Researchers
Students
Alumni
ManagementScott Morrissey
PhD Candidate
BSc. with Honours, James Cook University (2018)
The Reef and Ocean Ecology Laboratory
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
PhD Candidate
BSc. with Honours, James Cook University (2018)
The Reef and Ocean Ecology Laboratory
James Cook University
Bio:
Scott grew up in Bowen, North Queensland, home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia. Growing up in such a location resulted in his fascination with the ocean and its inhabitants. He completed his Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Biology at James Cook University in 2017 and then joined the Reef and Ocean Ecology laboratory in 2018 to undertake an honours project under the supervision of Professor Michael Kingsford. Scott examined the utility of statolith elemental chemistry as a means to reconstruct and elucidate the movements of cubozoan jellyfish and gained a first-class Honours through doing so. Scott then began his PhD in 2020, under the supervision of Professor Michael Kingsford and Professor Dean Jerry. Scott’s PhD research will involve using environmental DNA (eDNA) to locate previously unknown habitats occupied by the benthic polyps of cubozoan jellyfish and investigate the polyp phase of the jellyfish’s life history.
Publications:
Kingsford, M. J., Schlaefer, J. A., & Morrissey, S. J. (2021). Population Structures and Levels of Connectivity for Scyphozoan and Cubozoan Jellyfish. Diversity, 13(4), 174.
Morrissey, S. J., Yanagihara, A.A. & Kingsford, M.J. (2020). Utility of statolith elemental chemistry as a proxy for temperature to elucidate the movements of the Irukandji jellyfish species Alatina alata. Marine Biology, 167, 134.
Morrissey, S. J., Schlaefer, J. A., & Kingsford, M. J. (2020). Experimental validation of the relationships between cubozoan statolith elemental chemistry and salinity and temperature. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 527, 151375.
Awards and Grants:
Australian LIONS Foundation Research Grant 2020
Australian Postgraduate Award, James Cook University 2020
Academic Medal (Bachelor Coursework) 2018
Personal Profiles:
A new study suggests corals may be able to cope with climate change in the coming decades better than previously thought—but will still struggle with ever-faster rates of climate change. Lead aut
A new study raises questions on whether current conservation science and policy for protected areas could be saving more biodiversity—with political and economic expediency often having taken prece
A new study reveals the strategies that stop bandits from illegally fishing in Australian waters—but warns there is a cost to the region’s poorer countries. Co-author Dr Brock Bergseth, from th
Five world-renowned scientists have signed a letter to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay to "thank UNESCO for its leadership in recognising the threat of climate change to the Great Barrier Reef
Abstract: The coral reefs of Western Australia (WA) are morphologically diverse, with high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Carbonate forming reefs occur along 20o of latitude, and more than
Abstract: Rainforests are much more than exotic and wondrous fauna and flora, they are the ancestral domain of Indigenous Peoples who have safeguarded them since time immemorial. Learn about this thr
Abstract: Ecological conditions on coral reefs are shifting. Fishes are an integral part of these restructuring ecosystems and can support ecological stability. However, the extent to which fishes wi
Abstract: This presentation reports on a journal paper being drafted that has been around 10 years in the making. I set out a long time ago to settle the arguments around protected areas being residu
Abstract: Contemporary global changes have put the capacity of future reefs to continue providing fish and fisheries production in jeopardy. Understanding future trends will require innovative and ac
Abstract: No-take marine reserves are a cornerstone of marine ecosystem management in Australia, though they are rarely considered as an effective fisheries management strategy. Yet, by accumulating
Abstract: There are increasing calls to deliver effective, equitable marine conservation – particularly in places where coastal communities are dependent on their natural resources for a range of be
Abstract: Harvesting models are based upon the ideology that removing large, old individuals provides space for young, fast-growing counterparts that can maximize (fisheries) yields while maintaining
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