ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4844-4420
Current Organisation
Australian Institute of Marine Science
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Natural Resource Management | Environmental Science and Management | Conservation and Biodiversity | Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Ecological Impacts of Climate Change
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Coastal and Estuarine Environments | Marine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity | Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Marine Environments | Climate Change Mitigation Strategies |
Related Links
Publications
A Novel Widespread Cryptic Species and Phylogeographic Patterns within Several Giant Clam Species (Cardiidae: Tridacna) from the Indo-Pacific Ocean
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 20-11-2013
Population connectivity: recent advances and new perspectives
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-12-2012
Integrating multiple species connectivity and habitat quality into conservation planning for coral reefs
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-08-2015
DOI: 10.1111/ECOG.01507
Incorporating larval dispersal into MPA design for both conservation and fisheries
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-03-2017
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.1495
Abstract: Larval dispersal by ocean currents is a critical component of systematic marine protected area (MPA) design. However, there is a lack of quantitative methods to incorporate larval dispersal in support of increasingly erse management objectives, including local population persistence under multiple types of threats (primarily focused on larval retention within and dispersal between protected locations) and benefits to unprotected populations and fisheries (primarily focused on larval export from protected locations to fishing grounds). Here, we present a flexible MPA design approach that can reconcile multiple such potentially conflicting management objectives by balancing various associated treatments of larval dispersal information. We demonstrate our approach based on alternative dispersal patterns, combinations of threats to populations, management objectives, and two different optimization strategies (site vs. network-based). Our outcomes highlight a consistently high effectiveness in selecting priority locations that are self-replenishing, inter-connected, and/or important larval sources. We find that the opportunity to balance these three dispersal attributes flexibly can help not only to prevent meta-population collapse, but also to ensure effective fisheries recovery, with average increases in the number of recruits at fishing grounds at least two times higher than achieved by standard habitat-based or ad-hoc MPA designs. Future applications of our MPA design approach should therefore be encouraged, specifically where management tools other than MPAs are not feasible.
Coral reef resilience to thermal stress in the Eastern Tropical Pacific
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-05-2020
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.15126
Taking the Plunge: An Introduction to Undertaking Seascape Genetic Studies and using Biophysical Models
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2013
DOI: 10.1111/GEC3.12031
Coalescent and biophysical models of stepping‐stone gene flow in neritid snails
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-10-2012
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.12031
Abstract: Marine species in the Indo-Pacific have ranges that can span thousands of kilometres, yet studies increasingly suggest that mean larval dispersal distances are less than historically assumed. Gene flow across these ranges must therefore rely to some extent on larval dispersal among intermediate 'stepping-stone' populations in combination with long-distance dispersal far beyond the mean of the dispersal kernel. We evaluate the strength of stepping-stone dynamics by employing a spatially explicit biophysical model of larval dispersal in the tropical Pacific to construct hypotheses for dispersal pathways. We evaluate these hypotheses with coalescent models of gene flow among high-island archipelagos in four neritid gastropod species. Two of the species live in the marine intertidal, while the other two are hidromous, living in fresh water but retaining pelagic dispersal. Dispersal pathways predicted by the biophysical model were strongly favoured in 16 of 18 tests against alternate hypotheses. In regions where connectivity among high-island archipelagos was predicted as direct, there was no difference in gene flow between marine and hidromous species. In regions where connectivity was predicted through stepping-stone atolls only accessible to marine species, gene flow estimates between high-island archipelagos were significantly higher in marine species. Moreover, one of the marine species showed a significant pattern of isolation by distance consistent with stepping-stone dynamics. While our results support stepping-stone dynamics in Indo-Pacific species, we also see evidence for nonequilibrium processes such as range expansions or rare long-distance dispersal events. This study couples population genetic and biophysical models to help to shed light on larval dispersal pathways.
