Dr Glenn Almany
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Research Interests
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Research Interests
Although I am broadly interested in terrestrial and aquatic animal ecology, my research focus is the ecology of marine fishes. Previous work has addressed a wide range of topics including fisheries management, taxonomy, biogeography, behavioral ecology, and community ecology. Unfortunately, I have watched the decline in health of coral reefs at many of the places I have worked over the last decade and have, as a result, grown particularly interested in tackling research topics that can make a direct contribution to addressing this growing problem.
Most marine organisms have a two-phase lifecycle that includes a planktonic larval stage. Dispersal of the larval stage is the primary way in which new habitats are colonized, genes are exchanged, and populations and communities are connected and replenished – all of which are critical for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Despite its importance, we know almost nothing about larval dispersal – where and how far larvae go – although understanding dispersal is one of the keys to successful management and conservation. In collaboration with Drs. Geoffrey Jones and Garry Russ (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies) and Dr. Simon Thorrold (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), I am using a new technique to tag fish larvae prior to dispersal. After tagged larvae have dispersed and settled from the
plankton to benthic habitats, they can be collected and analyzed for the tag, which allows us to quantify larval dispersal. Such information will be used to better manage declining fish stocks and design networks of marine protected areas for biodiversity conservation. This work is taking place in Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef.
In addition, I am continuing investigations that seek to understand how interactions between species (e.g., predation, competition) influence the number of species and the number of individuals of each species in a community. My previous research on this topic suggests that interactions between individuals already living in the community (residents) and newly-arrived larvae from the plankton (colonizers) can have dramatic impacts on community structure. Recent work has shown that, contrary to established theory, some species of small resident predators actively target the newly-arrived juveniles of rare species shortly after they settle from the plankton. Predators can quickly eliminate these species, which results in fewer species occupying communities where these predators are present. I hope to extend this work to address how the removal of larger predators via fishing affects the abundance and behavior of these small predators that exert such a strong impact on the community. This work is taking place primarily at research stations on the Great Barrier Reef.
Select Publications
[1] Almany, G, Peacock, L, Syms, C, McCormick, M and Jones, G (2007). Predators target rare prey in coral reef fish assemblages. Oecologia 152(4): 751-761.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[2] Almany, GR, Berumen, ML, Thorrold, SR, Planes, S and Jones, GP (2007). Local Replenishment of Coral Reef Fish Populations in a Marine Reserve. Science 316(5825): 742-744.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[3] Feary, D, Almany, G, McCormick, M and Jones, G (2007). Habitat choice, recruitment and the response of coral reef fishes to coral degradation. Oecologia.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[4] Feary, DA, Almany, GR, Jones, GP and McCormick, MI (2007). Coral degradation and the structure of tropical reef fish communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series 333: 243-248.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[5] Almany, G and Webster, M (2006). The predation gauntlet: early post-settlement mortality in reef fishes. Coral Reefs 25(1): 19-22.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[6] Cinner, J, Marnane, MJ, McClanahan, TR and Almany, GR (2006). Periodic closures as adaptive coral reef management in the Indo-Pacific. Ecology and Society 11(1): 31.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[7] Almany, GR (2004). Differential effects of habitat complexity, predators and competitors on abundance of juvenile and adult coral reef fishes. Oecologia 141(1): 105-113.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[8] Almany, GR (2004). Does increased habitat complexity reduce predation and competition in coral reef fish assemblages? Oikos 106(2): 275-284.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[9] Almany, GR (2004). Priority Effects In Coral Reef Fish Communities Of The Great Barrier Reef. Ecology 85(10): 2872–2880.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[10] Almany, GR and Webster, MS (2004). Odd species out as predators reduce diversity of coral-reef fishes. Ecology 85(11): 2933–2937.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[11] Almany, GR (2003). Priority Effects In Coral Reef Fish Communities. Ecology 84(7): 1920–1935.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[12] Harding, JA, Almany, GR, Houck, LD and Hixon, MA (2003). Experimental analysis of monogamy in the Caribbean cleaner goby, Gobiosoma evelynae. Animal Behaviour 65(5): 865-874.
Link to Full Text or pdf
[13] Webster, MS and Almany, GR (2002). Positive indirect effects in a coral reef fish community. Ecology Letters 5(4): 549-557.
Link to Full Text or pdf
