ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9472-8710
Current Organisation
University of Sydney
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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)
Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Ecology | Population Ecology | Ecosystem Function | Environmental Science and Management | Fisheries Sciences | Conservation and Biodiversity | Fisheries Management | Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing | Environmental Monitoring | Environmental Rehabilitation (excl. Bioremediation) | Pattern Recognition and Data Mining | Marine Geoscience | Community Ecology | Image Processing
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Coastal and Estuarine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity | Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Marine Environments | Effects of Climate Change and Variability on Australia (excl. Social Impacts) | Protected Conservation Areas in Marine Environments | Fisheries - Recreational | Rehabilitation of Degraded Coastal and Estuarine Environments | Coastal and Estuarine Water Management |
Related Links
Publications
Engaging recreational fishers in management and conservation: Global case studies
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-09-2008
DOI: 10.1111/J.1523-1739.2008.00977.X
Abstract: Globally, the number of recreational fishers is sizeable and increasing in many countries. Associated with this trend is the potential for negative impacts on fish stocks through exploitation or management measures such as stocking and introduction of non-native fishes. Nevertheless, recreational fishers can be instrumental in successful fisheries conservation through active involvement in, or initiation of, conservation projects to reduce both direct and external stressors contributing to fishery declines. Understanding fishers' concerns for sustained access to the resource and developing methods for their meaningful participation can have positive impacts on conservation efforts. We examined a suite of case studies that demonstrate successful involvement of recreational fishers in conservation and management activities that span developed and developing countries, temperate and tropical regions, marine and freshwater systems, and open- and closed-access fisheries. To illustrate potential benefits and challenges of involving recreational fishers in fisheries management and conservation, we examined the socioeconomic and ecological contexts of each case study. We devised a conceptual framework for the engagement of recreational fishers that targets particular types of involvement (enforcement, advocacy, conservation, management design [type and location], research, and monitoring) on the basis of degree of stakeholder stewardship, scale of the fishery, and source of impacts (internal or external). These activities can be enhanced by incorporating local knowledge and traditions, taking advantage of leadership and regional networks, and creating collaborations among various stakeholder groups, scientists, and agencies to maximize the probability of recreational fisher involvement and project success.
Assessing the Relative Vulnerability of Chondrichthyan Species as Bycatch Using Spatially Reported Catch Data Series
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-06-2023
DOI: 10.3390/D15060752
Abstract: Fishery impacts pose threats not only to target species, but also to bycatch species. Nevertheless, choosing priorities for conservation or research in fisheries is often driven by economic value and most retained bycatch species such as sharks and rays have been historically of low profit. Traditional stock assessments usually require large quantities of data, financial support, and feasible study conditions. The multi-species nature of Chondrichthyan catch along with their relatively lower value and sparsity of fishery-independent data creates significant challenges to developing accurate impact predictions. This study introduces a novel technique to quantify the relative vulnerability of Chondrichthyan species taken as bycatch. The approach is based on spatial interactions between species and fishing activity (termed here the fishery interaction index, or FII) and is correlated to metrics of productivity. A database of 15 years of fisheries logbooks was used to apply the method to 20 bycatch sharks and target species in one of the largest fishing sectors of Australia’s EEZ. Overall vulnerability based on the FII-productivity combinations obtained was found to agree considerably with the IUCN status of the assessed species, with only a few exceptions that reflected the local status differing from the general global assessments.
Neolithic Temples of Malta: 3D analysis points to novel roof reconstruction
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
Can temperature-dependent predation rates regulate range expansion potential of tropical vagrant fishes?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-05-2019
Opposing life stage‐specific effects of ocean warming at source and sink populations of range‐shifting coral‐reef fishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-12-2021
Evaluating the effectiveness of drones for quantifying invasive upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea sp.) in Lake Macquarie, Australia
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 19-01-0012
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0262721
Abstract: Upside-down jellyfish ( Cassiopea sp.) are mostly sedentary, benthic jellyfish that have invaded estuarine ecosystems around the world. Monitoring the spread of this invasive jellyfish must contend with high spatial and temporal variability in abundance of in iduals, especially around their invasion front. Here, we evaluated the utility of drones to survey invasive Cassiopea in a coastal lake on the east coast of Australia. To assess the efficacy of a drone-based methodology, we compared the densities and counts of Cassiopea from drone observations to conventional boat-based observations and evaluated cost and time efficiency of these methods. We showed that there was no significant difference in Cassiopea density measured by drones compared to boat-based methods along the same transects. However, abundance estimates of Cassiopea derived from scaling-up transect densities were over-inflated by 319% for drones and 178% for boats, compared to drone-based counts of the whole site. Although conventional boat-based survey techniques were cost-efficient in the short-term, we recommend doing whole-of-site counts using drones. This is because it provides a time-saving and precise technique for long-term monitoring of the spatio-temporally dynamic invasion front of Cassiopea in coastal lakes and other sheltered marine habitats with relatively clear water.