Modeling population connectivity by ocean currents, a graph-theoretic approach for marine conservation
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-08-2007
Graph models of habitat mosaics
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-02-2009
DOI: 10.1111/J.1461-0248.2008.01271.X
Abstract: Graph theory is a body of mathematics dealing with problems of connectivity, flow, and routing in networks ranging from social groups to computer networks. Recently, network applications have erupted in many fields, and graph models are now being applied in landscape ecology and conservation biology, particularly for applications couched in metapopulation theory. In these applications, graph nodes represent habitat patches or local populations and links indicate functional connections among populations (i.e. via dispersal). Graphs are models of more complicated real systems, and so it is appropriate to review these applications from the perspective of modelling in general. Here we review recent applications of network theory to habitat patches in landscape mosaics. We consider (1) the conceptual model underlying these applications (2) formalization and implementation of the graph model (3) model parameterization (4) model testing, insights, and predictions available through graph analyses and (5) potential implications for conservation biology and related applications. In general, and for a variety of ecological systems, we find the graph model a remarkably robust framework for applications concerned with habitat connectivity. We close with suggestions for further work on the parameterization and validation of graph models, and point to some promising analytic insights.
Historical divergences associated with intermittent land bridges overshadow isolation by larval dispersal in co‐distributed species of Tridacna giant clams
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-02-2018
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.13163
Exploring the role of Micronesian islands in the maintenance of coral genetic diversity in the Pacific Ocean
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-12-2014
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.13005
Abstract: Understanding how genetic ersity is maintained across patchy marine environments remains a fundamental problem in marine biology. The Coral Triangle, located in the Indo-West Pacific, is the centre of marine bio ersity and has been proposed as an important source of genetic ersity for remote Pacific reefs. Several studies highlight Micronesia, a scattering of hundreds of small islands situated within the North Equatorial Counter Current, as a potentially important migration corridor. To test this hypothesis, we characterized the population genetic structure of two ecologically important congeneric species of reef-building corals across greater Micronesia, from Palau to the Marshall Islands. Genetic ergences between islands followed an isolation-by-distance pattern, with Acropora hyacinthus exhibiting greater genetic ergences than A. digitifera, suggesting different migration capabilities or different effective population sizes for these closely related species. We inferred dispersal distance using a biophysical larval transport model, which explained an additional 15-21% of the observed genetic variation compared to between-island geographical distance alone. For both species, genetic ergence accumulates and genetic ersity diminishes with distance from the Coral Triangle, supporting the hypothesis that Micronesian islands act as important stepping stones connecting the central Pacific with the species-rich Coral Triangle. However, for A. hyacinthus, the species with lower genetic connectivity, immigration from the subequatorial Pacific begins to play a larger role in shaping ersity than input from the Coral Triangle. This work highlights the enormous dispersal potential of broadcast-spawning corals and identifies the biological and physical drivers that influence coral genetic ersity on a regional scale.
Dispersal Capacity Predicts Both Population Genetic Structure and Species Richness in Reef Fishes
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date: 07-2014
DOI: 10.1086/676505
Abstract: Dispersal is a fundamental species characteristic that should directly affect both rates of gene flow among spatially distributed populations and opportunities for speciation. Yet no single trait associated with dispersal has been demonstrated to affect both micro- and macroevolutionary patterns of ersity across a erse biological assemblage. Here, we examine patterns of genetic differentiation and species richness in reef fishes, an assemblage of over 7,000 species comprising approximately one-third of the extant bony fishes and over one-tenth of living vertebrates. In reef fishes, dispersal occurs primarily during a planktonic larval stage. There are two major reproductive and parental investment syndromes among reef fishes, and the differences between them have implications for dispersal: (1) benthic guarding fishes lay negatively buoyant eggs, typically guarded by the male parent, and from these eggs hatch large, strongly swimming larvae in contrast, (2) pelagic spawning fishes release small floating eggs directly into the water column, which drift unprotected before small weakly swimming larvae hatch. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we show that benthic guarders have significantly greater population structure than pelagic spawners and additionally that taxonomic families of benthic guarders are more species rich than families of pelagic spawners. Our findings provide a compelling case for the continuity between micro- and macroevolutionary processes of biological ersification and underscore the importance of dispersal-related traits in influencing the mode and tempo of evolution.
