Researchers
Students
Alumni
ManagementMaria Del Mar Palacios
PhD graduate
BSc (Universidad del Valle, Colombia) • PhD (JCU)
James Cook University. AU
maria.palaciosotero@my.jcu.edu.au
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 graduate
BSc (Universidad del Valle, Colombia) • PhD (JCU)
James Cook University. AU
maria.palaciosotero@my.jcu.edu.au
Personal website: http://www.mariadelmar-palacios.com/
Profile @ Google Scholar
Maria grew up in Cali (Colombia) and completed her BSc in Biology at Universidad del Valle. Before graduating in 2010, she fell in love with coral reef fish while studying the structure and composition of fish communities from Gorgona and Malpelo Islands (Eastern tropical Pacific). Guided by professor Fernando Zapata and associated to the Coral Reef Ecology research group, Maria won a research grant to study the impacts of pufferfish corallivory on pocilloporid reefs and led numerous research projects describing the coral reefs of the Colombian Pacific Coast (funded by WWF and TNC). In 2013 she moved to Australia to begin her Phd at JCU under the supervision of Professor Mark McCormick. Her research focuses on interactions among reef fish mesopredators and how these can be modified by the fear responses to top predators and by intra/ interspecific guild dynamics
Controlling Mesopredators: importance of intraguild behavioural interactions in trophic cascades
Populations of large predators have been overfished and decimated from oceans worldwide. Loss of predation force (top down control) has triggered trophic cascades and phase shifts due to the explosion of small consumers that deplete resource prey species. Using a reef fish food web I will experimentally address how the effect of small predators on their resource prey can be modified by the fear response to top predators and by intra/ interspecific guild interactions. Understanding the behavioural interactions among predators and its impact on trophic cascades is indispensable to predict consequences of predator loss and design appropriate management policies on coral reefs
Principal supervisor: Prof Mark McComick
Research Articles:
Book Chapters:
Awards & grants:Grants:
Scholarships:
Other Awards:
Study: Small Fish comforted by big predators – The scientist
Less fish stress for youngsters when big barrier reef predators nearby– Fishens magazine
Baby fish are comforted by the presence of large marine predators– Phys.org
Stress relief on coral reef fish – 7 local news Townsville (skip to 6:03 for story)
Baby fish “less stressed” around large ocean predators – Brisbane times
Baby fish breathe easier around large predators- CoE for Coral Reef Studies & James Cook University
Controlling Mesopredators: importance of intraguild behavioural interactions in trophic cascades (2016) – ACRS newsletter
Fear tactics in fish – Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation
New research shows that conservation initiatives often spread like disease, which helps scientists and policymakers to better design successful programs that are more likely to be adopted.In a st
Millions of people across the globe are suffering from malnutrition despite some of the most nutritious fish species in the world being caught near their homes, according to new research published in
An internationally respected group of scientists is calling on world leaders to urgently accelerate efforts to tackle climate change.Almost every aspect of the environment and ecology is changing
Scientists say bolder actions to protect coral reefs from the effects of global warming will benefit all ecosystems, including those on land.In an article published in Nature today two researcher
Abstract: Because coastal fisheries have been a major provider of food and economic growth in modern human history, the inherent characteristics of fish populations have been studied by researchers f
Abstract Climate change is the fastest-growing global threat to the world's natural and cultural heritage. No systematic approach to assess climate vulnerability of protected areas and their communit
Abstract: This presentation will provide an updated prognosis of the overgrazing collapse of kelp beds driven by the range-extending sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) and outline antidotes cur
Abstract: Disturbances are fundamental to structuring many ecosystems, yet climate-driven alterations to disturbance regimes may prevent recovery in many biomes. Coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef
Abstract: Outbreaks of the corallivorous Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS; Acanthaster cf. solaris) have been responsible for 40% of the decline in coral cover on the GBR over the last 35 years. With
Abstract: Complex interdependencies between social and ecological dynamics underpin many important environmental problems. To account for these complex dynamics, over the past several years my collea
Abstract: Coral reef restoration is gaining momentum globally in response to the threat of climate change and associated coral bleaching. In Australia, as part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptatio
Abstract:Developing global environmental policies, and implementing these at a local level has proven extremely challenging. I will present research using ethnographic techniques and multi-level
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