Fieldtrips
Cocos Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands comprise an isolated coral atoll in the eastern Indian Ocean. The Islands lie approximately 1000 km southwest of Java (Indonesia) and are situated on the Indo-Pacific biogeographic border. Consequently, the Islands have an interesting mix of Indian and Pacific Ocean species, many of which hybridise. In addition to being an ideal place to study biogeography, phylogeography, hybridisation and evolution, we also research a range of interesting topics (e.g. how fish and coral communities are affected by mass die-offs, coral disease, coral bleaching) at this unique system. Through our research over the past 15 years we have developed close relationships with the local Cocos Malay people who have a wealth of knowledge on the marine species of the Islands. Apart from the white sandy beaches and aqua blue waters, another local attraction to the islands is the lonely male dugong (called Kat) who likes to interact with divers and pole-dance on the anchor rope [pdf]
Check out this article Far Away Islands for more information on Cocos marine life and for more photos visit the webpage of local photographer Karen Willshaw
Check out this article Far Away Islands for more information on Cocos marine life and for more photos visit the webpage of local photographer Karen Willshaw
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Christmas Island
Christmas Island is the nearest neighbour to the Cocos Islands (which lie ~900 km to the west) and is situated about 300 km south of Java, Indonesia. Unlike the coral atoll of the Cocos Islands, Christmas Island is a single high island (elevation 361 m) covered in rainforest. It has no lagoon and the narrow coral reef that fringes the Island’s shores drops precipitously to thousands of meters. These spectacular drop-offs make for breathtaking diving and are patrolled by big pelagics and visited by whale sharks in the summer. Christmas Island is a melting pot of Indian and Pacific Ocean species and has the most known hybrid marine fishes of any location in the world. It is also an endemic hotspot. Since 2002 we have been doing research at the island with a particular focus on the endemic and hybrid fishes. Research has focused on how endemics and hybrids arise and how impacts (such as coral bleaching, coral disease, sedimentation) affect these processes.
The rainforests of Christmas Island are also home to amazing array of wildlife including hundreds of endemics species. The rainforests are dominated by the world’s greatest diversity of land crabs and during the summer millions of crabs will undergo spectacular spawning migrations.
For more information on Christmas Island wildlife visit the National Park and Tourism Association websites. For popular articles and pictures on marine life at Christmas Island visit the website of marine biologist and underwater photographer Justin Gilligan or read his articles Conservation through understanding & Christmas Island Snapshot: a remote territorial jewel.
The rainforests of Christmas Island are also home to amazing array of wildlife including hundreds of endemics species. The rainforests are dominated by the world’s greatest diversity of land crabs and during the summer millions of crabs will undergo spectacular spawning migrations.
For more information on Christmas Island wildlife visit the National Park and Tourism Association websites. For popular articles and pictures on marine life at Christmas Island visit the website of marine biologist and underwater photographer Justin Gilligan or read his articles Conservation through understanding & Christmas Island Snapshot: a remote territorial jewel.
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Indonesia
Indonesia is the global centre of marine biodiversity. Indonesia’s coral reefs are teeming with life, which raises the question as to how do so many species coexist? A recent study led by Emma Camp [pdf] found that Indonesia has the world’s highest levels of cohabitating anemonefishes. Anemonefishes are usually territorial and defend their anemones from other anemonefishes. In Indonesia, the number of anemonefishes outnumbers anemones; however, the anemonefishes have learnt to share their anemones with other species. The sharing of habitats by multiple species places greater importance on protecting coral reef habitats to conserve biodiversity.
Indonesian coral reefs have the highest number of reef fishes in the world, more than 2000. Having all these species concentrated in a small area also increases the importance of being able to find a suitable mate. It is unclear how reef fishes locate and choose suitable breeding partners and there are several instances where fishes have made the wrong choice and mated with another species (= hybridisation). Determining how reef fishes choose mates, and why some species hybridise and others do not is a key area of my research.
Adjacent to the coral reefs are soft-sediment habitats that have traditionally been considered barren areas. However, these habitats are gaining increasing attention due to the high number of unique species that are present. These species are highly camouflaged and are referred to as cryptobenthic fauna. This fauna usually goes unnoticed, however a developing dive industry (called muck diving) is showing tourists these unique species. Popular species include the blue ring octopus, frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus and orangutan crabs. Little is known about the ecology and threats of the cryptobenthic fauna and PhD student Maarten De Brauwer is conducting research in Indonesia to address this knowledge gap. He is also quantifying the socio-economic value of the muck diving industry to local communities.
Indonesian coral reefs have the highest number of reef fishes in the world, more than 2000. Having all these species concentrated in a small area also increases the importance of being able to find a suitable mate. It is unclear how reef fishes locate and choose suitable breeding partners and there are several instances where fishes have made the wrong choice and mated with another species (= hybridisation). Determining how reef fishes choose mates, and why some species hybridise and others do not is a key area of my research.
Adjacent to the coral reefs are soft-sediment habitats that have traditionally been considered barren areas. However, these habitats are gaining increasing attention due to the high number of unique species that are present. These species are highly camouflaged and are referred to as cryptobenthic fauna. This fauna usually goes unnoticed, however a developing dive industry (called muck diving) is showing tourists these unique species. Popular species include the blue ring octopus, frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus and orangutan crabs. Little is known about the ecology and threats of the cryptobenthic fauna and PhD student Maarten De Brauwer is conducting research in Indonesia to address this knowledge gap. He is also quantifying the socio-economic value of the muck diving industry to local communities.
Many thanks to Maarten De Brauwer for the use of his photos
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Red SEA
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Japan
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Lord howe Island
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Pohnpei
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