Strategies in scheduling marine protected area establishment in a network system
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-12-2018
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.1820
Abstract: Instantaneous implementation of systematic conservation plans at regional scales is rare. More typically, planned actions are applied incrementally over periods of years or decades. During protracted implementation, the character of the connected ecological system will change as a function of external anthropogenic pressures, local metapopulation processes, and environmental fluctuations. For heavily exploited systems, habitat quality will deteriorate as the plan is implemented, potentially influencing the schedule of protected area implementation necessary to achieve conservation objectives. Understanding the best strategy to adopt for applying management within a connected environment is desirable, especially given limited conservation resources. Here, we model the sequential application of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) in the central Philippines within a metapopulation framework, using a range of network-based decision rules. The model was based on selecting 33 sites for protection from 101 possible sites over a 35-yr period. The graph-theoretic network criteria to select sites for protection included PageRank, maximum degree, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality, minimum degree, random, and historical events. We also included a dynamic strategy called colonization-extinction rate that was updated every year based on the changing capacity of each site to produce and absorb larvae. Each rule was evaluated in the context of achieving the maximum metapopulation mean lifetime at the conclusion of the implementation phase. MPAs were designated through the alteration of the extinction risk parameter. The highest ranked criteria were PageRank while the actual implementation from historical records ranked lowest. Our results indicate that protecting the sites ranked highest with regard to larval supply is likely to yield the highest benefit for fish abundance and fish metapopulation persistence. Model results highlighted the benefits of including network processes in conservation planning.
Analyzing the (mis)fit between the institutional and ecological networks of the Indo-West Pacific
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-1970
Latitude-wide genetic patterns reveal historical effects and contrasting patterns of turnover and nestedness at the range peripheries of a tropical marine fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-03-2015
DOI: 10.1111/ECOG.01398
Marine Reserve Targets to Sustain and Rebuild Unregulated Fisheries
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 05-01-2017
Seascape features, rather than dispersal traits, predict spatial genetic patterns in co-distributed reef fishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-10-2016
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.12647
Assessing the current state of ecological connectivity in a large marine protected area system
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-09-2020
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.13580
Reserve Sizes Needed to Protect Coral Reef Fishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-10-2018
DOI: 10.1111/CONL.12415
High connectivity among habitats precludes the relationship between dispersal and range size in tropical reef fishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2012
The Eastern Tropical Pacific coral population connectivity and the role of the Eastern Pacific Barrier
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-06-2018
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-018-27644-2
Abstract: Long-distance dispersal is believed to strongly influence coral reef population dynamics across the Tropical Pacific. However, the spatial scale and strength at which populations are potentially connected by dispersal remains uncertain. To determine the patterns in connectivity between the Eastern (ETP) and Central Tropical Pacific (CTP) ecoregions, we used a biophysical model incorporating ocean currents and larval biology to quantify the seascape-wide dispersal potential among all population. We quantified the likelihood and determined the oceanographic conditions that enable the dispersal of coral larvae across the Eastern Pacific Barrier (EP-Barrier) and identified the main connectivity pathways and their conservation value for dominant reef-building corals. Overall, we found that coral assemblages within the CTP and ETP are weakly connected through dispersal. Although the EP-Barrier isolates the ETP from the CTP ecoregion, we found evidence that the EP-Barrier may be breached, in both directions, by rare dispersal events. These rare events could explain the evolutionary genetic similarity among populations of pocilloporids in the ecoregions. Moreover, the ETP may function as a stronger source rather than a destination, providing potential recruits to CTP populations. We also show evidence for a connectivity loop in the ETP, which may positively influence long-term population persistence in the region. Coral conservation and management communities should consider eight-key stepping stone ecoregions when developing strategies to preserve the long-distance connectivity potential across the ETP and CTP.
Does fish larval dispersal differ between high and low latitudes?