Natural and anthropogenic climate variability shape assemblages of range‐extending coral‐reef fishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-02-2021
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14058
Diet and feeding habits of two endemic demersal bycatch elasmobranchs: Trygonorrhina fasciata & Dentiraja australis
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-01-2020
No apparent trade-offs associated with heat tolerance in a reef-building coral
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-04-2023
DOI: 10.1038/S42003-023-04758-6
Abstract: As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will likely be under strong selection. Yet trade-offs between heat tolerance and other life history traits could compromise natural adaptation or assisted evolution. This is particularly important for ecosystem engineers, such as reef-building corals, which support bio ersity yet are vulnerable to heatwave-induced mass bleaching and mortality. Here, we exposed 70 colonies of the reef-building coral Acropora digitifera to a long-term marine heatwave emulation experiment. We tested for trade-offs between heat tolerance and three traits measured from the colonies in situ – colony growth, fecundity, and symbiont community composition. Despite observing remarkable within-population variability in heat tolerance, all colonies were dominated by Cladocopium C40 symbionts. We found no evidence for trade-offs between heat tolerance and fecundity or growth. Contrary to expectations, positive associations emerged with growth, such that faster-growing colonies tended to bleach and die at higher levels of heat stress. Collectively, our results suggest that these corals exist on an energetic continuum where some high-performing in iduals excel across multiple traits. Within populations, trade-offs between heat tolerance and growth or fecundity may not be major barriers to natural adaptation or the success of assisted evolution interventions.
A meta-analysis of the interspecific relationship between seed size and plant abundance within local communities
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-05-2005
Linking habitat interactions and biodiversity within seascapes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2022
DOI: 10.1002/ECS2.4021
Abstract: Habitat interactions play key roles in regulating bio ersity and ecosystem functions. This is particularly important in aquatic ecosystems, where the flow of water facilitates exchanges of energy and matter. Oyster reefs, a highly degraded habitat globally and a key focus for restoration efforts, can reduce water movement and facilitate the deposition of particles around them, affecting nutrient cycling in surrounding sediments. The effects of these reefs on sediment infauna taxonomic and functional bio ersity, however, remain unknown. We s led sediments at increasing distances from reefs at three estuaries to evaluate the relationships between proximity to oyster reefs and composition and functionality of infaunal communities and explored the potential mechanisms behind those relationships. Sediments close to oyster reefs had consistently greater amounts of labile organic matter, which in turn was positively related to the number of taxa and total abundance of infauna. Also, the functional traits of infauna, such as bioturbation and feeding modes, were related to proximity to reefs, but they were variable between estuaries indicating the importance of background estuarine environmental conditions. These results suggest that habitat linkages between oyster reefs and sediments are important in regulating taxonomic bio ersity, while functional bio ersity seems to be driven by processes operating at larger scales. Given burgeoning restoration initiatives worldwide, particularly those of oyster reefs, incorporating seascape interactions can help inform recovery of bio ersity and functions beyond the target habitat at the seascape level, which is often overlooked.
Connectivity or demography: Defining sources and sinks in coral reef fish metapopulations
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2009
Complex habitats may not always benefit prey: Linking visual field with reef fish behavior and distribution
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 11-01-2007
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS329225
Discovery of a high molecular weight complex of calcium, phosphate, fetuin, and matrix gamma-carboxyglutamic acid protein in the serum of etidronate-treated rats
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2002
The tropicalization of temperate marine ecosystems: climate-mediated changes in herbivory and community phase shifts
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 22-08-2014
Abstract: Climate-driven changes in biotic interactions can profoundly alter ecological communities, particularly when they impact foundation species. In marine systems, changes in herbivory and the consequent loss of dominant habitat forming species can result in dramatic community phase shifts, such as from coral to macroalgal dominance when tropical fish herbivory decreases, and from algal forests to ‘barrens’ when temperate urchin grazing increases. Here, we propose a novel phase-shift away from macroalgal dominance caused by tropical herbivores extending their range into temperate regions. We argue that this phase shift is facilitated by poleward-flowing boundary currents that are creating ocean warming hotspots around the globe, enabling the range expansion of tropical species and increasing their grazing rates in temperate areas. Overgrazing of temperate macroalgae by tropical herbivorous fishes has already occurred in Japan and the Mediterranean. Emerging evidence suggests similar phenomena are occurring in other temperate regions, with increasing occurrence of tropical fishes on temperate reefs.
Latitudinal shifts in coral reef fishes: why some species do and others do not shift
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-04-2014
DOI: 10.1111/FAF.12036
Increasing ocean temperatures allow tropical fishes to survive overwinter in temperate waters
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-01-2010
Patterns of the Non-Indigenous Isopod Cirolana harfordi in Sydney Harbour
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 22-01-2014
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
Review and meta-analysis of the importance of remotely sensed habitat structural complexity in marine ecology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
Assessing the trophic ecology of top predators across a recolonisation frontier using DNA metabarcoding of diets
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 21-06-2017
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12165
Community-level impacts of the invasive isopod Cirolana harfordi
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-09-2015
Fur seal activity moderates the effects of an Australian marine sanctuary on temperate reef fish
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2015
Selective mortality of a coral reef damselfish: role of predator-competitor synergisms
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-02-2008
DOI: 10.1007/S00442-008-0985-2
Abstract: Phenotypic variability within cohorts of juvenile organisms can serve as the basis for selective mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated the important role that predators play in this process but not the impact of competitors on selective predation. We use a combination of lab and field studies to evaluate the effect of the presence of adult competitor damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis family Pomacentridae) on the selective mortality of newly-arrived (settled) lemon damselfish (P. moluccensis) by resident predator fishes (Pseudochromis fuscus Pseudochromidae and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus Apogonidae). Lab trials consisted of mesocosm experiments in which the behaviour, mortality, and physiological condition (measured as lipid content) of surviving P. moluccensis settlers from each of three treatments: (1) predators absent, (2) predators present, and (3) predators and competitors present, were compared. The field study involved stocking newly settled P. moluccensis on natural bommies (patch reefs) which had either been subject to a partial removal of resident fish (predators and competitors) or left alone. Results indicated there was very strong condition-based selective mortality in both the lab and field trials. In both cases there was a strong positive relationship between mortality and the lipid content of surviving fish implying low-condition fish were selectively removed. The mesocosm trials indicated that the strength of mortality as well as condition selectivity was higher when competitors were present than when they were absent. Behavioural observations in the mesocosm study suggest that attention by juvenile P. moluccensis to the movements and occasional chases of the competitors (especially D. aruanus) reduced their vigilance to the predators. These results suggest the important and interactive roles which condition of newly settled reef fish and interspecific competition can play in the outcomes of post-settlement predation.
