Marine Biology & Aquaculture
Colin Simpfendorfer
- Adjunct Professor
- colin.simpfendorfer@jcu.edu.au
David Bellwood
- Adjunct Professor
- david.bellwood@jcu.edu.au
Jin Lim
- Adjunct Research Fellow
- jy.lim@jcu.edu.au
Alastair Birtles
- Adjunct Professor
- alastair.birtles@jcu.edu.au
Orpha Bellwood
- Senior Lecturer
- orpha.bellwood@my.jcu.edu.au
Garry Russ
- Ajunct Professor
- garry.russ@jcu.edu.au
Reniel Cabral
- Associate Professor, Fisheries
- reniel.cabral@jcu.edu.au
Morgan Pratchett
- Professor, Marine Biology & Aquaculture
- morgan.pratchett@jcu.edu.au
Sally Lau
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow
- cheukying.lau@jcu.edu.au
Sue-Ann Watson
- ARC Future Fellow
- sueann.watson@jcu.edu.au
Balclutha Wetland Survey (Old ID 23156)
This project will complete an aquatic ecology survey in Balclutha Springs Nature Reserve with Cape York NRM and WALT Aboriginal Corporation. These data are the first for this nature reserve and will assist in conservation of the wetlands and natural springs that exist in the reserve. Data will also assist WALT Aboriginal Corporation to manage he wetlands from impacts of feral pigs.
COTS Monitoring Design: sample design for science and management decisions (Old ID 27510)
This project uses a combination of desktop and fieldwork to characterise and measure the detection errors associated with various COTS survey tools (e.g. manta tow, glider, eDNA, scooter, cull dives) and will calibrate density estimates across these tools to enable integration of data from multiple sources and programs into COTS Control Program decision-making.
Bio-molecular studies for improved diagnosis and management of Australian children with fish allergy (Old ID 21592)
Allergy to fish among children is emerging as a significant healthcare issue in Australia and worldwide, with prevalence rates among children with food allergy as high as 16% in Australia. Our strong clinical-laboratory interface, bringing together a highly experienced senior team in the areas of molecular and immunological allergen characterization with leading clinicians in paediatric allergy, will significantly improve the management of fish-allergic children in Australia.
Lost at sea? Understanding adaptation and dispersal in spiny lobsters (Old ID 23173)
Continual recruitment of young is fundamental to the replenishment of populations, especially when a stock is fished. Existing theory suggests that species with very long planktonic larval stages disperse widely, ensuring their genes are well mixed. However recently identified genetic differences between populations of rock l;obster challenge this paradigm and demonstrate that despite larvae mixing in the ocean for years, local recruitment and/or adaptation are at play. Recent developments in genomics and bioinformatics will allow this project to understand the ecological processes underpinning these genetic signatures and determine their evolutionary implications. Such findings would direct targeted rebuilding of depleted fisheries stocks.1/1/5
What can locally managed marine areas do for you? (Old ID 27303)
Locally-managed marine areas (LMMA) regulate when, how, and by whom harvesting of resources occurs and are the dominant local marine resource management approach in the Pacific. Recently, a new wave of lessons have emerged on the efficacy of LMMAs that has yet to be interpreted and critiqued amongst resource managers, NGOs, and government actors. This project will involve hosting two workshops and co-developing communication products (infographic, pamphlet, and short video) in various Pacific languages on the current state of knowledge on LMMAs as a fisheries management tools. This work will provide an up to date synthesis of the contexts under which they can be successful, the trade-offs that may result when managing for multiple objectives, and the realistic impacts that can be expected from their use.
Adverse reactions to seafood: Molecular and immunological approaches in managing an Australasian epidemic (Old ID 19354)
Over 4 million Australians suffer from allergies with a financial burden in excess of $7 billion. Seafood is an increasingly important food allergy worldwide and is typically life-long, affecting about 5% of children and 2% of adults in Australia. This research will characterise allergenic proteins from crustacean and molluscs, leading to the design of recombinant proteins. Allergenicity of modified food allergens through heating will be studied using state-of-the-art in-vivo and in-vitro systems. This fellowship will considerably advance our knowledge on the influence of structure and chemical modifications on the immunoreactivity of seafood allergen, thus providing platform knowledge for better diagnostics and future therapeutics.
