Nov 4, 2015 | Ecology, Fellowships, People
How can small reef predators be stopped from hunting baby fish? With FEAR! Fear of predation triggered by the presence of a larger predator can stop smaller predators from foraging on baby fish. This post was contributed by Maria Palacios, recipient of the 2015 Ian... 
Nov 4, 2015 | Ecology, Fellowships, People, Research
Dr Andrew Hoey is investigating the impact of cyclonic disturbances on the foraging habits of herbivorous fish species around the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station. Following severe cyclones, dead coral skeletons are rapidly covered by seaweed.... 
Nov 4, 2015 | Ecology, Fellowships, People, Research
Forams (foraminifera) are single celled organisms that live in oceans worldwide. They produce calcium carbonate skeletons which form part of the sandy sediment on the sea floor and have an important ecosystem role. Calcium carbonate sediments in the reef lagoon help... 
Jul 13, 2015 | Ecology, People, Research
Fish collaborate with other species and make rational choices about when and with whom to do so. This amazing behaviour was demonstrated in an experiment at the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station by Alex Vail, Andrea Manica and Redouan Bshary.... 
Apr 8, 2015 | Ecology, Fellowships, Research
The dusky dottyback Pseudochromis fuscus changes colour to mimic its damselfish prey. This deception and camouflage is called phenotypic plasticity. It is typically executed as an almost-perfect mimicry of several model fish species rather than a perfect... 
Feb 3, 2015 | Ecology, Research
Research by Dr. Frederieke Kroon and other scientists indicates that pesticides used in sugar farming is affecting barramundi caught in river systems which run through those farming areas, and coral trout caught hundreds of kilometres from the river mouths. (Kroon et...