Context-dependent risk tolerance of the bicolour damselfish: courtship in the presence of fish and egg predators
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2007
Isolation and sequence of a novel human chondrocyte protein related to mammalian members of the chitinase protein family
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-1996
Predicting success of range-expanding coral reef fish in temperate habitats using temperature-abundance relationships
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 13-02-2018
Defining patch contribution in source-sink metapopulations: The importance of including dispersal and its relevance to marine systems
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-05-2006
Sydney Harbour: What we do and do not know about a highly diverse estuary
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/MF15159
Abstract: Sydney Harbour is a global hotspot for marine and estuarine ersity. Despite its social, economic and biological value, the available knowledge has not previously been reviewed or synthesised. We systematically reviewed the published literature and consulted experts to establish our current understanding of the Harbour’s natural systems, identify knowledge gaps, and compare Sydney Harbour to other major estuaries worldwide. Of the 110 studies in our review, 81 focussed on ecology or biology, six on the chemistry, 10 on geology and 11 on oceanography. Subtidal rocky reef habitats were the most studied, with a focus on habitat forming macroalgae. In total 586 fish species have been recorded from the Harbour, which is high relative to other major estuaries worldwide. There has been a lack of process studies, and an almost complete absence of substantial time series that constrains our capacity to identify trends, environmental thresholds or major drivers of biotic interactions. We also highlight a lack of knowledge on the ecological functioning of Sydney Harbour, including studies on microbial communities. A sound understanding of the complexity, connectivity and dynamics underlying ecosystem functioning will allow further advances in management for the Harbour and for similarly modified estuaries around the world.
Variable responses of benthic communities to anomalously warm sea temperatures on a high-latitude coral reef
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 26-11-2014
Effects of the receiving assemblage and disturbance on the colonisation of an invasive species
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-06-2016
Climate-driven disparities among ecological interactions threaten kelp forest persistence
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-08-2017
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.13414
Abstract: The combination of ocean warming and acidification brings an uncertain future to kelp forests that occupy the warmest parts of their range. These forests are not only subject to the direct negative effects of ocean climate change, but also to a combination of unknown indirect effects associated with changing ecological landscapes. Here, we used mesocosm experiments to test the direct effects of ocean warming and acidification on kelp biomass and photosynthetic health, as well as climate-driven disparities in indirect effects involving key consumers (urchins and rock lobsters) and competitors (algal turf). Elevated water temperature directly reduced kelp biomass, while their turf-forming competitors expanded in response to ocean acidification and declining kelp canopy. Elevated temperatures also increased growth of urchins and, concurrently, the rate at which they thinned kelp canopy. Rock lobsters, which are renowned for keeping urchin populations in check, indirectly intensified negative pressures on kelp by reducing their consumption of urchins in response to elevated temperature. Overall, these results suggest that kelp forests situated towards the low-latitude margins of their distribution will need to adapt to ocean warming in order to persist in the future. What is less certain is how such adaptation in kelps can occur in the face of intensifying consumptive (via ocean warming) and competitive (via ocean acidification) pressures that affect key ecological interactions associated with their persistence. If such indirect effects counter adaptation to changing climate, they may erode the stability of kelp forests and increase the probability of regime shifts from complex habitat-forming species to more simple habitats dominated by algal turfs.
Optimising sampling of fish assemblages on intertidal reefs using remote underwater video
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 22-05-2023
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.15426
Abstract: Assessing fish assemblages in subtidal and intertidal habitats is challenging due to the structural complexity of many of these systems. Trapping and collecting are regarded as optimal ways to s le these assemblages, but this method is costly and destructive, so researchers also use video techniques. Underwater visual census and baited remote underwater video stations are commonly used to characterise fish communities in these systems. More passive techniques such as remote underwater video (RUV) may be more appropriate for behavioural studies, or for comparing proximal habitats where the broad attraction caused by bait plumes could be an issue. However, data processing for RUVs can be time consuming and create processing bottlenecks. Here, we identified the optimal subs ling method to assess fish assemblages on intertidal oyster reefs using RUV footage and bootstrapping techniques. We quantified how video subs ling effort and method (systematic vs random) affect the accuracy and precision of three different fish assemblage metrics species richness and two proxies for the total abundance of fish, MaxN T and MeanCount T , which have not been evaluated previously for complex intertidal habitats. Results suggest that MaxN T and species richness should be recorded in real time, whereas optimal s ling for MeanCount T is every 60 s. Systematic s ling proved to be more accurate and precise than random s ling. This study provides valuable methodology recommendations which are relevant for the use of RUV to assess fish assemblages in a variety of shallow intertidal habitats.
