About

Originally from Mozambique, Kátya is an aquatic ecologist with experience working in rivers and estuaries of Australia, East Africa and the Pacific Islands. Her research is mostly related to the identification and quantification of impacts of different human activities (e.g. urbanization, deforestation, flow regulation, agriculture, introduction of exotic species) on the aquatic ecology. She also works on animal movement, particularly in questions related to migration patterns and habitat use of bony fish and sharks; to the identification of critical habitats for fisheries species so that the best habitats to protect, preserve or restore can be identified; and to the development of fisheries best practices.

Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Publications

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
  • Andrzejaczek S, Lucas T, Goodman M, Hussey N, Armstrong A, Carlisle A, Coffey D, Gleiss A, Huveneers C, Jacoby D, Meekan M, Mourier J, Peel L, dos Santos Abrantes K, Afonso A, Ajemian M, Anderson B, Anderson S, Araujo G, Armstrong A, Bach P, Barnett A, Bennett M, Bezerra N, Bonfil R, Boustany A, Bowlby H, Branco I, Braun C, Brooks E, Brown J, Burke P, Butcher P, Castleton M, Chapple T, Chateau O, Clarke M, Coelho R, Cortes E, Couturier L, Cowley P, Croll D, Cuevas J, Curtis T, Dagorn L, Dale J, Daly R, Dewar H, Doherty P, Domingo A, Dove A, Drew M, Dudgeon C, Duffy C, Elliott R, Ellis J, Erdmann M, Farrugia T, Ferreira L, Ferretti F, Filmalter J, Finucci B, Fischer C, Fitzpatrick R, Forget F, Forsberg K, Francis M, Franks B, Gallagher A, Galvan-Magana F, Garcia M, Gaston T, Gillanders B, Gollock M, Green J, Green S, Griffiths C, Hammerschlag N, Hasan A, Hawkes L, Hazin F, Heard M, Hearn A, Hedges K, Henderson S, Holdsworth J, Holland K, Howey L, Hueter R, Humphries N, Hutchinson M, Jaine F, Jorgensen S, Kanive P, Labaja J, Lana F, Lassauce H, Lipscombe R, Llewellyn F, Macena B, Mambrasar R, McAllister J, Phillips S, McGregor F, McMillan M, McNaughton L, Mendonca S, Meyer C, Meyers M, Mohan J, Montgomery J, Mucientes G, Musyl M, Nasby-Lucas N, Natanson L, O'Sullivan J, Oliveira P, Papastamtiou Y, Patterson T, Pierce S, Queiroz N, Radford C, Richardson A, Richardson A, Righton D, Rohner C, Royer M, Saunders R, Schaber M, Schallert R, Scholl M, Seitz A, Semmens J, Setyawan E, Shea B, Shidqi R, Shillinger G, Shipley O, Shivji M, Sianipar A, Silva J, Sims D, Skomal G, Sousa L, Southall E, Spaet J, Stehfest K, Stevens G, Stewart J, Sulikowski J, Syakurachman I, Thorrold S, Thums M, Tickler D, Tolloti M, Townsend K, Travassos P, Tyminski J, Vaudo J, Veras D, Wantiez L, Weber S, Wells R, Weng K, Wetherbee B, Williamson J, Witt M, Wright S, Zilliacus K, Block B and Curnick D (2022) Diving into the vertical dimension of elasmobranch movement ecology. Science Advances, 8 (33).
  • Barnett A, Fitzpatrick R, Bradley M, Miller I, Sheaves M, Chin A, Smith B, Diedrich A, Yick J, Lubitz N, Crook K, Mattone C, Bennett M, Wojtach L and Abrantes K (2022) Scientific response to a cluster of shark bites. People and Nature, 4 (4). pp. 963-982