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 22-05-2013
Abstract: Several factors lead to expectations that the scale of larval dispersal and population connectivity of marine animals differs with latitude. We examine this expectation for demersal shorefishes, including relevant mechanisms, assumptions and evidence. We explore latitudinal differences in (i) biological (e.g. species composition, spawning mode, pelagic larval duration, PLD), (ii) physical (e.g. water movement, habitat fragmentation), and (iii) biophysical factors (primarily temperature, which could strongly affect development, swimming ability or feeding). Latitudinal differences exist in taxonomic composition, habitat fragmentation, temperature and larval swimming, and each difference could influence larval dispersal. Nevertheless, clear evidence for latitudinal differences in larval dispersal at the level of broad faunas is lacking. For ex le, PLD is strongly influenced by taxon, habitat and geographical region, but no independent latitudinal trend is present in published PLD values. Any trends in larval dispersal may be obscured by a lack of appropriate information, or use of ‘off the shelf’ information that is biased with regard to the species assemblages in areas of concern. Biases may also be introduced from latitudinal differences in taxa or spawning modes as well as limited latitudinal s ling. We suggest research to make progress on the question of latitudinal trends in larval dispersal.
Building a marine cadastral information system for the United States - A case study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2001
Mapping the impacts of multiple stressors on the decline in kelps along the coast of Victoria, Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-11-2022
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.13654
Abstract: Kelp forests throughout temperate regions of the world serve as foundation species that play a critical role in sustaining the health and function of marine ecosystems but are experiencing declines in abundance due to a loss in resilience as the ocean climate changes. Ocean warming along southeast Australia has already been linked to dramatic losses of kelp species and is contributing to the range expansion and population increases of two species of sea urchin. This research attempts to understand the impact of multiple stressors on the decline in kelps in this region. Coastal Waters of Victoria, Southeast Australia. In this study, we use long‐term ( years) datasets on biological observations across Victorian waters to determine trends in coverage and the impact of multiple environmental variables (oceanography, habitat, and urchin abundances) on two important kelps that serve as foundation species ( Phyllospora comosa and Ecklonia radiata) using boosted regression trees. These models were then used to develop predictive distribution models for each species and also to project abundance distributions into the future. We found that both kelp species are decreasing in percent coverage over time with multiple environmental variables contributing to these declines, including increasing temperatures, intensifying wave energy, changes in currents and recruitment patterns, and increases in urchin populations. Additionally, future projections of temperature, wave energy, and urchin populations show that both species will continue to decrease across 62%–94% of their range by 2090. Long‐term biological datasets allowed us to develop maps of the past, current, and future distributions of these important foundation species, providing valuable information to managers for prioritization of areas for targeted urchin management and restoration of kelps. Understanding the environmental factors affecting their distribution helps guide manager restoration investments in regions where kelp populations are most likely to persist in the future.
Migratory connectivity magnifies the consequences of habitat loss from sea-level rise for shorebird populations
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 22-06-2013
Abstract: Sea-level rise (SLR) will greatly alter littoral ecosystems, causing habitat change and loss for coastal species. Habitat loss is widely used as a measurement of the risk of extinction, but because many coastal species are migratory, the impact of habitat loss will depend not only on its extent, but also on where it occurs. Here, we develop a novel graph-theoretic approach to measure the vulnerability of a migratory network to the impact of habitat loss from SLR based on population flow through the network. We show that reductions in population flow far exceed the proportion of habitat lost for 10 long-distance migrant shorebirds using the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. We estimate that SLR will inundate 23–40% of intertidal habitat area along their migration routes, but cause a reduction in population flow of up to 72 per cent across the taxa. This magnifying effect was particularly strong for taxa whose migration routes contain bottlenecks—sites through which a large fraction of the population travels. We develop the bottleneck index , a new network metric that positively correlates with the predicted impacts of habitat loss on overall population flow. Our results indicate that migratory species are at greater risk than previously realized.