A meta-analysis comparing the toxicity of sediments in the laboratory and in situ
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2006
DOI: 10.1897/05-322R.1
Abstract: Sediment toxicity tests in the laboratory are an important part of ecological risk assessments, yet how they relate to sediment toxicity in situ has rarely been explored. Using meta-analysis, we examined differences in the toxicity of sediment tested in the laboratory and in situ. Data from four published studies were subjected to rigorous statistical analyses. Overall, the toxicity of sediments in laboratory tests was substantially less than their toxicity in situ. Differences between laboratory and in situ toxicity, expressed using the log odds ratio effect size, varied significantly among published studies. Effect size increased significantly with increasing sediment toxicity, showing that the more toxic the sediment, the greater the disparity between laboratory and field toxicities. Our findings may not apply to all laboratory/field comparisons however, we consider that the overlying water in field situations is a significant contributor to this relationship through additional contamination and toxicity. Our findings also have important implications for the use of laboratory tests to assess improvements in sediment quality and remediation, because changes in laboratory toxicity may not reflect the true improvements to sediment quality in situ.
Effects of temperature on macronutrient selection, metabolic and swimming performance of the Indo-Pacific Damselfish (Abudefduf vaigiensis)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-10-2018
Accuracy and precision of habitat structural complexity metrics derived from underwater photogrammetry
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-12-2015
DOI: 10.3390/RS71215859
Erratum of Defining patch contribution in source-sink metapopulations: The importance of including dispersal and its relevance to marine systems (Popul Ecol (2006) 48, (215-224), 10.1007/s10144-006-0265-0)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-08-2010
Large-scale assessment of benthic communities across multiple marine protected areas using an autonomous underwater vehicle
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 16-03-2018
Factors driving the biogeographic distribution of two temperate Australian damselfishes and ramifications for range shifts
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 12-06-2013
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS10300
Sydney Harbour: A review of anthropogenic impacts on the biodiversity and ecosystem function of one of the world's largest natural harbours
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/MF15157
Abstract: Sydney Harbour is a hotspot for ersity. However, as with estuaries worldwide, its ersity and functioning faces increasing threats from urbanisation. This is the first synthesis of threats and impacts in Sydney Harbour. In total 200 studies were reviewed: 109 focussed on contamination, 58 on habitat modification, 11 addressed non-indigenous species (NIS) and eight investigated fisheries. Metal concentrations in sediments and seaweeds are among the highest recorded worldwide and organic contamination can also be high. Contamination is associated with increased abundances of opportunistic species, and changes in benthic community structure. The Harbour is also heavily invaded, but invaders’ ecological and economic impacts are poorly quantified. Communities within Sydney Harbour are significantly affected by extensive physical modification, with artificial structures supporting more NIS and lower ersity than their natural equivalents. We know little about the effects of fishing on the Harbour’s ecology, and although ocean warming along Sydney is among the fastest in the world, we know little about how the ecosystem will respond to warming. The interactive and cumulative effects of stressors on ecosystem functioning and services in the Harbour are largely unknown. Sustainable management of this iconic natural system requires that knowledge gaps are addressed and translated into coherent environmental plans.
Assessing range shifts of tropical reef fishes: a comparison of belt transect and roaming underwater visual census methods
Publisher: Bulletin of Marine Science
Date: 04-2014
Marine infrastructure supports abundant, diverse fish assemblages at the expense of beta diversity
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-06-2018
Age, growth and reproductive biology of two endemic demersal bycatch elasmobranchs: Trygonorrhina fasciata and Dentiraja australis (Chondrichthyes: Rhinopristiformes, Rajiformes) from Eastern Australia
Publisher: FapUNIFESP (SciELO)
Date: 17-12-2020
DOI: 10.3897/ZOOLOGIA.37.E49318
Abstract: Bottom-dwelling elasmobranchs, such as guitarfishes, skates and stingrays are highly susceptible species to bycatch due to the overlap between their distribution and area of fishing operations. Catch data for this group is also often merged in generic categories preventing species-specific assessments. Along the east coast of Australia, the Eastern Fiddler Ray, Trygonorrhina fasciata (Muller & Henle, 1841), and the Sydney Skate, Dentiraja australis (Macleay, 1884), are common components of bycatch yet there is little information about their age, growth and reproductive timing, making impact assessment difficult. In this study the age and growth (from vertebral bands) as well as reproductive parameters of these two species are estimated and reported based on 171 specimens of Eastern Fiddler Rays (100 females and 71 males) and 81 Sydney Skates (47 females and 34 males). Based on von Bertalanffy growth curve fits, Eastern Fiddler Rays grew to larger sizes than Sydney Skate but did so more slowly (ray: L∞ = 109.61, t 0 = 0.26 and K = 0.20 skate: L∞ = 51.95, t 0 = -0.99 and K = 0.34 [both sexes combined]). Both species had higher liver weight ratios (HSI) during austral summer. Gonadal weight ratios (GSI) were higher in the austral winter for Eastern Fiddler and in the austral spring for Sydney Skates.
Australian sea-floor survey data, with images and expert annotations
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-10-2015
Abstract: This Australian benthic data set (BENTHOZ-2015) consists of an expert-annotated set of georeferenced benthic images and associated sensor data, captured by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) around Australia. This type of data is of interest to marine scientists studying benthic habitats and organisms. AUVs collect georeferenced images over an area with consistent illumination and altitude, and make it possible to generate broad scale, photo-realistic 3D maps. Marine scientists then typically spend several minutes on each of thousands of images, labeling substratum type and biota at a subset of points. Labels from four Australian research groups were combined using the CATAMI classification scheme, a hierarchical classification scheme based on taxonomy and morphology for scoring marine imagery. This data set consists of 407,968 expert labeled points from around the Australian coast, with associated images, geolocation and other sensor data. The robotic surveys that collected this data form part of Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) ongoing benthic monitoring program. There is reuse potential in marine science, robotics, and computer vision research.
