Gemma Galbraith

My research interests span broad themes in fundamental ecology with specific interests in reef fish community ecology, ecological connectivity, seamounts, biogeography and mesophotic coral ecosystems. I utilise new technologies like ROVs in combination with diver-based underwater visual census to study and monitor deep and shallow coral reef communities. I am also interested in applying high-resolution bathymetric data to global estimates of deep coral reef habitats and biophysical models of connectivity for reef taxa.

My previous and ongoing projects include ecological monitoring of reefs and islands of the inshore Great Barrier Reef, larval connectivity of reef fishes and the ecology of reef fishes on seamounts in Papua New Guinea, exploration and monitoring of mesophotic reefs in the Coral Sea Marine Park and the study of neotropical reef fishes on mesophotic seamounts in Panama and The Caribbean Lesser Antillies. 

I am currently an AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Reef Connectivity. I also assist teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Marine Conservation Biology and supervise marine ecology HDR and Honors candidates.