Open access solutions for biodiversity journals: Do not replace one problem with another
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12885
Increased connectivity and depth improve the effectiveness of marine reserves
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-05-2021
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.15635
Abstract: Marine reserves are a key tool for the conservation of marine bio ersity, yet only ~2.5% of the world's oceans are protected. The integration of marine reserves into connected networks representing all habitats has been encouraged by international agreements, yet the benefits of this design has not been tested empirically. Australia has one of the largest systems of marine reserves, providing a rare opportunity to assess how connectivity influences conservation success. An Australia‐wide dataset was collected using baited remote underwater video systems deployed across a depth range from 0 to 100 m to assess the effectiveness of marine reserves for protecting teleosts subject to commercial and recreational fishing. A meta‐analytical comparison of 73 fished species within 91 marine reserves found that, on average, marine reserves had 28% greater abundance and 53% greater biomass of fished species compared to adjacent areas open to fishing. However, benefits of protection were not observed across all reserves (heterogeneity), so full subsets generalized additive modelling was used to consider factors that influence marine reserve effectiveness, including distance‐based and ecological metrics of connectivity among reserves. Our results suggest that increased connectivity and depth improve the aforementioned marine reserve benefits and that these factors should be considered to optimize such benefits over time. We provide important guidance on factors to consider when implementing marine reserves for the purpose of increasing the abundance and size of fished species, given the expected increase in coverage globally. We show that marine reserves that are highly protected (no‐take) and designed to optimize connectivity, size and depth range can provide an effective conservation strategy for fished species in temperate and tropical waters within an overarching marine bio ersity conservation framework.
Return of the ghosts of dispersal past: historical spread and contemporary gene flow in the blue sea star <I>Linckia laevigata</I>
Publisher: Bulletin of Marine Science
Date: 2014
Operationalizing ecological connectivity in spatial conservation planning with Marxan Connect
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-02-2020
Identifying the key biophysical drivers, connectivity outcomes, and metapopulation consequences of larval dispersal in the sea
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-07-2015
Effects of geography and life history traits on genetic differentiation in benthic marine fishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2011
Marine Geospatial Ecology Tools: An integrated framework for ecological geoprocessing with ArcGIS, Python, R, MATLAB, and C++
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2010
Network analysis reveals strong seasonality in the dispersal of a marine parasite and identifies areas for coordinated management
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-05-1970
Local connections and the larval competency strongly influence marine metapopulation persistence
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-03-2021
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.2302
Abstract: The relationship between metapopulation stability and connectivity has long been investigated in ecology, however, most of these studies are focused on theoretical species and habitat networks, having limited ability to capture the complexity of real‐world metapopulations. Network analysis became more important in modeling connectivity, but it is still uncertain which network metrics are reliable predictors of persistence. Here we quantify the impact of connectivity and larval life history on marine metapopulation persistence across the complex seascape of southeast Australia. Our work coupled network‐based approaches and eigenanalysis to efficiently estimate metapopulation‐wide persistence and the subpopulation contributions. Larval dispersal models were used to quantify species‐specific metapopulation connectivity for five important fisheries species, each summarized as a migration matrix. Eigenanalysis helped to reveal metapopulation persistence and determine the importance of node‐level network properties. Across metapopulations, the number of local outgoing connections was found to have the largest impact on metapopulation persistence, implying these hub subpopulations may be the most influential in real‐world metapopulations. Results also suggest the length of the pre‐competency period may be the most influential parameter on metapopulation persistence. Finally, we identified two major hot spots of local connectivity in southeast Australia, each contributing strongly to multispecies persistence. Managers and ecologists would benefit by employing similar approaches in making more efficient and more ecologically informed decisions and focusing more on local connectivity patterns and larval competency characteristics to better understand and protect real‐world metapopulation persistence. Practically this could mean developing more marine protected areas at shorter distances and supporting collaborative research into the early life histories of the species of interest.
Genetic and Biophysical Models Help Define Marine Conservation Focus Areas
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 06-08-2018
Vicariance and dispersal across an intermittent barrier: population genetic structure of marine animals across the Torres Strait land bridge
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-05-2011
The DNA of coral reef biodiversity: predicting and protecting genetic diversity of reef assemblages
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 27-04-2016
Abstract: Conservation of ecological communities requires deepening our understanding of genetic ersity patterns and drivers at community-wide scales. Here, we use seascape genetic analysis of a ersity metric, allelic richness (AR), for 47 reef species s led across 13 Hawaiian Islands to empirically demonstrate that large reefs high in coral cover harbour the greatest genetic ersity on average. We found that a species's life history (e.g. depth range and herbivory) mediates response of genetic ersity to seascape drivers in logical ways. Furthermore, a metric of combined multi-species AR showed strong coupling to species richness and habitat area, quality and stability that few species showed in idually. We hypothesize that macro-ecological forces and species interactions, by mediating species turnover and occupancy (and thus a site's mean effective population size), influence the aggregate genetic ersity of a site, potentially allowing it to behave as an apparent emergent trait that is shaped by the dominant seascape drivers. The results highlight inherent feedbacks between ecology and genetics, raise concern that genetic resilience of entire reef communities is compromised by factors that reduce coral cover or available habitat, including thermal stress, and provide a foundation for new strategies for monitoring and preserving bio ersity of entire reef ecosystems.
