I completed by BSc in Newcastle UK and worked in various coral reef research roles between 2014-2020, followed by 1 year working as Oyster Hatchery Manager in Guernsey, UK. In 2022 I moved to Townsville to return to academia and am now in the final year of my PhD at JCU, studying crown-of-thorns starfish, and other mechanism that govern coral reef ecosystems.

Changes in Behaviour and Biology of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.) with increasing densities and decreasing food availability

2022 to 2025

Project Description

Crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS; Acanthaster spp) can occur at very high densities, during population irruptions, which contribute to coral loss and reef degradation. CoTS have been well-studied during population irruptions, but there is relatively limited data on population dynamics and demographics outside of population irruptions. This project will investigate the changes in biology and behaviour of CoTS in the lead up to a population irruption, as well as when densities are elevated and food becomes limited. This project hopes to advance our understanding of the impacts that CoTS are having to coral reefs as densities increase, as well as investgating the factors which lead to subsequent population crashes, to facilitate improved management.

Project Importance

Further understanding how CoTS populations change with increasing densities is critical for modelling population dynamics and predicting coral loss and population break down

Project Methods

Extensive field work to collect data on densities, feeding data and reproductive condition of CoTS, scooter-assisted survey methods were used. Laboratory work on lipid analysis and histology resolve physiological condition and reproductive condition.

Project Results

This research has already identified the start of the 5th crown of thorns outbreak on the Great Barrier reef and filled significant knowledge gaps in feeding ecology of crown-of-thorns starfish, including the major drivers of daily feeding rate. We hope that samples of reproductive condition from CoTS over a gradient of densities will answer questions about the resilience of CoTS in food-limited environments, with potential implications for population breakdown.

Keywords

Benthic,
Climate change,
Controlled Environment,
Coral reefs,
Corals,
Distribution,
Ecology,
Interaction,
Manipulative experiments,
Natural disturbance