Fish‐smart seawalls: a decision tool for adaptive management of marine infrastructure
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-05-2018
DOI: 10.1002/FEE.1809
Metapopulation Ecology and Marine Conservation
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2006
Refugia under threat: Mass bleaching of coral assemblages in high‐latitude eastern Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-08-2019
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.14772
Abstract: Environmental anomalies that trigger adverse physiological responses and mortality are occurring with increasing frequency due to climate change. At species' range peripheries, environmental anomalies are particularly concerning because species often exist at their environmental tolerance limits and may not be able to migrate to escape unfavourable conditions. Here, we investigated the bleaching response and mortality of 14 coral genera across high-latitude eastern Australia during a global heat stress event in 2016. We evaluated whether the severity of assemblage-scale and genus-level bleaching responses was associated with cumulative heat stress and/or local environmental history, including long-term mean temperatures during the hottest month of each year (SST
Global Impact of Recreational Fisheries
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 11-03-2005
Morphodynamic Controls for Growth and Evolution of a Rubble Coral Island
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-04-2021
DOI: 10.3390/RS13081582
Abstract: Rubble islands are dynamic sedimentary features present on reef platforms that evolve under a variety of morphodynamic processes and controlling mechanisms. They provide valuable inhabitable land for small island nations, critical habitat for numerous species, and are threatened by climate change. Aiming to investigate the controlling mechanisms dictating the evolution of One Tree Island (OTI), a rubble island in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, we combined different remotely-sensed data across varying timescales with wave data extracted from satellite altimetry and cyclone activity. Our findings show that (1) OTI had expanded by 7% between 1978 and 2019, (2) significant gross planform decadal adjustments were governed by the amount, intensity, proximity, and relative position of cyclones as well as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases, and (3) the mechanisms of island growth involve rubble spits delivering and redistributing rubble to the island through alongshore sediment transport and wave overtopping. Frequent short-term monitoring of the island and further research coupling variations in the different factors driving island change (i.e., sediment availability, reef-wave interactions, and extreme events) are needed to shed light on the future trajectory of OTI and other rubble islands under a climate change scenario.
Performance of tropical fish recruiting to temperate habitats: role of ambient temperature and implications of climate change
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 29-05-2009
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS08057
Corrigendum: Australian sea-floor survey data, with images and expert annotations (Scientific Data (2015) 2 (150057) DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2015.57)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-12-2016
Abstract: Scientific Data 2:150057 doi:10.1038/sdata.2015.57 (2015) Published 27 Oct 2015 Updated 20 Dec 2016 The authors regret that Ezequiel Marzinelli was omitted in error from the author list of the original version of this Data Descriptor. This omission has now been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of this Data Descriptor.
Observation of juvenile Eastern Blue Groper (Achoerodus viridis) on remnant oyster reefs in New South Wales, Australia.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-09-2022
DOI: 10.1002/ECY.3824
Resistance and Buffer Capacity
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2008
Habitat structural complexity metrics improve predictions of fish abundance and distribution
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-12-2018
DOI: 10.1111/ECOG.02580
The overlooked role of taphonomy in ecology: post-mortem processes can outweigh recruitment effects on community functions
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-01-2020
DOI: 10.1111/OIK.06780
Abstract: Biogenic structures that persist post‐mortem are ubiquitous, but rarely considered as key ecological features. Post‐mortem structures in many ecological systems exert community‐level effects and thus the dynamics of their degradation (i.e. taphonomy) become important in affecting community functions and ecosystem services, and these often‐overlooked effects may rival the influence of recruitment and typical post‐recruitment processes. Moreover, in some highly researched habitat types, post‐mortem structures may be mistaken for living organisms, thus introducing significant error into our understanding of population processes. We examined widespread patterns and processes in marine assemblages with calcareous tubeworms and brackish‐water assemblages with bryozoans, in order to test the importance of taphonomy for populations and communities. In tubeworm assemblages, taphonomic variability caused differential accumulation of post‐mortem structures, exerting community‐level influence, and importantly it negated effects from recruitment on the community functions. For tubeworms and bryozoans, proportions of post‐mortem structures varied between sheltered and exposed habitats with overall distributional variability being caused by the share of post‐mortem structures, not living animals. Population‐level inferences in such systems would be extremely problematic without careful differentiation of dead/living structures. Dynamics emerging from the interaction of taphonomic processes and recruitment ecology are relevant for many other important biogenic habitats, especially coral reefs with death assemblages of bleached corals a failure to consider variability in processes acting on the death assemblages, alongside the living, may severely distort understanding of patterns and processes in populations and communities.
