ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5385-5473
Current Organisations
NSW Department of Primary Industries
,
University of New South Wales
,
University of Wollongong
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Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2019.05.020
Abstract: What drives the evolution of sociality in animals? Many robust studies in terrestrial organisms have pointed toward various kinship-based, ecological and life-history traits or phylogenetic constraint which have played a role in the evolution of sociality. These traits are not mutually exclusive and the exact combination of traits is likely taxon-specific. Phylogenetic comparative analyses have been instrumental in identifying social lineages and comparing various traits with non-social lineages to give broad evolutionary perspectives on the development of sociality. Few studies have attempted this approach in marine vertebrate systems. Social marine fishes are particularly interesting because many have a pelagic larval phase and non-conventional life-history strategies (e.g. bi-directional sex-change) not often observed in terrestrial animals. Such strategies provide novel insights into terrestrially-derived theories of social evolution. Here, we assess the strength of the phylogenetic signal of sociality in the Gobiodon genus with Pagel's lambda and Blomberg's K parameters. We found some evidence of a phylogenetic signal of sociality, but factors other than phylogenetic constraint also have a strong influence on the extant social state of each species. We then use phylogenetic generalized least squares analyses to examine several ecological and life-history traits that may have influenced the evolution of sociality in the genus. We found an interaction of habitat size and fish length was the strongest predictor of sociality. Sociality in larger species was more dependent on coral size than in smaller species, but smaller species were more social overall, regardless of coral size. Finally, we comment on findings regarding the validity of the species G. spilophthalmus which arose during the course of our research. These findings in a group of marine fishes add a unique perspective on the evolution of sociality to the excellent terrestrial work conducted in this field.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 31-08-2017
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 05-09-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 03-06-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.06.01.494455
Abstract: Mutualisms are prevalent in many ecosystems, yet little is known about how symbioses are affected by multiple disturbances. Here we show delayed recovery for 13 coral-dwelling goby fishes (genus Gobiodon ) compared with their host Acropora corals following 4 consecutive cyclones and heatwaves. While corals became twice as abundant 3 years post-disturbances, their symbiotic gobies were only half as abundant relative to pre-disturbances and half of the goby species disappeared. Although goby species preferred particular coral species, surviving goby species shifted hosts to newly abundant coral species when their preferred hosts became rare. As host specialization is key for goby fitness, shifting hosts may have negative fitness consequences for gobies and corals alike and affect their survival in response to environmental changes. Our study demonstrates that mutualist partners do not respond identically to multiple disturbances, and that goby host plasticity, while potentially detrimental, may be the only possibility for early recovery.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 14-01-2021
DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.13.426488
Abstract: With the onset and increasing frequency of multiple disturbances, the recovery potential of critical ecosystem-building species and their mutual symbionts is threatened. Similar effects to both hosts and their symbionts following disturbances have been assumed. However, we report unequal declines between hosts and symbionts throughout multiple climate-driven disturbances in reef-building Acropora corals and cryptobenthic coral-dwelling Gobiodon gobies. Communities were surveyed before and after consecutive cyclones (2014, 2015) and heatwaves (2016, 2017). After cyclones, coral size and goby group size decreased similarly by 28-30%. After heatwave-induced bleaching, coral size decreased substantially (47%) and the few gobies recorded mostly inhabited corals singly. Despite several coral species still occurring after bleaching, all goby species declined, leaving 78% of corals uninhabited. These findings suggest that gobies, which are important mutual symbionts for corals, are unable to cope with consecutive disturbances. This disproportionate decline could lead to ecosystem-level disruptions through loss of key symbiotic services to corals.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 14-12-2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-10-2020
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-020-74270-Y
Abstract: Conflict between humans and large predators is a longstanding challenge that can present negative consequences for humans and wildlife. Sharks have a global distribution and are considered to pose a potential threat to humans concurrently many shark species are themselves threatened. Developing strategies for coexistence between humans and this keystone group is imperative. We assess blimp surveillance as a technique to simply and effectively reduce shark encounters at ocean beaches and determine the social acceptance of this technique as compared to an established mitigation strategy—shark meshing. We demonstrate the suitability of blimps for risk mitigation, with detection probabilities of shark analogues by professional lifeguards of 0.93 in ideal swimming conditions. Social surveys indicate strong social acceptance of blimps and preference for non-lethal shark mitigation. We show that continuous aerial surveillance can provide a measurable reduction in risk from sharks, improving beach safety and facilitating coexistence between people and wildlife.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-07-2017
Location: Australia
No related grants have been discovered for Martin Hing.