Newly settled crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris, aka CoTS) have rarely been studied in the field. This knowledge gap in our understanding of CoTS population and outbreak dynamics has been my research focus for the past several years. My interest developed when I worked for two years on GBRMPA’s CoTS control program, where I taught […]
Archives for May 2020
2019 Research Report
The Lizard Island Research Station’s 2019 Report is available here. It includes 2019 in review by resident Directors Lyle Vail & Anne Hoggett; Visitors in 2019: details of the 106 visiting researchers and their projects; Publications: Titles and citations for the 88 new scientific papers based on LI research that were added to the collection […]
2020 coral bleaching at Lizard Island
In early 2020, the Great Barrier Reef suffered its third major coral bleaching event in five years due to heat stress. At Lizard Island, bleaching first became noticeable in mid-February. February is normally “wet season”, with clouds and rain that keep the sea temperature down despite the tropical summer heat. But this year, the weather […]
Early detection of CoTS outbreaks
Early detection of population outbreaks in Crown of Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster solaris cf, aka CoTS) is a necessary precursor to containment. Excellent progress has been made over the past few years, especially in the deployment of DNA technology. The five research projects outlined below have been funded by The Ian Potter Foundation 50th Anniversary Commemorative […]
Impact of ocean acidification on fishes
Ph.D. student Kelly Hannan is undertaking research into the impact of ocean acidification on fishes under the supervision of Associate Professor Jodie Rummer (James Cook University). The fieldwork for her research has been supported by a Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation (LIRRF) doctoral fellowship. That support funded a field trip to the Lizard Island […]