Amelia Desbiens
PhD Candidate
University of Queensland
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
PhD Candidate
University of Queensland
Amelia completed a Bachelor of Advanced Science (Hons Class I) at the University of Queensland in 2019. Her Honours research, under the supervision of Prof. Pete Mumby at the MSEL lab, focused on the development of a structural equation model to tested hypotheses concerning shark-driven trophic cascading. She has subsequently worked as a research assistant at the Australian Rivers Institute of Griffith University and The Nature Conservancy, exploring management practices of tuna fisheries and hawksbill turtle conservation in countries of the Western Pacific.
In 2020, Amelia began her PhD working on the ecology of the pervasive crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS). Her thesis will feature both empirical studies on the interactions of juvenile CoTS with invertebrate cryptofauna in rubble habitats as well as broader-scale modelling of population dynamics and outbreak initiation mechanisms. In tandem with this experimental work, she is an ongoing contributor to a project led by Dr. Kennedy Wolfe on the role of cryptic invertebrates and invertivores in reef trophodynamics. This work began with the design and subsequent deployment of RUbble Biodiversity Samplers (RUBS) in Palau in 2019 and has now been expanded to incorporate GBR sites.
Amelia is passionate about the application of statistical methods to ecological problems in marine systems and has specific interests in trophic interactions, food web ecology and ecosystem modelling. She hopes to continue exploring these interests throughout her candidature and ongoing collaborations.
James Cook University researchers have found brightly coloured fish are becoming increasingly rare as coral declines, with the phenomenon likely to get worse in the future. Christopher Hemingson, a
Researchers working with stakeholders in the Great Barrier Reef region have come up with ideas on how groups responsible for looking after the reef can operate more effectively when the next bleaching
A new study has delivered a stark warning about the impacts of urban growth on the world’s coral reefs. As coastal developments expand at pace around the world, a year-long study of coral on a reef
Alarming new research shows global warming of 1.5°C relative to pre-industrial levels will be catastrophic for almost all coral reefs – including those once thought of as refuges. Associate Profes
Abstract: Evolution of many eukaryotic organisms is affected by interactions with microbes. Microbial symbioses can ultimately reflect host’s diet, habitat range, and even body shape. However, how
Abstract: The past few years have seen unprecedented coral bleaching and mortality on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) but the consequences of this on biodiversity are not yet known. This talk will expl
Abstract: Molecular approaches have revolutionised our understanding of the systematics and evolution of most branches on the tree of life, including corals. Over the last twenty-five years molecula
Abstract: Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) are a major driver of coral decline across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and compound upon the impacts of increasingly frequent and severe coral
Abstract: Being a new staff member at JCU, I will start with a short overview of my research. Next I will zoom in on a specific topic that I have been interested in for a long time: the impact of e
Abstract: The harsh truth is that, despite exciting innovations and increases in activity, ocean conservation is not succeeding, at least not fast enough. This is my conclusion from the last decad
This talk is the last of the parachute science seminar series organized by the ARC CoE Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) committee. Abstract Universities and institutions across th
This talk is the second of three on parachute science being organized by the ARC CoE Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) committee. Abstract For millenia, Traditional Owners have hel
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