Protein and energy requirements of grass emperor (Old ID 28953)
This contributes to the DAFF project developing grass emperor as a new aquaculture species. Being new to aquaculture, we lack a fundamental understanding of appropriate feeds. This project will address the protein and energy requirements of grass emperor to gain baseline understanding of appropriate feed macronutrient levels.
Behavioural effects and acclimation capacity of marine invertebrates to ocean acidification (Old ID 22680)
Marine invertebrates and fundamental to global ecosystem function: however, recent discoveries have shown ocean acidification alters their behaviour. The complex impacts of these changes on invertebrates and the potential for species to acclimate behaviour to changing ocean chemistry remain unknown. This project will assess marine invertebrate behaviour and the potential for acclimation to better understand the effects of rising carbon dioxide on marine ecosystems. This information will improve the capacity to understand and mitigate the effects of global change.
Detection of scalloped hammerhead sharks in Apra Harbor and adjacent waters, Guam using Environmental DNA (Old ID 23578)
Scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) are anecdotally reported in Apra Harbor, Guam, but their spatial and temporal patterns of occurrence are not well understood. Lack of knowledge of population abundance, distribution, and habitat use also extends across the geographic range of the Indo-West Pacific subpopulation. All S. lewini are nationally protected under the Endangered Species Act, and their occurrence within Apra Harbor is of concern to management and conservation strategies and mission-essential operations of the U.S. Department of Navy. This project will determine the temporal and spatial distribution and habitat use of the scalloped hammerhead shark within Apra Harbor and Orote Peninsula nearshore waters.
Improved productivity and efficiency of the culture based fishery for giant freshwater prawn in Sri Lankan reservoirs. (Old ID 26163)
Productivity of the fisheries resources of Sri Lankan reservoirs has been improved through application of culture based fishery (CFB) practices. In addition to a variety of finfish that serve to provide protein to local communities, the addition of stocked giant freshwater prawn (GFP)-Macrobrachium rosenbergii, has added significant value, due to high market price, 10 times higher than that of finfish. Currently, the GFP are captured as a bycatch to finfish and the stocking practices are ad-hoc, resulting in very low yield per seed prawn stocked. The fishery is managed as a single multi-species fishery, and although the project will focus on research of GFP, some aspects of the research will involve the entire fishery, particularly modelling of stocking and yields. This will provide benefits for production of all species, with an emphasis on enhancement of GFP production through specific research of stocking practices, production dynamics, harvest and socio-economic aspects 0of the fishery and the supply chain.
Coral bleaching, reef fish community phase shifts and the resilience of coral reefs
- 2006
- Blackwell Publishing
- Researchers:David BellwoodAndrew Hoey
Regional-scale assembly rules and biodiversity of coral reefs
- 2001
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Researchers:David BellwoodTerry Hughes
Confronting the coral reef crisis
- 2004
- Nature Publishing Group
- Researchers:David BellwoodTerry Hughes
Influence of age and moderate-intensity exercise training on heart rate variability in young and mature adults
- 2003
- Human Kinetics
- Researchers:Anthony LeichtAndrew Hoey
Influence of intensive cycling training on heart rate variability during rest and exercise
- 2003
- NRC Reserch Press
- Researchers:Anthony LeichtAndrew Hoey
Start Date:
01 Jan 2005
Start Date:
01 Jan 2011
End Date:
01 Jan 2014
Start Date:
01 Jan 2010
Title:
Seafood Services Australia, Research and Development Award for Tropical Rock Lobster Aquaculture
Start Date:
01 Jan 2007
Start Date:
01 Jan 2022