3D photogrammetry quantifies growth and external erosion of individual coral colonies and skeletons
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-017-16408-Z
Abstract: Growth and contraction of ecosystem engineers, such as trees, influence ecosystem structure and function. On coral reefs, methods to measure small changes in the structure of microhabitats, driven by growth of coral colonies and contraction of skeletons, are extremely limited. We used 3D reconstructions to quantify changes in the external structure of coral colonies of tabular Acropora spp., the dominant habitat-forming corals in shallow exposed reefs across the Pacific. The volume and surface area of live colonies increased by 21% and 22%, respectively, in 12 months, corresponding to a mean annual linear extension of 5.62 cm yr −1 (±1.81 SE). The volume and surface area of dead skeletons decreased by 52% and 47%, respectively, corresponding to a mean decline in linear extension of −29.56 cm yr −1 (±7.08 SE), which accounted for both erosion and fragmentation of dead colonies. This is the first study to use 3D photogrammetry to assess fine-scale structural changes of entire in idual colonies in situ , quantifying coral growth and contraction. The high-resolution of the technique allows for detection of changes on reef structure faster than other non-intrusive approaches. These results improve our capacity to measure the drivers underpinning ecosystem bio ersity, status and trajectory.
High-resolution photo-mosaic time-series imagery for monitoring human use of an artificial reef
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-09-2016
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.2342
The role of microbial biofilms in range shifts of marine habitat-forming organisms
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
Plasticity in Three-Dimensional Geometry of Branching Corals Along a Cross-Shelf Gradient
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-03-2019
DOI: 10.3390/D11030044
Abstract: Scleractinian corals often exhibit high levels of morphological plasticity, which is potentially important in enabling in idual species to occupy benthic spaces across a wide range of environmental gradients. This study tested for differences in the three-dimensional (3D) geometry of three branching corals, Acropora nasuta, Pocillopora spp. and Stylophora pistillata among inner-, mid- and outer-shelf reefs in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Important attributes of coral morphology (e.g., surface area to volume ratio) were expected to vary linearly across the shelf in accordance with marked gradients in environmental conditions, but instead, we detected non-linear trends in the colony structure of A. nasuta and Pocillopora spp. The surface area to volume ratio of both A. nasuta and Pocillopora spp. was highest at mid-shelf locations, (reflecting higher colony complexity) and was significantly lower at both inner-shelf and outer-shelf reefs. The branching structure of these corals was also far more tightly packed at inner-shelf and outer-shelf reefs, compared to mid-shelf reefs. Apparent declines in complexity and inter-branch spacing at inner and outer-shelf reefs (compared to conspecifics from mid-shelf reefs) may reflect changes driven by gradients of sedimentation and hydrodynamics. The generality and explanations of observed patterns warrant further investigation, which is very feasible using the 3D-photogrammetry techniques used in this study.
Larval traits show temporally consistent constraints, but are decoupled from postsettlement juvenile growth, in an intertidal fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-06-2018
Abstract: Complex life cycles may evolve to dissociate distinct developmental phases in an organism's lifetime. However, genetic or environmental factors may restrict trait independence across life stages, constraining ontogenetic trajectories. Quantifying covariance across life stages and their temporal variability is fundamental in understanding life-history phenotypes and potential distributions and consequences for selection. We studied developmental constraints in an intertidal fish (Bathygobius cocosensis: Gobiidae) with a discrete pelagic larval phase and benthic juvenile phase. We tested whether traits occurring earlier in life affected those expressed later, and whether larval traits were decoupled from postsettlement juvenile traits. S ling distinct cohorts from three annual breeding seasons afforded tests of temporally variability in trait covariance. From otoliths (fish ear stones), we measured hatch size, larval duration, pelagic growth (larval traits) and early postsettlement growth (juvenile trait) in 124 juvenile B. cocoensis. We used path analyses to model trait relationships with respect to their chronological expression, comparing models among seasons. We also modelled the effect of season and hatch date on each in idual trait to quantify their inherent variability. Our path analyses demonstrated a decoupling of larval traits on juvenile growth. Within the larval phase, longer larval durations resulted in greater pelagic growth, and larger size-at-settlement. There was also evidence that larger hatch size might reduce larval durations, but this effect was only marginally significant. Although pelagic and postsettlement growth were decoupled, pelagic growth had postsettlement consequences: in iduals with high pelagic growth were among the largest fish at settlement, and remained among the largest early postsettlement. We observed no evidence that trait relationships varied among breeding seasons, but larval duration differed among breeding seasons, and was shorter for larvae hatching later within each season. Overall, we demonstrate mixed support for the expectation that traits in different life stages are independent. While postsettlement growth was decoupled from larval traits, pelagic development had consequences for the size of newly settled juveniles. Temporal consistency in trait covariances implies that genetic and/or environmental factors influencing them were stable over our three-year study. Our work highlights the importance of in idual developmental experiences and temporal variability in understanding population distributions of life-history traits.
Cyclonic entrainment? The ichthyoplankton attributes of three major water mass types generated by the separation of the East Australian Current
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-04-2014
Abstract: The relationship between larval fish assemblages and coastal oceanography is the basis for much of our understanding of connectivity and productivity of fish populations. Larval fish assemblages were s led from the upper mixed layer ( m depth) at three prominent circulation features [separation of the East Australian Current (EAC), anticyclonic eddy, and cyclonic eddy] off the southeast Australian coast across three bathymetric zones (shelf, slope and ocean) for each feature. The separation of the EAC from the coast at ∼32°S was characterized by warmer, less saline water compared with the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies further to the south (∼34 and ∼35°S, respectively), which were both characterized by cooler Tasman Sea water and greater fluorescence. The anticyclonic eddy had separated from the EAC three months prior to s ling, which facilitated the movement of a cyclonic eddy from the Tasman Sea westwards to the shelf at ∼34°S. The larval assemblage in the EAC had high numbers of fish of the families Labridae and Stomiidae. The cyclonic eddy was characterized by larval clupeids, carangids, scombrids and bothids, indicating recent entrainment of shelf waters and proximity to major spawning regions. In contrast, the anticyclonic eddy had fewer larval fish, with little evidence for entrainment of shelf assemblages into the near-surface waters. Myctophids were found in high abundance across all oceanographic features and bathymetric zones. The evidence of selective entrainment of coastal larval fish into the near-surface waters of a cyclonic eddy compared with a similar anticyclonic eddy indicates a potential offshore nursery ground.
