Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101141
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$366,000.00
Summary
Critical regions and network connectivity of coral reef ecosystems. This project aims to measure the degree of connectivity between isolated reefs in Australia's Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef and identify the biological and environmental mechanisms that enhance management strategies or mitigate against disturbances. The movement of individuals in fragmented landscapes plays a central role in the ecology and evolution of species. The project seeks to measure connectivity at multiple scales ....Critical regions and network connectivity of coral reef ecosystems. This project aims to measure the degree of connectivity between isolated reefs in Australia's Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef and identify the biological and environmental mechanisms that enhance management strategies or mitigate against disturbances. The movement of individuals in fragmented landscapes plays a central role in the ecology and evolution of species. The project seeks to measure connectivity at multiple scales and identify critical regions for the design of networks of marine protected areas. This is anticipated to improve our understanding of connectivity in marine seascapes and benefit management of important fishery species and current efforts in coral reef conservation.Read moreRead less
Using larval connectivity to inform marine reserve network designs in the Coral Triangle. Networks of no-take marine reserves are considered critical tools to ensure conservation and food security targets in the Coral Triangle Region, just north of Australia. More than 1400 community-managed marine reserves have been established in the Philippines, the most populace part of the Coral Triangle. The local conservation and fisheries benefits of these reserves have been well documented. A need now e ....Using larval connectivity to inform marine reserve network designs in the Coral Triangle. Networks of no-take marine reserves are considered critical tools to ensure conservation and food security targets in the Coral Triangle Region, just north of Australia. More than 1400 community-managed marine reserves have been established in the Philippines, the most populace part of the Coral Triangle. The local conservation and fisheries benefits of these reserves have been well documented. A need now exists to convert these individual reserves into operational reserve networks. This project proposes to use new information on larval connectivity, biodiversity and human usage patterns, and local governance networks, to systematically improve the design of an existing Philippine reserve network. Read moreRead less
Conserving coral reef fish and sustaining fisheries in the anthropocene. This project aims to re-evaluate principles for designing marine reserves to conserve reef fish and sustain fisheries under current and future scenarios of habitat quality and population connectivity. The project will integrate advanced genetic methods, novel field experiments and new quantitative approaches to optimise reserve network design to promote population recovery, persistence and yield for a range of fish species. ....Conserving coral reef fish and sustaining fisheries in the anthropocene. This project aims to re-evaluate principles for designing marine reserves to conserve reef fish and sustain fisheries under current and future scenarios of habitat quality and population connectivity. The project will integrate advanced genetic methods, novel field experiments and new quantitative approaches to optimise reserve network design to promote population recovery, persistence and yield for a range of fish species. It will recommend optimal reserve size, spacing and location for geographic regions subject to different levels of habitat degradation and fishing pressure. It will benefit Australia and our regional neighbours by providing the critical science necessary for the successful management of shared coral reef assets and resources.Read moreRead less
Do marine reserve networks work? Larval connectivity, sustainable harvesting and ecological resilience. The Great Barrier Reef is a globally iconic marine ecosystem and benefits from the world's largest network of no-take reserves. While we know reserves contain more and bigger fish, several key questions about how reserves contribute to sustainable harvesting, protecting biodiversity and resisting climate change remain unanswered. Answers depend on a new understanding of the degree to which fis ....Do marine reserve networks work? Larval connectivity, sustainable harvesting and ecological resilience. The Great Barrier Reef is a globally iconic marine ecosystem and benefits from the world's largest network of no-take reserves. While we know reserves contain more and bigger fish, several key questions about how reserves contribute to sustainable harvesting, protecting biodiversity and resisting climate change remain unanswered. Answers depend on a new understanding of the degree to which fish population on different reefs are connected, and whether or not reserve networks help sustain these linkages. This project will use new technologies to measure the transport of fish larvae between reefs, to assess strengths and weaknesses of the reserve network, and examine ways to improve species protection and sustainable harvesting in a changing climate.Read moreRead less