A novel approach to tracking estuarine food chains: combined use of fatty acid and stable isotope biomarkers. Fatty acid biomarkers provide promising novel tracers for studying estuarine food chains. Stable isotopes, commonly employed in food chain studies, lack specificity to allow easy determination of feeding relationships. Different primary producers are characterised by unique fatty acid sequences. This study will thoroughly evaluate the applicability of fatty acid biomarkers in tracking ....A novel approach to tracking estuarine food chains: combined use of fatty acid and stable isotope biomarkers. Fatty acid biomarkers provide promising novel tracers for studying estuarine food chains. Stable isotopes, commonly employed in food chain studies, lack specificity to allow easy determination of feeding relationships. Different primary producers are characterised by unique fatty acid sequences. This study will thoroughly evaluate the applicability of fatty acid biomarkers in tracking both natural and human-impacted estuarine food chains. By developing a new approach of combining the advantages of fatty acid bioamrkers and stable isotopes in studying estuarine trophodynamics, this study will provide essential information for the management of estuarine biotic resources.Read moreRead less
Enhancement of fish stock by habitat manipulation in artificial coastal waterways. Human settlement significantly changes the spatial characteristics of natural coastal waterways. The value of artificial waterways, such as canals, as a habitat for fish is poorly known. We will evaluate the significance of artificial canals as a fish habitat, and test the effect of habitat modification by artificial reef installation on fish distribution and abundance. We will investigate whether artificial reefs ....Enhancement of fish stock by habitat manipulation in artificial coastal waterways. Human settlement significantly changes the spatial characteristics of natural coastal waterways. The value of artificial waterways, such as canals, as a habitat for fish is poorly known. We will evaluate the significance of artificial canals as a fish habitat, and test the effect of habitat modification by artificial reef installation on fish distribution and abundance. We will investigate whether artificial reefs enhance fish production in canals, rather than simply acting as fish aggregation devices. This research will address an important question in fisheries ecology and help formulate management guidelines for artificial waterways.Read moreRead less
C-type lectins and innate immunity in barramundi. The project aims to identify mannan binding lectins (MBL), key components of innate immunity, in barramundi and to develop quantitative assays for MBL. The project further aims to investigate the role of MBL in infectious processes of Streptococcus iniae, which causes disease in barramundi and humans. Quantitative assays will be used in conjunction with more traditional assays to evaluate the effect of supplemented feeds on the innate immune syst ....C-type lectins and innate immunity in barramundi. The project aims to identify mannan binding lectins (MBL), key components of innate immunity, in barramundi and to develop quantitative assays for MBL. The project further aims to investigate the role of MBL in infectious processes of Streptococcus iniae, which causes disease in barramundi and humans. Quantitative assays will be used in conjunction with more traditional assays to evaluate the effect of supplemented feeds on the innate immune system of barramundi and their disease resistance during times of stress. This project will increase our understanding of innate immune pathways in this fish species and aid development of improved feeding strategies.Read moreRead less
Heterogeneity and ecosystem function: The role of microphytobenthos and macrofauna in inducing spatial variability in biogeochemical processes and fluxes. Human disturbances such as eutrophication (nutrient enrichment) increasingly threaten the sustainable use of Australia's coastal seas. Management of threats such as eutrophication are usually based on observations at large spatial scales, but ecological processes underpinning nutrient dynamics occur at much smaller scales. This multi-disciplin ....Heterogeneity and ecosystem function: The role of microphytobenthos and macrofauna in inducing spatial variability in biogeochemical processes and fluxes. Human disturbances such as eutrophication (nutrient enrichment) increasingly threaten the sustainable use of Australia's coastal seas. Management of threats such as eutrophication are usually based on observations at large spatial scales, but ecological processes underpinning nutrient dynamics occur at much smaller scales. This multi-disciplinary study will examine the relationship between processes mediated by small organisms (microscopic algae and burrowing animals), and large-scale nutrient dynamics pattern on sheltered coasts. Modern technologies will be used for monitoring the micro-scale processes, allowing models to be constructed to benefit both scientists and policy-makers alike.Read moreRead less