  • Womersley F, Humphries N, Queiroz N, Vedor M, da Costa I, Furtado M, Tyminski J, Abrantes K, Araujo G, Bach S, Barnett A, Berumen M, Bessudo Lion S, Braun C, Clingham E, Cochran J, de la Parra R, Diamant S, Dove A, Dudgeon C, Erdmann M, Espinoza E, Fitzpatrick R, Cano J, Green J, Guzman H, Hardenstine R, Hasan A, Hazin F, Hearn A, Hueter R, Jaidah M, Labaja J, Ladino F, Macena B, Morris J, Norman B, Peñaherrera-Palma C, Pierce S, Quintero L, Ramírez-Macías D, Reynolds S, Richardson A, Robinson D, Rohner C, Rowat D, Sheaves M, Shivji M, Sianipar A, Skomal G, Soler G, Syakurachman I, Thorrold S, Webb D, Wetherbee B, White T, Clavelle T, Kroodsma D, Thums M, Ferreira L, Meekan M, Arrowsmith L, Lester E, Meyers M, Peel L, Sequeira A, Eguiluz V, Duarte C and Sims D (2022) Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world's largest fish, the whale shark. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119 (20).
  • Queiroz N, Humphries N, Couto A, Vedor M, da Costa I, Sequeira A, Mucientes G, Santos A, Abascal F, Abercrombie D, Abrantes K, Acuña-Marrero D, Afonso A, Afonso P, Anders D, Araujo G, Arauz R, Bach P, Barnett A, Bernal D, Berumen M, Bessudo Lion S, Bezerra N, Blaison A, Block B, Bond M, Bonfil R, Bradford R, Braun C, Brooks E, Brooks A, Brown J, Bruce B, Byrne M, Campana S, Carlisle A, Chapman D, Chapple T, Chisholm J, Clarke C, Clua E, Cochran J, Crochelet E, Dagorn L, Daly R, Cortés D, Doyle T, Drew M, Duffy C, Erikson T, Espinoza E, Ferreira L, Ferretti F, Filmalter J, Fischer G, Fitzpatrick R, Fontes J, Forget F, Fowler M, Francis M, Gallagher A, Gennari E, Goldsworthy S, Gollock M, Green J, Gustafson J, Guttridge T, Guzman H, Hammerschlag N, Harman L, Hazin F, Heard M, Hearn A, Holdsworth J, Holmes B, Howey L, Hoyos M, Hueter R, Hussey N, Huveneers C, Irion D, Jacoby D, Jewell O, Johnson R, Jordan L, Joyce W, Keating Daly C, Ketchum J, Klimley A, Kock A, Koen P, Ladino F, Lana F, Lea J, Llewellyn F, Lyon W, MacDonnell A, Macena B, Marshall H, McAllister J, Meÿer M, Morris J, Nelson E, Papastamatiou Y, Peñaherrera-Palma C, Pierce S, Quintero L, Richardson A, Rogers P, Rohner C, Rowat D, Samoilys M, Semmens J, Sheaves M, Shillinger G, Shivji M, Singh S, Skomal G, Smale M, Snyders L, Soler G, Soria M, Stehfest K, Thorrold S, Tolotti M, Towner A, Travassos P, Tyminski J, Vandeperre F, Vaudo J, Watanabe Y, Weber S, Wetherbee B, White T, Williams S, Zárate P, Harcourt R, Hays G, Meekan M, Thums M, Irigoien X, Eguiluz V, Duarte C, Sousa L, Simpson S, Southall E and Sims D (2021) Reply to: Shark mortality cannot be assessed by fishery overlap alone. Nature, 595 (7866). pp. E8-E16
  • Armstrong A, Armstrong A, Bennett M, McGregor F, Abrantes K, Barnett A, Richardson A, Townsend K and Dudgeon C (2020) The geographic distribution of reef and oceanic manta rays (Mobula alfredi and Mobula birostris) in Australian coastal waters. Journal of Fish Biology, 96 (3). pp. 835-840
  • Baker R, Abrantes K and Feller I (2020) Stable isotopes suggest limited role of wetland macrophyte production supporting aquatic food webs across a mangrove-salt marsh ecotone. Estuaries and Coasts, 2021.