Marine population connectivity identifies ecological neighbors for conservation planning in the Coral Triangle
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-07-2012
No Reef Is an Island: Integrating Coral Reef Connectivity Data into the Design of Regional-Scale Marine Protected Area Networks
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 07-12-2015
Reproductive Output and Duration of the Pelagic Larval Stage Determine Seascape-Wide Connectivity of Marine Populations
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 19-07-2012
DOI: 10.1093/ICB/ICS101
Abstract: Connectivity among marine populations is critical for persistence of metapopulations, coping with climate change, and determining the geographic distribution of species. The influence of pelagic larval duration (PLD) on connectivity has been studied extensively, but relatively little is known about the influence of other biological parameters, such as the survival and behavior of larvae, and the fecundity of adults, on population connectivity. Furthermore, the interaction between the seascape (habitat structure and currents) and these biological parameters is unclear. We explore these interactions using a biophysical model of larval dispersal across the Indo-Pacific. We describe an approach that quantifies geographic patterns of connectivity from demographically relevant to evolutionarily significant levels across a range of species. We predict that at least 95% of larval settlement occurs within 155 km of the source population and within 13 days irrespective of the species' life history, yet long-distant connections remain likely. Self-recruitment is primarily driven by the local oceanography, larval mortality, and the larval precompetency period, whereas broad-scale connectivity is strongly influenced by reproductive output (abundance and fecundity of adults) and the length of PLD. The networks we have created are geographically explicit models of marine connectivity that define dispersal corridors, barriers, and the emergent structure of marine populations. These models provide hypotheses for empirical testing.
Modelling and mapping regional‐scale patterns of fishing impact and fish stocks to support coral‐reef management in Micronesia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-07-2018
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12814
Local and regional scale habitat heterogeneity contribute to genetic adaptation in a commercially important marine mollusc (Haliotis rubra) from southeastern Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.15128
Abstract: Characterising adaptive genetic ergence among conspecific populations is often achieved by studying genetic variation across defined environmental gradients. In marine systems this is challenging due to a paucity of information on habitat heterogeneity at local and regional scales and a dependency on s ling regimes that are typically limited to broad longitudinal and latitudinal environmental gradients. As a result, the spatial scales at which selection processes operate and the environmental factors that contribute to genetic adaptation in marine systems are likely to be unclear. In this study we explore patterns of adaptive genetic structuring in a commercially- harvested abalone species (Haliotis rubra) from southeastern Australia, using a panel of genome-wide SNP markers (5,239 SNPs), and a s ling regime informed by marine LiDAR bathymetric imagery and 20-year hindcasted oceanographic models. Despite a lack of overall genetic structure across the s ling distribution, significant genotype associations with heterogeneous habitat features were observed at local and regional spatial scales, including associations with wave energy, ocean current, sea surface temperature, and geology. These findings provide insights into the potential resilience of the species to changing marine climates and the role of migration and selection on recruitment processes, with implications for conservation and fisheries management. This study points to the spatial scales at which selection processes operate in marine systems and highlights the benefits of geospatially-informed s ling regimes for overcoming limitations associated with marine population genomic research.
