Physiology, Ecology and Conservation Lab

A very lucky encounter with a juvenile sawfish 🪚🐟

A busy week at the lab with Christine and Jenna attending the 20th @murdochuniversity colloquium on philosophy and Indigenous Knowledges 😊 As well as Jenna presenting at the end of year event hosted by the Australian Academy of Technological Services and Engineering! 👩‍💻🥼🐢

Highlights from #SMM2024 where our Dugong star, Renae, presented her research in poster and symposium format ⭐️🐋🦭🐬

Update from Marie's PhD! 😊 First surgery (supervised by our wildlife vet of course) on a green sawfish (Pristis zijsron) with the full support and attention of the KTLA team. A short moment of intense focus and absolute magic! It takes just a few minutes to implant an acoustic transmitter in the ventral cavity of a sawfish. Packed with pressure and acceleration sensors, these small tags (less than 4cm long) will reveal the movements of this critically endangered species on Karajarri Sea Country. Special thanks to KTLA, DPIRD, the Forrest Research Foundation, the Royal Society of Western Australia and the Ecological Society of Australia for supporting this project!

All procedures performed under relevant research permits and approvals from Murdoch University Animal Ethics Committee, the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development)

An ethereal clip from Christine’s field work showing a whale shark wearing a biologging device that collects multi-sensor data - similar to a Fitbit, but for sharks - and video footage!🦈🎥

📸 Michael Doane

Rosie has just wrapped up the first field trip of her PhD! 🐢

📸: Tristan Simpson

She’s investigating how the dynamic environment at Yawuru Nagulagun Roebuck bay influences the diet, nutritional status and habitat use of foraging flatback turtles, in collaboration with DBCA’s North West Shelf Flatback Turtle Conservation Program (NWSFTCP).

This project involves various methods, including stable isotope analysis (of skin and blood samples), eDNA (from cloacal swabs), morphometrics, visual body condition assessments, ultrasonography (to assess fat depth and reproductive status), and biologging (using CATS cams and diaries).

This trip brought calm, ideal conditions - quite the contrast to her February training! It also allowed Rosie to receive hands-on training in blood collection from her co-supervisor, Dr Karina Jones.

Swipe to see exciting ultrasonography footage and the happy faces on board after a successful tag retrieval!

A *huge* thanks to everyone involved: NWSFTCP (DBCA), Tristan Simpson (DBCA), co-supervisor Dr Karina Jones (Murdoch University), skippers Jas and Todd (DBCA Broome), Yawuru country managers, and Gise from the Warrmijala Murrgurlayi program.

#FlatbackTurtles #RoebuckBay #PhD #Fieldwork #NWSFTCP

Teaser! 😊

PEAC Lab have been working on Yawuru Nagula Buru (Saltwater country of the Yawuru people) on an exciting new collaborative project this week. The 9.3m high tide allowed brief access into the beautiful creeks and mangrove systems.

Sound on for mangrove music 🍃🍃🍃

Congratulations to Mela on a great confirmation of candidature presentation! 👏 Her research will consider foraging ecology and its implications for heterogeneity in the nutritional status of green turtles 🐢🐢

Updates from Marie’s PhD! 😊 Deploying our first acoustic receiver in Lagrange Bay with the support of the Karajarri Rangers. Safety first, followed by equipment and fun! The receivers we are deploying in the intertidal zone are mounted on custom made screw anchors designed to withstand the dynamic conditions of our study site. This acoustic array will count 24 receivers lent by DPIRD and will collect data on the whereabouts of two globally threatened species of sawfish and two culturally important species of stingray. Special thanks to KTLA, DPIRD and the Forrest Research Foundation for supporting this project! ☀️

It’s our please to introduce you to our newest lab member, Mela! 👏☀️ Mela is here to investigate the foraging ecology of green turtles and how it relates to their nutritional status and heterogeneity 🐢😊

Rachel recently had an exceptional 10 days working in Nyinggulu with these beautiful manta rays! 🌞🌞 @saveourseasfoundation @ecolsocaus @mantatrust @minderoofoundation

Our lab had a great day out at the @murdochuniversity ECS HDR showcase! 😊 Congratulations to PhD Candidate, Rosie, for winning best poster 🏆🐢