Scalable synthesis of an architectural library of well‐defined poly(acrylic acid) derivatives: Role of structure on dispersant performance
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-01-2019
DOI: 10.1002/POLA.29316
Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1038/NATURE21707
Abstract: During 2015-2016, record temperatures triggered a pan-tropical episode of coral bleaching, the third global-scale event since mass bleaching was first documented in the 1980s. Here we examine how and why the severity of recurrent major bleaching events has varied at multiple scales, using aerial and underwater surveys of Australian reefs combined with satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. The distinctive geographic footprints of recurrent bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 were determined by the spatial pattern of sea temperatures in each year. Water quality and fishing pressure had minimal effect on the unprecedented bleaching in 2016, suggesting that local protection of reefs affords little or no resistance to extreme heat. Similarly, past exposure to bleaching in 1998 and 2002 did not lessen the severity of bleaching in 2016. Consequently, immediate global action to curb future warming is essential to secure a future for coral reefs.
Corrigendum to “Increasing microhabitat complexity on seawalls can reduce fish predation on native oysters” [Ecol. Eng. 120 (2018) 637–644](S0925857417302938)(10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.05.030)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
Modelling urban populations of the Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) to inform management
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-07-2013
Upgrades of coastal protective infrastructure affect benthic communities
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-08-2021
Abstract: Sea‐level rise, storm surges, ageing and wear are forcing upgrades to breakwaters and sea walls to protect coastal areas from erosion and inundation. Such upgrades involve the introduction of new material which may consequently act as an ecological disturbance that can alter established marine communities and ecosystem function. Mitigating ecological impacts requires an understanding of how species assemblages are affected by such works. Here, we use the major upgrade of a regularly wave‐overtopped breakwater as a case study to evaluate the impacts of upgrades to hard coastal protective infrastructure on benthic rocky reef communities. An asymmetrical Before‐After Control‐Impact (BACI) experimental design was used to test interactive effects of the infrastructure upgrades on benthic communities. While benthic assemblages were not significantly different from controls prior to the upgrade, improving the defensive capacity of the breakwater significantly changed community structure. Notably, most taxonomic groups showed higher cover at the control sites than at the impacted site post‐upgrade, with articulated calcareous algae (e.g. Corallina officinalis and Amphiroa anceps ) showing an opposite trend. Synthesis and applications . Ecological implications and structural limitations make regular upgrading of existing infrastructure unsuitable as a long‐term management strategy. More sustainable alternatives need to be considered, such as decommissioning of structures and retreat from flood‐prone areas. This transition, however, will take time and requires a change of mindset and policies. Where upgrades are urgent, eco‐engineering techniques can mitigate impacts to habitats and associated taxa.
Co-benefits not trade-offs associated with heat tolerance in a reef building coral
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 24-10-2022
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-1973987/V1
Abstract: As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will likely be under strong selection. Yet trade-offs between heat tolerance and other life history traits could compromise natural adaptation or restorative assisted evolution. This is particularly important for ecosystem engineers, such as reef-building corals, which support bio ersity yet are vulnerable to heatwave-induced mass bleaching and mortality. Here, we exposed 70 colonies of the reef-building coral Acropora digitifera to a long-term marine heatwave emulation experiment. We tested for trade-offs between heat tolerance and three traits – colony growth (3D photogrammetry models), fecundity (oocyte counts), and symbiont community composition (ITS2 sequencing). Despite observing remarkable within-population variability in heat tolerance, all coral colonies were dominated by Cladocopium C40 symbionts. We found no evidence for trade-offs between heat tolerance and fecundity or growth. Contrary to expectations, positive associations emerged with growth, such that faster-growing colonies tended to bleach and die at higher levels of heat stress. Collectively, our results suggest that these corals exist on an energetic continuum where some in iduals have co-benefits across multiple traits. Within populations, trade-offs between heat tolerance and either growth or fecundity may not be major barriers to natural adaptation or the success of restorative assisted evolution interventions.
Small-scale demographic variability of the biocolor damselfish, Stegastes partitus, in the Florida Keys USA
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-01-2008
Quantifying the response of structural complexity and community composition to environmental change in marine communities
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-02-2016
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.13197
Abstract: Habitat structural complexity is a key factor shaping marine communities. However, accurate methods for quantifying structural complexity underwater are currently lacking. Loss of structural complexity is linked to ecosystem declines in bio ersity and resilience. We developed new methods using underwater stereo-imagery spanning 4 years (2010-2013) to reconstruct 3D models of coral reef areas and quantified both structural complexity at two spatial resolutions (2.5 and 25 cm) and benthic community composition to characterize changes after an unprecedented thermal anomaly on the west coast of Australia in 2011. Structural complexity increased at both resolutions in quadrats (4 m(2)) that bleached, but not those that did not bleach. Changes in complexity were driven by species-specific responses to warming, highlighting the importance of identifying small-scale dynamics to disentangle ecological responses to disturbance. We demonstrate an effective, repeatable method for quantifying the relationship among community composition, structural complexity and ocean warming, improving predictions of the response of marine ecosystems to environmental change.