Prioritizing Land and Sea Conservation Investments to Protect Coral Reefs
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 30-08-2010
How do dispersal costs and habitat selection influence realized population connectivity?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2012
DOI: 10.1890/11-1656.1
Abstract: Despite the importance of dispersal for population connectivity, dispersal is often costly to the in idual. A major impediment to understanding connectivity has been a lack of data combining the movement of in iduals and their survival to reproduction in the new habitat (realized connectivity). Although mortality often occurs during dispersal (an immediate cost), in many organisms costs are paid after dispersal (deferred costs). It is unclear how such deferred costs influence the mismatch between dispersal and realized connectivity. Through a series of experiments in the field and laboratory, we estimated both direct and indirect deferred costs in a marine bryozoan (Bugula neritina). We then used the empirical data to parameterize a theoretical model in order to formalize predictions about how dispersal costs influence realized connectivity. In iduals were more likely to colonize poor-quality habitat after prolonged dispersal durations. In iduals that colonized poor-quality habitat performed poorly after colonization because of some property of the habitat (an indirect deferred cost) rather than from prolonged dispersal per se (a direct deferred cost). Our theoretical model predicted that indirect deferred costs could result in nonlinear mismatches between spatial patterns of potential and realized connectivity. The deferred costs of dispersal are likely to be crucial for determining how well patterns of dispersal reflect realized connectivity. Ignoring these deferred costs could lead to inaccurate predictions of spatial population dynamics.
Using species distribution models to assess the long‐term impacts of changing oceanographic conditions on abalone density in south east Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-04-2020
DOI: 10.1111/ECOG.05181
Incorporating asymmetric connectivity into spatial decision making for conservation
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-05-2010
The regional structure of spawning phenology and the potential consequences for connectivity of coral assemblages across the Eastern Tropical Pacific
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-12-2016
Abstract: The coral reefs of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) are some of the most geographically isolated of the world. A key to understanding their long-term persistence and population recovery via dispersal (i.e. population connectivity), is knowing when the corals spawn in the region. To this end, we reviewed and synthesized the literature on the reproductive phenology of corals (month of spawning) and their dispersal-related characteristics to infer the potential impact on the region’s functional connectivity. We classified the region into four thermal regimes based on long-term mean sea surface temperature (SST) data: Tropical Upwelling, Thermally Stable, Equatorial Upwelling, and Seasonal. Each regime’s unique spawning seasonality was then explored by quantifying the linear dependence between the number of observed spawning events and SST. Finally, the potential impact of this unique regional mismatch in spawning was illustrated using a biophysical larval dispersal model. We found spawning occurs throughout the year in the Upwelling and Thermally Stable regimes (showing low or no linear dependence with SST) whereas spawning had a strong seasonal signal in the Equatorial Upwelling and Seasonal regimes, occurring primarily in the warm months. Considering the region’s mismatch in spawning phenologies, and unique dispersal traits, the simulations of coral larval dispersal across the ETP result in infrequently realized connectivity between ecoregions, low local retention and high self-recruitment, that combined with low recruitment densities in the field indicates more vulnerable populations to disturbance than previously appreciated. The strong relationship between spawning phenology and SST in some regimes suggests a greater susceptibility of these coral assemblages to extreme El Niño and La Niña events and future ocean warming.
Integrating regional conservation priorities for multiple objectives into national policy
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-09-2015
DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS9208
Abstract: Multinational conservation initiatives that prioritize investment across a region invariably navigate trade-offs among multiple objectives. It seems logical to focus where several objectives can be achieved efficiently, but such multi-objective hotspots may be ecologically inappropriate, or politically inequitable. Here we devise a framework to facilitate a regionally cohesive set of marine-protected areas driven by national preferences and supported by quantitative conservation prioritization analyses, and illustrate it using the Coral Triangle Initiative. We identify areas important for achieving six objectives to address ecosystem representation, threatened fauna, connectivity and climate change. We expose trade-offs between areas that contribute substantially to several objectives and those meeting one or two objectives extremely well. Hence there are two strategies to guide countries choosing to implement regional goals nationally: multi-objective hotspots and complementary sets of single-objective priorities. This novel framework is applicable to any multilateral or global initiative seeking to apply quantitative information in decision making.