  • Sheaves M, Abrantes K, Barnett A, Benham C, Dale P, Mattone C, Sheaves A, Waltham N and Bradley M (2020) The consequences of paradigm change and poorly validated science: the example of the value of mangroves to fisheries. Fish and Fisheries, 21 (5). pp. 1067-1075
  • Abrantes K, Sheaves M and Fries J (2019) Estimating the value of tropical coastal wetland habitats to fisheries: caveats and assumptions. PLoS ONE, 14 (4).
  • Baker R, Barnett A, Bradley M, Abrantes K and Sheaves M (2019) Contrasting seascape use by a coastal fish assemblage: a multi-method approach. Estuaries and Coasts, 42 (1). pp. 292-307
  • Barnett A, McAllister J, Semmens J, Abrantes K, Sheaves M and Awruch C (2019) Identification of essential habitats: including chimaeras into current shark protected areas. Aquatic Conservation: marine and freshwater ecosystems, 29 (6). pp. 865-880
  • Crook K, Barnett A, Sheaves M and Abrantes K (2019) Effects of lipid and urea extraction on stable isotope values (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) of two batoids: a call for more species-specific investigations. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 17 (11). pp. 565-574
  • Queiroz N, Humphries N, Couto A, Vedor M, da Costa I, Sequeira A, Mucientes G, Santos A, Abascal F, Abercrombie D, Abrantes K, Acuña-Marrero D, Afonso A, Afonso P, Anders D, Araujo G, Arauz R, Bach P, Barnett A, Bernal D, Berumen M, Lion S, Bezerra N, Blaison A, Block B, Bond M, Bonfil R, Bradford R, Braun C, Brooks E, Brooks A, Brown J, Bruce B, Byrne M, Campana S, Carlisle A, Chapman D, Chapple T, Chisholm J, Clarke C, Clua E, Cochran J, Crochelet E, Dagorn L, Daly R, Cortés D, Doyle T, Drew M, Duffy C, Erikson T, Espinoza E, Ferreira L, Ferretti F, Filmalter J, Fischer G, Fitzpatrick R, Fontes J, Forget F, Fowler M, Francis M, Gallagher A, Gennari E, Goldsworthy S, Gollock M, Green J, Gustafson J, Guttridge T, Guzman H, Hammerschlag N, Harman L, Hazin F, Heard M, Hearn A, Holdsworth J, Holmes B, Howey L, Hoyos M, Hueter R, Hussey N, Huveneers C, Irion D, Jacoby D, Jewell O, Johnson R, Jordan L, Jorgensen S, Joyce W, Daly C, Ketchum J, Klimley A, Kock A, Koen P, Ladino F, Lana F, Lea J, Llewellyn F, Lyon W, MacDonnell A, Macena B, Marshall H, McAllister J, McAuley R, Meyer M, Morris J, Nelson E, Papastamatiou Y, Patterson T, Penaherrera-Palma C, Pepperell J, Pierce S, Poisson F, Quintero L, Richardson A, Rogers P, Rohner C, Rowat D, Samoilys M, Semmens J, Sheaves M, Shillinger G, Shivji M, Singh S, Skomal G, Smale M, Snyders L, Soler G, Soria M, Stehfest K, Stevens J, Thorrold S, Tolotti M, Towner A, Travassos P, Tyminski J, Vandeperre F, Vaudo J, Watanabe Y, Weber S, Wetherbee B, White T, Williams S, Zarate P, Harcourt R, Hays G, Meekan M, Thums M, Irigoien X, Eguiluz V, Duarte C, Sousa L, Simpson S, Southall E and Sims D (2019) Global spatial risk assessment of sharks under the footprint of fisheries. Nature, 572 (7770). pp. 461-466
More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 51+ research outputs authored by Dr Katya dos Santos Abrantes from 2003 onwards.

