salt. Some of these rivers are saltier than seawater by the end of summer. A range of parameters can be measured to assess the health of the rivers including water quality, sediment quality, macroinvertebrates, diatoms, fish, crustaceans and turtles. Here a south-western snake neck turtle is pulled from a Fyke net which has been professionally deployed to ensure the survival of these special air-breathing reptiles.They are immediately put back in the water once we record their presence.
