Prof Morgan Pratchett has broad interests in population and community ecology of coral reef organisms, especially corals and fishes. His current research focuses on major disturbances that impact coral reef ecosystems, with a view to understanding differential responses and vulnerabilities among coral reef organisms.

Morgan has written many papers describing direct and indirect effects of coral bleaching and outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, considering impacts on both coral assemblages and associated assemblages of coral reef fishes. He has also conducted extensive research on the biology and ecology of coral reef butterflyfishes.

Teaching

• MB3190: Coral Reef Ecology (Level 3; TSV)
• MB3200: Marine Conservation Biology (Level 3; TSV)
• MB5004: Marine Conservation Biology (Level 5; TSV)
• MB5190: Coral Reef Ecology (Level 5; TSV)
• MB5400: Life History and Evolution of Reef Corals (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

• Impacts of climate change on coral reef ecosystems
• Population outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish
• Population dynamics of scleractinian corals
• Ecological versatility in coral reef fishes
• Biology and ecology of butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae)

Research Disciplines

• Ecology (3103)
• Environmental management (4104)
• Climate change impacts and adaptation (4101)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Marine systems and management (1805)

Fellowships

• 2012 - Queensland Smart Futures Fellowship
• 2011 - ACU Titular Fellowship, University of Oxford
• 2008 - Sir Keith Murdoch Fellowship, American Australian Association
• 2008 - Sir John and Laurine Proud Research Fellowship, Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation
• 2008 - Churchill Fellowship, University of Newcastle, UK

Memberships

• Australian Coral Reef Society
• Fisheries Society of the British Isles
• Recording Secretary for International Coral Reef Society

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

• Blandford M, Hillcoat K, Pratchett M and Hoey A (2023) Effects of habitat fragmentation on the recruitment and early post-settlement survival of coral reef fishes. Marine Environmental Research, 183.
• Cumming G, Adamska M, Barnes M, Barnett J, Bellwood D, Cinner J, Cohen P, Donelson J, Fabricius K, Grafton R, Grech A, Gurney G, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Hoey A, Hoogenboom M, Lau J, Lovelock C, Lowe R, Miller D, Morrison T, Mumby P, Nakata M, Pandolfi J, Peterson G, Pratchett M, Ravasi T, Riginos C, Rummer J, Schaffelke B, Wernberg T and Wilson S (2023) Research priorities for the sustainability of coral-rich western Pacific seascapes. Regional Environmental Change, 23 (2).
• Doll P, Uthicke S, Caballes C, Diaz-Pulido G, Abdul Wahab M, Jeong S, Lang B and Pratchett M (2023) Settlement cue selectivity by larvae of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish. Biology Letters, 19 (1).
• Kwong S, Villacorta Rath C, Pratchett M and Uthicke S (in press) Telomere dynamics in the Pacific crown-of-thorns seastar (Acanthaster cf. solaris): effect of age, diet, and tissue type. Coral Reefs,
• Lang B, Caballes C, Uthicke S, Doll P, Donelson J and Pratchett M (2023) Impacts of ocean warming on the settlement success and post?settlement survival of Pacific crown?of?thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris). Coral Reefs, 42. pp. 143-155
• Pacey K, Caballes C and Pratchett M (2023) Using size-weight relationships to estimate biomass of heavily targeted aquarium corals by Australia’s coral harvest fisheries. Scientific Reports, 13.
• Burn D, Matthews S, Pisapia C, Hoey A and Pratchett M (2022) Changes in the incidence of coral injuries during mass bleaching across Australia’s Coral Sea Marine Park. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 682. pp. 97-109
• Caballes C, Messmer V, Raymundo M and Pratchett M (2022) Prevalence and severity of sublethal injuries in crown-of-thorns starfish relative to marine reserves in the Great Barrier Reef. Aquatic Conservation: marine and freshwater ecosystems, 32 (6). pp. 993-1004
• Clark T, Scheuffele H, Pratchett M and Skeeles M (2022) Behavioural temperature regulation is a low priority in a coral reef fish (Plectropomus leopardus): insights from a novel behavioural thermoregulation system. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225 (18).
• Doll P, Caballes C, Hoey A, Uthicke S, Ling S and Pratchett M (2022) Larval settlement in echinoderms: a review of processes and patterns. Oceanography and Marine Biology, 60. pp. 433-494
• Jones N, Ruzicka R, Colella M, Pratchett M and Gilliam D (2022) Frequent disturbances and chronic pressures constrain stony coral recovery on Florida’s Coral Reef. Coral Reefs, 41. pp. 1665-1679
• Karkarey R, Arthur R, Nash K, Pratchett M, Sankaran M and Graham N (2022) Spatial decoupling of ? and ? diversity suggest different management needs for coral reef fish along an extensive mid-oceanic ridge. Global Ecology and Conservation, 36.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 324+ research outputs authored by Prof Morgan Pratchett from 1999 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.

