Even though the crown of thorns starfish (COTS) has been the subject of many scientific studies, we still have huge knowledge gaps. Professor Morgan Pratchett* highlights things we know about COTS and areas where more research is urgently required. We know COTS have an enormous reproductive capacity – a single female can produce up to 60 […]
Archives for August 2014
Abbot Point
Dredging spoils from the expansion of the Abbot Point coal loading port will be dumped in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, 20km from significant sea grass beds and 40km from mid-shelf coral reefs.** The requisite permits were issued following a period of assessment and are subject to conditions. There are widely divergent views […]
Why Lizard Island is a great base for field research
The Lizard Island Research Station is widely regarded as the premier location for field research on the Great Barrier Reef. It’s ‘alumni’ list is superb. It continues to attract many of the best and brightest marine scientists from all over the world – because It is well equipped with boats, diving gear, lab facilities, salt-water […]
Seagrass & blue carbon
Coral reefs comprise only 7% of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The rest is an extraordinary variety of marine habitats, including algal and sponge gardens, mangroves, tidal marshes, sand… and seagrass. Fifteen species of seagrass are found in the GBRWHA. Blue carbon is carbon sequestered and stored in marine ecosystems. Most of this sequestration […]
Wildlife genomics help save the reef from COTS
The Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics at the Australian Museum has developed DNA collection and extraction protocols that assist vital research on the Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS) – Acanthaster planci. The Centre has particular know-how and experience in isolating DNA from the tissues of plants and animals. This can be technically challenging when the samples […]