Investigating the role of macroalgae as nursery habitat for coral reef fishes
UWA and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) through the AIMS@UWA alliance are seeking motivated students to participate in this PhD opportunity as part of the Reef Song Project, co-funded by AIMS and BHP under the Australian Coral Reef Resilience Initiative (ACRRI).
ACRRI brings together novel research from two World Heritage sites, Ningaloo and the Great Barrier Reef, to develop the knowledge, skills and tools required to deliver innovative solutions for the management and sustainability of Australia’s coral reefs. Reef Song will explore the role of fishes in promoting resilient coral reefs, improve our understanding of reef recovery and adaptation, and develop new interventions that support reef restoration.
When larval fishes return to the reef many settle amongst the branches of live coral. However, recent research has shown that macroalgae, or seaweeds, canal so support diverse communities of juvenile fishes that often move into coral-dominated habitats as they grow. At present, the role of macroalgae as a nursery habitat remains poorly understood, limiting our understanding of its ecosystem role.
This PhD project will seek to determine the importance and drivers of macroalgae as habitat for juvenile coral reef fishes and how this compares to the role of live corals. It will examine what types of macroalgae juvenile reef fishes associate with, when and why they do so, and the broader ecological implications.
Successful applicants will be located in the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, where they will work as part of a diverse team of researchers and postgraduate students.
As part of this PhD, the applicant will develop and conduct a program of multidisciplinary field and laboratory-based experiments, focusing on the interactions between juvenile reef fishes and macroalgae.
The supervisory panel will include Prof Thomas Wernberg and Dr Karen Filbee-Dexter from UWA, and Dr Rohan Brooker from AIMS.
Suggested readings
- Wilson SK, Depczynski M, Fulton CJ, et al. 2016. Influence of nursery microhabitats on the future abundance of a coral reef fish. Proc. R. Soc. B. 283: 20160903.
- Sambrook, K, Hoey, AS, Andréfouët, S, et al. 2019. Beyond the reef: The widespread use of non-reef habitats by coral reef fishes. Fish. Fish. 2019; 20: 903– 920.
- Fulton, CJ, Berkström, C, Wilson, SK, et al. 2020. Macroalgal meadow habitats support fish and fisheries in diverse tropical seascapes. Fish Fish. 21: 700– 717.
Research team leader: Professor Thomas Wernberg
I am an ARC Future Fellow at the School of Plant Biology, based within the UWA’s Oceans Institute and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. I received my Masters in Environmental Biology & Geography from Roskilde University in Denmark in 1998, and my PhD in Marine Botany from UWA in 2003. My research covers a broad spectrum of topics, but my primary interests lie in the ecological interactions in and around shallow sub-tidal habitats. My research provides predictions on how coastal habitats will respond to stressors like climate change, invasive species and eutrophication. By highlighting the links between fields such as physiology, ecology and biogeography, my research has contributed to an integrated understanding of the complex processes that occur in near-shore marine environments.
Funding and Collaborations
Funding - Each project funding is $34,200 per annum for three years
External Collaborators:
How to Apply
Check criteria
- To be accepted into the Doctor of Philosophy, an applicant must demonstrate they have sufficient background experience in independent supervised research to successfully complete, and provide evidence of English language proficiency
- Requirements specific to this project -
- Competitive applicants will have advanced training in evolution and ecology and demonstrated research experience in benthic and behavioural ecology or a related field.
- The candidate should be willing to undertake marine field work and have a keen interest in coral reef fishes and reef restoration.
- A willingness to SCUBA dive and spend extended periods working remotely is required.
- Applicants should be available to start their studies in early 2022.
- This opportunity is open to domestic and international applicants, although preference may be given to individuals currently residing in Australia due to border restrictions.
Submit enquiry to research team leader
- Prospective candidates should send a single PDF file that clearly identifies the preferred project and includes: a brief cover letter/statement of interest and experience (1 page max), a CV including the names and contact details of 3 referees (2 pages max), and an academic transcript.
- Please forward EOI to Prof Thomas Wernberg [email protected] or Dr Rohan Brooker [email protected]
Scholarship specific to this course
- Investigating the role of macroalgae as nursery habitat for coral reef fishes PHD Scholarship
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This project is part of the Reef Song Project, co-funded by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and BHP as part of the Australian Coral Reef Resilience Initiative (ACRRI). ACRRI brings together novel research from two World Heritage sites, Ningaloo and the Great Barrier Reef, to develop the knowledge, skills and tools required to deliver innovative solutions for the management and sustainability of Australia's coral reefs. Reef Song will explore the role of fishes in promoting resilient coral reefs, improve our understanding of reef recovery and adaptation, and develop new interventions that support reef restoration. These PhD projects are three years positions and are supported by a generous annual stipend and research budget and combine field and laboratory based research.