Current

• Phylogenomics and Whole Genome Assembly of Marine Angelfishes: The Evolutionary History of an Iconic Reef Fish Family (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Development and Application of Novel Genetic Tools for the Investigation of Genetic Diversity and Age Structure of Crown-of-Thorns Seastar on the Great Barrier Reef (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Sub-lethal effects of coral loss and habitat degradation on coral reef fishes with specific emphasis on Chaetodon butterflyfishes (Masters , Primary Advisor)
• Assessing coral reef resilience in Malaysia (Masters , Secondary Advisor)
• The effects of marine heatwaves on phenotypic and adaptive outcomes in a marine fish (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Changes in the Biology and Behaviour of Pacific Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf.solaris) with increasing Densities and onset of Population Irruptions (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Biology and Ecology of Australian Aquarium Corals: Information needed to Secure the Sustainability of ongoing Wild Harvest of Scleractinian Corals (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Processes and patterns in larval settlement of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Dynamics of Reef-building corals along the north-western Australian coastline (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Vulnerability of coral assemblages in Australia?s coral sea marine park (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

Completed

• Modelling tools for the management of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) outbreaks on Australia?s Great Barrier Reef (2019, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Causes and consequences of natural hybridisation among coral reef butterflyfishes (Chaetodon: Chaetodontidae) (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Spatial and temporal variation in movement patterns and behaviour of a large, coral reef mesopredator, Plectropomus leopardus, on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia (2019, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• The persistence of Sargassum communities on coral reefs: resilience and herbivory (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Effects of coral-dwelling damselfishes' abundances and diversity on host coral dynamics (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Spatial and temporal variation in the demography of early-stage juvenile Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) from Australia's Great Barrier Reef (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Temperature preferences of tropical fishes and the influence of local abiotic and biotic factors (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The effect of increasing temperature on algae-fish interactions on coral reefs (2020, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Differential susceptibility of corals to major versus routine disturbances in Australia's Coral Sea (2021, Masters , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• The life-history, evolution and adaptation of coral reef fishes in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea (2023, PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Variation in structure and function of reef fish assemblages among distinct coral habitats (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Effects of habitat degradation and fragmentation on coral-associated fish assemblages (2023, PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Impacts of ocean warming on the Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) (2023, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit Research Data Australia.

• Pratchett, M. (2020) Gamete concentrations and gonad index for Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish. James Cook University
• Graba-Landry, A. (2020) Graba-Landry PhD thesis: The effect of increasing temperature to algae-fish interactions on coral reefs. James Cook University
• Burn, D. (2020) Biogeographical variation in diurnal behaviour of Acanthaster planci versus Acanthaster cf. solaris. James Cook University
• Hughes, T. (2019) Global warming impairs stock-recruitment dynamics of corals. James Cook University
• Richardson, L. (2018) PhD thesis data: Variation in structure and function of reef fish assemblages among distinct coral habitats, by Laura E. Richardson (2018). James Cook University
• Hughes, T. (2018) Global warming transforms coral reef assemblages. James Cook University
• Blowes, S. (2017) Data from: Heterospecific aggression and dominance in a guild of coral-feeding fishes: the roles of dietary ecology and phylogeny. James Cook University
• Lawton, R. (2017) Data from: High gene flow across large geographic scales reduces extinction risk for a highly specialised coral feeding butterflyfish. James Cook University
• Pratchett, M. (2017) Captive movement rates of the Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster solaris. James Cook University
• Cowan, Z. (2017) Predation on settling crown-of-thorns starfish larvae by benthic predators. James Cook University

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.