Researchers
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ManagementRachel Spinks
PhD candidate
James Cook University
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
Rachel’s interest in the marine realm began in her youth, privately breeding rare fishes and working in the ornamental aquarium industry. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Marine Science at Macquarie University, whilst working as an environmental educator in Sydney, Australia. Rachel undertook a Master of Science in evolutionary biology at the University of Basel in Switzerland, where she studied the adaptive radiation of cichlid fishes in the African Great Lakes. After her research at Lake Tanganyika, she worked in South Africa as a scuba diver and then for an international NGO as a marine ecologist. Rachel came to James Cook University to embark on a PhD at the Centre of Excellence, studying the ability of reef fishes to adjust via phenotypic plasticity to ocean warming within and across generations.
Evolutionary potential of reef fishes to ocean warming.
Prof. Philip Munday and Dr. Jennifer Donnelson
Spinks, R.K., Munday, P.L. & Donelson, J.M. (2019). Developmental effects of heatwave conditions on the early life stages of a coral reef fish. ,
Spinks, R.K., Muschick, M., Salzburger, W. & Gante, H.F. (2017). Singing above the chorus: cooperative Princess cichlid fish (Neolamprologus pulcher) has high pitch. Hydrobiologia, 791, 115–125. DOI:10.1007/s10750-016-2921-5
The most extensive reef survey of the Coral Sea Marine Park ever undertaken will continue this week as scientists from ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University (Coral C
Scientists have used modern genetic techniques to prove age-old assumptions about what sizes of fish to leave in the sea to preserve the future of local fisheries. “We’ve known for decades that
Scientists say outdated assumptions around gender continue to hinder effective and fair policymaking and action for climate mitigation and adaptation. Lead author of a new study, Dr Jacqueline Lau
For the first time, scientists have assessed how many corals there are in the Pacific Ocean—and evaluated their risk of extinction. While the answer to “how many coral species are there?” is
Abstract: The fate of fish larvae during the pelagic phase has profound effects on replenishment of marine populations that are critical for human and ecosystem health. The survival and transport of l
Abstract: Neonate sharks experience high predation during early ontogeny. For this reason, predator avoidance is the major driver of shallow-water habitat use in neonate sharks. When a predator encoun
Abstract: Humans have been harvesting predators and other creatures from the global oceans for millennia. More recently, conservation measures, such as marine reserves, have been established to restor
Abstract: The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (WHA) is one of the most precious and diverse ecosystems on Earth. It is highly valued by people within Australia and worldwide and is critical to
Abstract: We frequently hear about demise and decline in fisheries systems. This narrative can inadvertently shift thefocus of research and funding away from the opportunities and benefits avail
Abstract: Multiple habitats in a tropical seascape are increasingly recognized as interconnected to one another. Mangroves, seagrass beds, and macroaglal beds are important components of a tropical se
Abstract: Current conservation goals for reef-building corals under climate change involve boosting desirable traits like heat tolerance and fast growth in natural and restored coral populations. This
Abstract: Coral reefs are threatened by local and global stressors, and critical to managing corals for persistence is understanding the components of how coral populations resist and recover from st
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