College of Science & Engineering

Sophia Love

Sophia Love

Romain Vaucher

Romain Vaucher

Jenny Fisher

Jenny Fisher

Ambili Narayanan

Ambili Narayanan

Sarfaraz Ali

Sarfaraz Ali

Mikaeylah Davidson

Mikaeylah Davidson

Liuxin Chen

Liuxin Chen

Rafael Cabral Carvalho

Rafael Cabral Carvalho

Tom Lloyd

Tom Lloyd

Mohamadreza Chalak Qazani

Mohamadreza Chalak Qazani

TERN FNQ OzFlux
Michael Liddell
01 Jul 2011 - 30 Jun 2028
TERN FNQ OzFlux sites are funded by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network. TERN EP Robson Creek site - Rainforest in the Lamb Range on the Atherton Tablelands. TERN EP Cow Bay site - Daintree Rainforest.
AIMS@JCU Pilot Research Funding
Peter Doll
Research Masters student Karl Jensen on feeding selectivity in herbivorous juvenile CoTS
David Yellowlees Excellence in Research Award 2022
Peter Doll
Project: Molecular-based method for the quantification of in situ crown-of-thorns starfish settlement rates
Effective sampling of Acanthaster cf. solaris to provide early-warning of new and renewed outbreaks (Old ID 26779)
Peter Doll
01 Jun 2020 - 31 May 2022
This project aims to develop a holistic monitoring program that will not only help to deliver an early-warning syste, but will increase the viability of culling CoTS populations even during non-outbreak periods with the ultimate goal of reducing the frequency and severity of future outbreaks. Perhaps even more importantly, this project will deliver (for the first time) spatially and temporally explicit information about the structure and dynamics of crown-of-thorns starfish within the “initiation zone” and in the lead-up to a new population irruption, which is a critical knowledge gap that limits understanding of the initiation and causes of population outbreaks.
Pre-outbreak monitoring of the density, distribution and size-structure of crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) in the Great Barrier Reef (Old ID 27501)
Peter Doll
01 Jan 2021 - 01 Jun 2024
This project will conduct annual field surveys (diver-based and eDNA) across reefs in the primary outbreak initiation region to reveal how the density, distribution and size-structure of COTS populations changes, providing field data to inform early warning and response in the lead up to the 2025 outbreak.
Quantifying predation rates on CoTS relative to fisheries management zones and corresponding differences in abundance of putative predators (Old ID 27504)
Peter Doll
01 Jan 2022 - 30 Jun 2024
The purpose of this research is to quantify rates of predation on CoTS at reefs within contrasting Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) management zones. More specifically, we will quantify predation and mortality rates for CoTS, as well as differences in the abundance and composition of potential predators, between reefs where fishing is permitted (Blue zones), restricted (Yellow zones) or effectively prohibited (Green zones). The focus of this project is unequivocally on relatively large and conspicuous post-settlement life stages of CoTS (e.g., sub-adults and adults) and the relatively large predators (mainly fishes) that might be consuming them.
In situ feeding rates of crown-of-thorns starfish and fate of prey corals (Old ID 27494)
Peter Doll
01 Jan 2022 - 30 Jun 2024
Accurate measurements of CoTS feeding rates are key in modelling ecological thresholds to inform CoTS management. This project aims to quantify feeding rates of CoTS in the field, to better resolve ecological impacts of CoTS on coral assemblages relative to the size and abundance of CoTS, as well as changes in prey availability and seasonal variation in temperature. This will significantly improve current models that estimate ecological thresholds used to inform surveillance (density of CoTS required to prevent further coral damage) and control (levels of culling required to ensure that coral growth outpaces CoTS feeding) activities in the GBR.
Spatiotemporal variation in settlement rates of crown-of-thorns starfish on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef: critical research to underpin understanding and management of impending population irruptions (Old ID 27784)
Peter Doll
24 Aug 2022 - 30 Jun 2023
The purpose of this research is to quantify spatiotemporal variation in settlement rates of crown-of-thorns starfish in the lead up to renewed population irruptions on the GBR. Attention will focus on reefs within the putative initiation area, though complementary sampling will also be conducted on reefs in the far northern GBR. Despite existing evidence that population irruptions in the far northern GBR (specifically, at reefs in the Cape Grenville region) can precede the emergence of population irruptions in the northern extent of the currently defined initiation area there has never been any attempt to measure and compare settlement rates of crown-of-thorns starfish over a broad cross-section of reefs in the northern GBR.
Coral bleaching assessment 2024 in northern Great Barrier Reef
Peter Doll
01 Mar 2024 - 01 May 2024
Climate induced coral bleaching is now the foremost threat to coral reefs, including Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Based on current and projected sea surface temperatures there is a very high likelihood that mass bleaching will occur in March 2024 on the GBR. As such, The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) are requesting that our team undertake in-water bleaching assessments in the northern GBR in March 2024, at reefs where we are working on crown-of-thorns starfish.
Localised status assessment for specialty coral harvest species in the Great Barrier Reef (Old ID 27915)
Peter Doll
01 Feb 2023 - 31 Jul 2024
The objectives of the proposed 2-year program of monitoring are to assess the relative abundance and biomass of coral species within localised areas of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, directly comparing between areas of intensive coral harvesting with complementary reference areas within Marine National Park areas that are closed to fishing.

Vulnerability model of an Australian high-set house subjected to cyclonic wind loading

The ecology of elasmobranchs occurring in the Everglades National Park, Florida: implications for conservation and management

Adaptive management of the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon World Heritage Areas

Direct evaluation of macroalgal removal by herbivorous coral reef fishes

Avoiding the flow: refuges expand the swimming potential of coral reef fishes

A rare hybridization event in two common Caribbean wrasses (genus Halichoeres; family Labridae)

Influence of depth on sex-specific energy allocation patterns in a tropical reef fish

Distribution of two species of sea snakes, Aipysurus laevis and Emydocephalus annulatus, in the southern Great Barrier Reef: metapopulation dynamics, marine protected areas and conservation

Ultraviolet photosensitivity and feeding in larval and juvenile coral reef fishes

Life history patterns shape energy allocation among fishes on coral reefs

Title: JCU reef scientist goes global after plumbing the depths, Townsville Bulletin
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 10 Nov 2024
Title: Deep dive: How I use robots to survey coral reefs, Nature
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 31 Mar 2025
Title: Bengali
Reseracher: Khandakar Faisal Ibn Murad (Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering and Related Technologies))
Title: English
Reseracher: Khandakar Faisal Ibn Murad (Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering and Related Technologies))
Title: Wet Tropics Management Authority - Scientific Advisory Committee
Reseracher: Nathan Waltham (Associate Professor, Blue Carbon)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF), Australia
Reseracher: Simon Das (Research Fellow - Grouper Nutrition)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2027
Title: ARC Future Fellow ($680,000), Global Change: Rainforest responses to experimental drought
Reseracher: Susan Laurance (Professor, Personal Chair)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2014
Title: American Society of Naturalists
Reseracher: Megan Higgie (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2003
Title: PhD, James Cook University
Reseracher: Alana Grech (Professor)
End Date: 01 Jan 2010
Title: Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours), The University of Adelaide
Reseracher: Alana Grech (Professor)
End Date: 01 Jan 2003