Uncertainty in spatially explicit population models
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2008
Evolving coral reef conservation with genetic information
Publisher: Bulletin of Marine Science
Date: 2014
Evaluating the metapopulation consequences of ecological traps
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 07-04-2015
Abstract: Ecological traps occur when environmental changes cause maladaptive habitat selection. Despite their relevance to metapopulations, ecological traps have been studied predominantly at local scales. How these local impacts scale up to affect the dynamics of spatially structured metapopulations in heterogeneous landscapes remains unexplored. We propose that assessing the metapopulation consequences of traps depends on a variety of factors that can be grouped into four categories: the probability of encounter, the likelihood of selection, the fitness costs of selection and species-specific vulnerability to these costs. We evaluate six hypotheses using a network-based metapopulation model to explore the relative importance of factors across these categories within a spatial context. Our model suggests (i) traps are most severe when they represent a large proportion of habitats, severely reduce fitness and are highly attractive, and (ii) species with high intrinsic fitness will be most susceptible. We provide the first evidence that (iii) traps may be beneficial for metapopulations in rare instances, and (iv) preferences for natal-like habitats can magnify the effects of traps. Our study provides important insight into the effects of traps at landscape scales, and highlights the need to explicitly consider spatial context to better understand and manage traps within metapopulations.
The scope of published population genetic data for Indo-Pacific marine fauna and future research opportunities in the region
Publisher: Bulletin of Marine Science
Date: 2014
Navigating the currents of seascape genomics: how spatial analyses can augment population genomic studies
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 06-07-2016
DOI: 10.1093/CZ/ZOW067
The emergent geography of biophysical dispersal barriers across the Indo-West Pacific
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-02-2015
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12307
Predicting coral adaptation to global warming in the Indo-West-Pacific
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 08-2019
DOI: 10.1101/722314
Abstract: The potential of reef-building corals to adapt to increasing sea surface temperatures is often speculated about but has rarely been comprehensively modeled on a region-wide scale. Here, we used in idual-based simulations to model adaptation to warming in a coral metapopulation comprising 680 reefs and representing the whole of the Central Indo-West Pacific. We find that in the first century of warming (approximately from 50 years ago to 50 years in the future) corals adapt rapidly by redistributing pre-existing adaptive alleles among populations (“genetic rescue”). In this way, some coral populations - most notably, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, New Caledonia, and the southern half of the Great Barrier Reef - appear to be able to maintain their fitness even under the worst warming scenarios (at least in theory, assuming the rate of evolution is the only limitation to local coral recovery). Still, survival of the majority of reefs in the region critically depends on the warming rate, underscoring the urgent need to curb carbon emissions. Conveniently, corals’ adaptive potential was largely independent of poorly known genetic parameters and could be predicted based on a simple metric derived from the biophysical connectivity model: the proportion of recruits immigrating from warmer locations. We have confirmed that this metric correlates with actual coral cover changes throughout the region, based on published reef survey data from the 1970s to early 2000s. The new metric allows planning assisted gene flow interventions to facilitate adaptation of specific coral populations.
The molecular biogeography of the Indo‐Pacific: Testing hypotheses with multispecies genetic patterns
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-04-2019
DOI: 10.1111/GEB.12905
Demystifying ecological connectivity for actionable spatial conservation planning
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.TREE.2022.09.002
Abstract: Connectivity underpins the persistence of life it needs to inform bio ersity conservation decisions. Yet, when prioritising conservation areas and developing actions, connectivity is not being operationalised in spatial planning. The challenge is the translation of flows associated with connectivity into conservation objectives that lead to actions. Connectivity is nebulous, it can be abstract and mean different things to different people, making it difficult to include in conservation problems. Here, we show how connectivity can be included in mathematically defining conservation planning objectives. We provide a path forward for linking connectivity to high-level conservation goals, such as increasing species' persistence. We propose ways to design spatial management areas that gain bio ersity benefit from connectivity.
CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF LAND USE CHANGE IN THE NORTH CAROLINA PIEDMONT: THE SCOPE OF UNCERTAINTY
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Date: 2006
Potential and limits for rapid genetic adaptation to warming in a Great Barrier Reef coral
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 19-04-2018
Estimating the potential for coral adaptation to global warming across the Indo‐West Pacific
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-03-2021
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.15060
Related Organisations
Graduate School Of The College Of Charleston
Location: United States of America
Related Funding Activities
Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP160100730
Start Date: 12-2016
End Date: 12-2022
Amount: $287,771.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP120200245
Start Date: 07-2012
End Date: 12-2018
Amount: $285,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity