Shoal-mates soothe stressed fish
Coral reef fish get stressed and lose weight if they are separated from each other, according to new research about the Great Barrier Reef. For the first time, researchers from the ARC Centre of Ex
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au
Abstract: Recognition of the range of anthropogenic stressors presently affecting marine fisheries and the failure of many management strategies has led to a shift towards an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM). Effective application of this holistic, place-based approach requires knowledge of ecologically appropriate spatial scales for management; however, these are often poorly understood for important fisheries species on coral reef fishes, such as groupers. Many species of grouper form transient spawning aggregations, where tens to thousands of individuals converge for the purpose of reproduction. This study will address major knowledge gaps currently impeding the effective implementation of EAFM on species that aggregate to spawn by quantifying juvenile habitat requirements, delineating catchment areas (i.e. the total area from which all individuals are drawn to an aggregation), and directly measuring larval dispersal patterns for two threatened species of grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus and E. polyphekadion. Additionally, this study will, for the first time, compare this full suite of ecologically appropriate spatial scales for management with the spatial scales of existing customary marine tenure systems, thereby directly evaluating their suitability as frameworks for implementing an EAFM.
Biography: Since completing his Bachelor of Marine Studies (Hons) at the University of Queensland in 2009, Peter has endeavoured to spend as much time as possible in the water. He is currently undertaking a PhD at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, under the supervision of Dr Glenn Almany, Dr Joshua Cinner, Dr Richard Hamilton and Prof. John Pandolfi, striving to better understand key ecological processes of fishes which aggregate to spawn, and their implications for management.
Coral reef fish get stressed and lose weight if they are separated from each other, according to new research about the Great Barrier Reef. For the first time, researchers from the ARC Centre of Ex
Scientist Jennifer Donelson has been awarded one of Queensland's most prestigious science prizes - the Queensland Young Tall Poppy award - for researching the impact of climate change on marine fish.
Underneath the waves of Palikir Pass, one of the world’s top surf breaks in the Pacific Ocean, lies a new safe zone which aims to ensure the survival of local fisheries and the species that are
Scientists say good bacteria could be the key to keeping coral healthy, able to withstand the impacts of global warming, and securing the long-term survival of reefs worldwide. “Healthy corals in
Abstract: Biodiversity plays a critical role in the resilience of natural systems. Although there is a directed effort towards understanding current threats to biodiversity (e.g. climate change), very
Abstract: To have the greatest impact in marine conservation we must minimise threats to marine biodiversity. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are one of the mostly widely used tools to do this. However,
Abstract: Environmental managers face difficult decisions when it comes to investing in conservation management. With insufficient staff and funds to deal with all management problems, where should th
Abstract: Interaction of tidal flow with a complex topography and bathymetry including headlands, islands, coral reefs and shoals create a rich submesoscale field of tidal jets, vortices, unsteady
Abstract: Habitats are degrading worldwide and such change leads to a major loss of biodiversity. This talk will summaries our recent research that explores how the degradation of coral reefs affects
Abstract: Flood management is governed by complex social, economic, and environmental factors. However conventional flood management often ignores this complexity. Conventional approaches have focuse
Abstract: The thermal conditions in which coral reefs live are governed by ocean and atmospheric processes that occur over a vast range of scales, ranging from large-scale processes at the scale of
Abstract: This project seeks to understand where, why and with what social-ecological consequences international conflicts over shared fish stocks occur. The project merges global-scale database an
Partner Research Institutions
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au