Improving the growth rate and flesh quality of cultured Barramundi: Investigating the effects of temperature, diet, and population. Barramundi fillet is one of the premier seafoods available in Australia and the decline of wild fisheries has increased the demand for the cultured product. Accordingly, there has been a rapid growth of the barramundi farming industry, but competition from cheaper overseas imports has cut the sale price and profit margins of local growers. By developing methods to i ....Improving the growth rate and flesh quality of cultured Barramundi: Investigating the effects of temperature, diet, and population. Barramundi fillet is one of the premier seafoods available in Australia and the decline of wild fisheries has increased the demand for the cultured product. Accordingly, there has been a rapid growth of the barramundi farming industry, but competition from cheaper overseas imports has cut the sale price and profit margins of local growers. By developing methods to increase growth rates, this research has the potential to substantially increase profit margins by reducing production costs and increasing turnover. Improvement of flesh quality will also increase the attractiveness of barramundi fillet. Increasing the viability of barramundi culture in Australia will attract more growers and increase employment opportunities.Read moreRead less
An investigation of the underlying mechanisms that control gender and fertility in the Moreton Bay Bug, Thenus orientalis. To date there is no available information on the underlying biochemical and genetic mechanisms that control gender and fertility in Thenus spp. Understanding how gender and fertility are controlled in this lobster species will allow development of technologies to exploit desired commercial traits such as reproductive sterility (for genetic protection). Such technologies wil ....An investigation of the underlying mechanisms that control gender and fertility in the Moreton Bay Bug, Thenus orientalis. To date there is no available information on the underlying biochemical and genetic mechanisms that control gender and fertility in Thenus spp. Understanding how gender and fertility are controlled in this lobster species will allow development of technologies to exploit desired commercial traits such as reproductive sterility (for genetic protection). Such technologies will facilitate rapid uptake of commercial culture of this high-value species in Australia and establishment of international markets. Read moreRead less
Aquaculture of the tropical abalone: identifying and selecting for factors promoting high settlement, survival and growth. There is a growing demand worldwide for the 'cocktail'-sized tropical abalone Haliotis asinina. We have developed a full set of hatchery and grow-out procedures that Queensland Sea Scallops Pty Ltd will test on a commercial scale. At QSS, we will propagate and growout Haliotis asinina to determine the factors controlling settlement, survival, growth and health. We will do ....Aquaculture of the tropical abalone: identifying and selecting for factors promoting high settlement, survival and growth. There is a growing demand worldwide for the 'cocktail'-sized tropical abalone Haliotis asinina. We have developed a full set of hatchery and grow-out procedures that Queensland Sea Scallops Pty Ltd will test on a commercial scale. At QSS, we will propagate and growout Haliotis asinina to determine the factors controlling settlement, survival, growth and health. We will do this by combining breeding experiments with microarray gene profiling and other advanced gene expression studies. This knowledge will enhance the development of this new aquaculture industry in tropical Australia and our understanding of abalone aquaculture in general.Read moreRead less
Alternate diets for a sustainable aquaculture industry: neuroethology of feeding in barramundi. Our unique approach to identify the sensory requirements of farmed barramundi and develop new alternative feeds will 1. Improve barramundi production by increasing growth rates, 2. Enhance acceptance and ingestion of food pellets, thereby reducing leaching of nutrients vital to the fish and detrimental to the environment, 3. Help produce formulated diets that will offer the advantages of nutritional c ....Alternate diets for a sustainable aquaculture industry: neuroethology of feeding in barramundi. Our unique approach to identify the sensory requirements of farmed barramundi and develop new alternative feeds will 1. Improve barramundi production by increasing growth rates, 2. Enhance acceptance and ingestion of food pellets, thereby reducing leaching of nutrients vital to the fish and detrimental to the environment, 3. Help produce formulated diets that will offer the advantages of nutritional consistency, storage convenience, reduced feed waste and pollution and 4. Lower costs allowing for the successful and profitable production of barramundi and potentially other finfish. Read moreRead less