Our fantastic PhD candidate, Marie Windstein, hosting Dr Jane Goodall as part of her ‘Reasons for hope tour’, with the Jane Goodall Institute Australia and Forrest Research Foundation. Proud lab moment!! 👏🐠🐵

A big day for the lab! Rosie became a PhD candidate and Zara presented her honours seminar 🐢🦈👏

🚨🚨 New white shark research hot off the press 🦈🦈 Congratulations Dr @oliver.jewell and collaborators 👏👏

The 8th International Biologging Conference 🇯🇵😊 It was great to catch up with old friends, PEAC Lab alumni, and see excellent new research! 🐟🦅🦁🦭🦈 Highlights include Jenna presenting on behalf of CATS and Christine winning one of three student poster prizes 🗻🐰👏
#bls8tokyo

Our PhD student and @saveourseasfoundation Project Leader @rachel_newsome is currently just over halfway through her first PhD field trip at the @darrosresearchcentre trialling tag attachments to put biologging devices on reef manta rays. This exciting project puts her here on the remote D’Arros Island 🏝️

📷 @nicofassbender and @rachel_newsome for @darrosresearchcentre @saveourseasfoundation

#saveourseasfoundation
#saveourseas

Introducing our newest PhD student: Rosie! 😊 Rosie’s PhD will be focused on the foraging ecology of flatback turtles in Roebuck Bay, WA in collaboration with the Department of Biodiversity Conservation & Attractions. Rosie has spent the last 3 years working in the Maldives with green and hawksbill turtles and can’t wait to get back into academia and contribute to the incredible work that is being done to protect such a highly cryptic species 🐢🐢

Jenna and Adrian from PEAC Lab with friends and colleagues at the Biodiversity Conference 2023 ☀️🐢 New blog post on our website! 📸: Viewfinder Photography

New science 🚨🦈 Lab alumni, Dr Sammy Andrzejacek and co-authors document the stomach eversion and retraction by a captured and tagged tiger shark! Link in our science highlights ⬆️

New science! 🦈 Predation of baitfishes associated with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef 🐠 @murdochuniversity @australianmarinescience @naomirosephoto Read more by finding the link in our science highlights 🧪

🚨 Two new PhD opportunities! 🚨 1. Ecology of green turtles on Yawuru Nagulagun 🐢 2. Coastal and marine social values to inform co-management of marine parks 🤝 Full descriptions linked in our opportunities highlight 😊
📸: @victorhuertas_photo

For her PhD, Marie uses acoustic telemetry to study the movement and behaviour of sharks and rays in coastal northern Western Australia. The goal of her work is to identify the critical habitats of sawfish and stingrays on Karajarri Sea Country to inform the next Karajarri Healthy Country Plan and help protect these globally threatened and culturally important species. 🦈🐢🐠

Tegan is a PhD Candidate using vertebral micro chemistry to determine age, growth and habitat use of largetooth sawfish and bull sharks in the Fitzroy River, WA 🦷🪚🐠🐂🦈 She loves that her PhD combines the routine and structure of lab work with the fun and dirt of fieldwork 😊

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WHO WE ARE

PEAC LAB is a research group within the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems and the Harry Butler Institute at Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia.

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Murdoch University, 90 South St, Perth, WA 6150, Australia

a.gleiss@murdoch.edu.au

+61 (08) 9360 1667

PhD Opportunity: Fish and fisheries ecology of culturally important ‘Saltwater’ resources in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (2 x positions)

Supervisors Adrian Gleiss – Murdoch University, Perth, AUS (Principal) Jenna Hounslow – Murdoch University, Perth, AUS Alastair Harry –...

Surgery on a green sawfish (Pristis zijstron)

First surgery (supervised by our wildlife vet, Renata Santos) on a green sawfish ( Pristis zijsron ), by PEAC Lab candidate with the full...

Deploying an acoustic receiver array in Lagrange Bay with the Karajarri Rangers.

Safety first, followed by equipment and fun! The receivers were deployed in the intertidal zone, mounted on custom made screw anchors...

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WHO WE ARE

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