Current Funding

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

SeaWorld Research and Rescue Foundation Inc - Marine vertebrate grant

In search of whale shark and manta ray aggregations on the Great Barrier Reef

Indicative Funding
$25,800 over 2 years
Summary
Identifying important habitats and describing movement patterns is critical for management. Little is known about whale sharks and reef manta ray ecology in the NE coast of Australia. In 2019, we identified potential aggregation sites around Wreck Bay. This project will conduct an expedition to Wreck Bay. We will use satellite tracking, photo-ID and genetic analysis to identify hotspots, determine connectivity with other regions, and assess the threats (fishing, shipping lanes) they face throughout their home range. This will allow us to determine the significance of the region for these species' ecology and conservation.
Investigators
Katya Abrantes, Adam Barnett and Chris Rohner (College of Science & Engineering and Marine Megafauna Foundation)
Keywords
Whale sharks; Satellite tracking; Migration; Manta rays

Cairns Airport Pty Ltd - Contract Research

Food Web Assessment of the Cairns Airport Waterways.

Indicative Funding
$88,350 over 1 year
Summary
This project aims to assess the food web organisation of the waterways adjacent to the Cairns Airport, to identify the species most likely to be impacted by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are toxic persistent pollutants that accumulate up the food chains and can be transferred to people that consume fish caught in contaminated waterways. The study will construct a model of food web functioning based on stable isotope analysis (producers, invertebrates and fish). By describing the food web, it will be possible to identify where the risk of PFAS exposure to people (through fish consumption) is present.
Investigators
Katya dos Santos Abrantes, Adam Barnett and Marcus Sheaves (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords
Food webs; Estuaries; Stable isotope analysis

SeaWorld Research and Rescue Foundation Inc - Research Grant

Determining population structure and connectivity of elephant fish stocks in southern Australia

Indicative Funding
$24,000 over 4 years
Summary
Elephant fish reproductive aggregations are targets of commercial and recreational fisheries. Although stock structure is unkown, Australian populations are currently treated as a single stock by management. A recent study revealed limited movement between different fishing zones (Tasmania and Bass Strait), suggesting limited connectivity between regionals. However, some individuals moved between zones, making it difficult to draw conclusions about broader stock structure and genetic connectivity. In addition, elephant fish may comprise >1 species, as there seems to be different morphologies between Australian and New Zealand fish. This project studies the genetic connectivity of elephant fish across thei8r range to identify the number of populations and possible cryptic speciation, and the mechanisms driving these patterns.
Investigators
Adam Barnett, Christine Dudgeon and Katya Abrantes (College of Science & Engineering and The University of Queensland)
Keywords
Stock Assessment; Genetics; Connectivity; Chimaeras; Fisheries; cryptic speciation

WV Scott Charitable Trust - Research Grant

Demographics and connectivity in elephant fish: obtaining key information to preserve a poorly understood species

Indicative Funding
$157,500 over 2 years
Summary
Elephantfish reproductive aggregations are targets of commercial and recreational fisheries. Although stock structure is unknown, Australian populations are currently treated as a single stock by management. A recent study revealed limited movement between different fishing zones (Tasmania and Bass Strait), suggesting limited connectivity between regions. However, some individuals moved between zones, making it difficult to draw conclusions about broader stock structure and genetic connectivity. In addition, elephantfish may comprise >1 species, as there seems to be different morphologies between Australian and New Zealand fish. This project studies the genetic connectivity of elephantfish across their range to identify the number of populations and possible cryptic speciation, and the mechanisms driving these patterns.
Investigators
Adam Barnett, Christine Dudgeon and Katya Abrantes (College of Science & Engineering and The University of Queensland)
Keywords
Stock Assessment; Connectivity; Fisheries; Genetics; Chimaeras; Cryptic Species

Ecological Society of Australia - Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment

Assessing the roles of batoids in coastal sandflats

Indicative Funding
$6,750 over 1 year
Summary
This project will develop and implement innovative data collection methods using drone technology to assess the roles of batoids in coastal sandflats. Specifically, we will be developing methods to map the locations of batoid feeding pits, calculate the volume of sediment turned over, and gain detailed behavioural observations. Results from this research will highlight the important roles batoids play in coastal sandflats and provide a useful tool for assessing the foraging impacts of batoids on sandflats that can be applied on a global scale. Additionally, we will determine if feeding pit counts can be used to estimate the abundance of batoids on a sandflat. If successful, this technique has broad application potential for monitoring batoid populations which will be vital for their conservation.
Investigators
Kevin Crook, Adam Barnett, Marcus Sheaves and Katya Abrantes (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords
Batoids; Foraging ecology; Bioturbation; Behaviour; Mapping; Drones
Supervision

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.

Current
  • Drivers of Migration and Habitat use of Marine Predators: Forecasting how Anthropogenic Disturbances might Destabilize Migration and Habitat use Patterns (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Completed
Collaboration

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.

  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

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