Understanding interactions between plasticity, adaptation and range shifts in response to marine environmental change
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 28-01-2019
Abstract: Climate change is leading to shifts in species geographical distributions, but populations are also probably adapting to environmental change at different rates across their range. Owing to a lack of natural and empirical data on the influence of phenotypic adaptation on range shifts of marine species, we provide a general conceptual model for understanding population responses to climate change that incorporates plasticity and adaptation to environmental change in marine ecosystems. We use this conceptual model to help inform where within the geographical range each mechanism will probably operate most strongly and explore the supporting evidence in species. We then expand the discussion from a single-species perspective to community-level responses and use the conceptual model to visualize and guide research into the important yet poorly understood processes of plasticity and adaptation. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The role of plasticity in phenotypic adaptation to rapid environmental change’.
A review of the biology and ecology of key fishes targeted by coastal fisheries in south-east Australia: identifying critical knowledge gaps required to improve spatial management
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-03-2013
Increasing microhabitat complexity on seawalls can reduce fish predation on native oysters
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2018
The Impact of United States Recreational Fisheries on Marine Fish Populations
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 24-09-2004
Abstract: We evaluated the commercial and recreational fishery landings over the past 22 years, first at the national level, then for populations of concern (those that are overfished or experiencing overfishing), and finally by region. Recreational landings in 2002 account for 4% of total marine fish landed in the United States. With large industrial fisheries excluded (e.g., menhaden and pollock), the recreational component rises to 10%. Among populations of concern, recreational landings in 2002 account for 23% of the total nationwide, rising to 38% in the South Atlantic and 64% in the Gulf of Mexico. Moreover, it affects many of the most-valued overfished species—including red drum, bocaccio, and red snapper—all of which are taken primarily in the recreational fishery.
Key drivers of effectiveness in small marine protected areas
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-03-2018
Size and stage-dependent vertical migration patterns in reef-associated fish larvae off the eastern coast of Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
Risk balancing through selective use of social and physical information: a case study in the humbug damselfish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-03-2019
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12669
Variation in the density and body size of a threatened foundation species across multi‐spatial scales
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-05-2022
DOI: 10.1111/REC.13670
Abstract: Population characteristics (e.g. density and body sizes) of foundation species can affect their own persistence and provisioning of ecosystem functions. Understanding the drivers of population characteristics of foundation species at multiple spatial scales is therefore critical for maximizing ecosystem functions of restored habitats. We analyzed variation in population characteristics (densities, 95th percentile, and median lengths of live oysters) of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata , on remnant oyster reefs at regional scales (among three estuaries) along an approximately 250 km of coastline in New South Wales, Australia. We then analyzed how population characteristics were further related to spatial attributes at smaller spatial scales including within‐patches (rugosity, distance to patch‐edge, and elevation), whole‐patches (size and shape), and among‐patch (connectivity) within each estuary. The densities and body sizes of S. glomerata were related to spatial attributes occurring within‐patch (e.g. elevation), whole‐patch (e.g. shape), and landscape (i.e. connectivity) scales, but these relationships varied among estuaries. The greatest variation in oyster density and size occurred at regional scales, suggesting that processes acting at larger spatial scales (e.g. water quality and/or climate) set the context for smaller scale influences on oyster characteristics. Our results highlight the potential importance of incorporating site‐specific, spatial attributes in the design of restored oyster reefs to maximize ecosystem services and functions provided by restoration efforts.
Integrating distribution models and habitat classification maps into marine protected area planning
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
Occurrence of tropical fishes in temperate southeastern Australia: Role of the East Australian Current
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2007
Optimising Sampling Strategies in Coral Reefs Using Large-Area Mosaics
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 05-12-2019
DOI: 10.3390/RS11242907
Abstract: Adequately s ling benthic cover in marine ecosystems is a challenge with most methods encompassing only a small portion of the area for which cover is estimated. Recent advances in photogrammetric techniques are providing opportunity to map expansive areas of reef. This study aimed to evaluate the adequate level of s ling for traditional quadrat-based designs at ecologically relevant scales. We used large-area (~250 m2), high-resolution (0.911 ± 0.143 mm ixel) mosaics to assess the precision and reproducibility of quadrat-based benthic s ling and identify the most efficient strategy (size and number of quadrats). There was a strong relationship between the percent cover of benthic classes and the level of s ling effort required to adequately s le them. As expected, larger quadrats were found to be more efficient when s ling effort was expressed in number of quadrats. This study aims to identify the optimal level of s ling (least effort that would result in a given target precision) to characterize coral reef benthic communities (whatever they are) within each site. As such, the sites selected were intentionally very different and together represented the broad scale of heterogeneity found in shallow coral reef communities. Abundance data can be used in combination with the relationships presented here to determine the optimal s ling protocols for management approaches to coral reef monitoring.
Characterization of measurement errors using structure-from-motion and photogrammetry to measure marine habitat structural complexity
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-06-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.3127
Related Organisations
University Of California, San Diego
Location: United States of America
Related Funding Activities
Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP110200825
Start Date: 11-2011
End Date: 12-2018
Amount: $98,166.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivitySuper Science Fellowships - Grant ID: FS100100043
Start Date: 11-2010
End Date: 12-2013
Amount: $278,400.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP120100228
Start Date: 08-2012
End Date: 07-2017
Amount: $217,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100083
Start Date: 04-2020
End Date: 12-2022
Amount: $310,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP180100732
Start Date: 03-2020
End Date: 09-2023
Amount: $330,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity