My research is motivated by the need for robust information to support conservation planning of estuarine and marine resources – recognising that management and conservation strategies must be adaptive and accommodate the changing climate. My speciality is the use of experimental techniques to address targeted questions about seagrass health and resilience. This has focused on both the risk and impacts to seagrass habitat from local scale stressors such as water quality and on the prospective changes to seagrass ecosystems from rising temperature and ocean acidification. Above all I enjoy collaborating with diverse teams of scientists and managers and believe that such collaboration is imperative to enhance the value of experimental science for achieving practical management goals. I also contribute to long-term monitoring of seagrass habitat in the Great Barrier Reef through the Paddock to Reef Marine Monitoring Programme, which is used to track progress towards meeting the targets and objectives of the Reef 2050 Plan. My other funding sources include the National Environmental Sciences Programme (NESP), the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), National Environmental Research Program (NERP) and Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF).

 

Experience

• 2007 to present - Principal Research Officer, James Cook University (Townsville and Cairns)
• 2006 to 2007 - Project Officer, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Townsville)
• 2002 to 2006 - Doctoral candidate, Edith Cowan University (Perth)
• 1999 to 2002 - Project Officer, Healthy Waterways (Brisbane)

Research Disciplines

• Environmental Science and Management (0502)
• Plant Biology (0607)
• Ecological Applications (0501)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Ecosystem Assessment and Management (9605)
• Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)
• Climate and Climate Change (9603)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Adams M, Koh E, Vilas M, Collier C, Lambert V, Sisson S, Quiroz M, McDonald-Madden E, McKenzie L and O'Brien K (2020) Predicting seagrass decline due to cumulative stressors. Environmental Modelling & Software, 130, Article: 104717, DOI:10.1016/j.envsoft.2020.104717.
• Collier C, Carter A, Rasheed M, McKenzie L, Udy J, Coles R, Brodie J, Waycott M, O’Brien K, Saunders M, Adams M, Martin K, Honchin C, Petus C and Lawrence E (2020) An evidence-based approach for setting desired state in a complex Great Barrier Reef seagrass ecosystem: a case study from Cleveland Bay. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 7, Article: 100042, DOI:10.1016/j.indic.2020.100042.
• Unsworth R, McKenzie L, Collier C, Cullen-Unsworth L, Duarte C, Eklöf J, Jarvis J, Jones B and Nordlund L (2019) Global challenges for seagrass conservation. Ambio, 48, pp. 801-815, DOI:10.1007/s13280-018-1115-y.
• Bainbridge Z, Lewis S, Bartley R, Fabricius K, Collier C, Waterhouse J, Garzon-Garcia A, Robson B, Burton J, Wenger A and Brodie J (2018) Fine sediment and particulate organic matter: a review and case study on ridge-to-reef transport, transformations, fates, and impacts on marine ecosystems. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 135, pp. 1205-1220, DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.002.
• Collier C, Langlois L, Ow Y, Johansson C, Giammusso M, Adams M, O'brien K and Uthicke S (2018) Losing a winner: thermal stress and local pressures outweigh the positive effects of ocean acidification for tropical seagrasses. New Phytologist, 219 (3), pp. 1005-1017, DOI:10.1111/nph.15234.
• O'Brien K, Waycott M, Maxwell P, Kendrick G, Udy J, Ferguson A, Kilminster K, Scanes P, McKenzie L, McMahon K, Adams M, Samper-Villarreal J, Collier C, Lyons M, Mumby P, Radke L, Christianen M and Dennison W (2018) Seagrass ecosystem trajectory depends on the relative timescales of resistance, recovery and disturbance. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 134, pp. 166-176, DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.006.
• Phinn S, Kovacs E, Roelfsema C, Canto R, Collier C and McKenzie L (2018) Assessing the potential for satellite image monitoring of seagrass thermal dynamics: for inter-and shallow sub-tidal seagrasses in the inshore Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Australia. International Journal of Digital Earth, 11 (8), pp. 803-824, DOI:10.1080/17538947.2017.1359343.
• Adams M, Collier C, Uthicke S, Ow Y, Langlois L and O'brien K (2017) Model fit versus biological relevance: evaluating photosynthesis-temperature models for three tropical seagrass species. Scientific Reports, 7, Article: 39930, pp. 1-12, DOI:10.1038/srep39930.
• Brodie J, Lewis S, Collier C, Wooldridge S, Bainbridge Z, Waterhouse J, Rasheed M, Honchin C, Holmes G and Fabricius K (2017) Setting ecologically relevant targets for river pollutant loads to meet marine water quality requirements for the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: a preliminary methodology and analysis. Ocean & Coastal Management, 143, pp. 136-147, DOI:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2016.09.028.
• Collier C, Xiang Y, Langlois L, Uthicke S, Johansson C, Hrebien V, O'Brien K and Adams M (2017) Optimum temperatures for net primary productivity of three tropical seagrass species. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8, Article: 1446, pp. 1-32, DOI:10.3389/fpls.2017.01446.
• Wilkinson A, Collier C, Flores F, Langlois L, Ralph P and Negri A (2017) Combined effects of temperature and the herbicide diuron on Photosystem II activity of the tropical seagrass Halophila ovalis. Scientific Reports, 7, Article: 45404, pp. 1-11, DOI:10.1038/srep45404.
• Albright R, Anthony K, Baird M, Beeden R, Byrne M, Collier C, Dove S, Fabricius K, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Kelly R, Lough J, Mongin M, Munday P, Pears R, Russell B, Tilbrook B and Abal E (2016) Ocean acidification: linking science to management solutions using the Great Barrier Reef as a case study. Journal of Environmental Management, 182, pp. 641-650, DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.07.038.

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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 53+ research outputs authored by Dr Catherine Collier from 2007 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Completed

• Development of a miniature seagrass bioassay for PSII herbicides and its application to mixtures and simultaneous stressors (2015, Masters , Primary Advisor)
• Interactive effects of ocean acidification and declining water quality on tropical seagrass physiology (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.