About

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)
  • MB5190: Coral Reef Ecology (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
Honours
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
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
Book Chapters
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 296+ research outputs authored by Prof Morgan Pratchett from 1999 onwards.

Current Funding

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

Ian Potter Foundation - Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation - Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Research Grants

Effective sampling of Acanthaster cf. solaris to provide early-warning of new and renewed outbreaks

Indicative Funding
$62,727 over 2 years
Summary
This project aims to develop a holistic monitoring program that will not only help to deliver an early-warning syste, but will increase the viability of culling CoTS populations even during non-outbreak periods with the ultimate goal of reducing the frequency and severity of future outbreaks. Perhaps even more importantly, this project will deliver (for the first time) spatially and temporally explicit information about the structure and dynamics of crown-of-thorns starfish within the ?initiation zone? and in the lead-up to a new population irruption, which is a critical knowledge gap that limits understanding of the initiation and causes of population outbreaks.
Investigators
Morgan Pratchett, Andrew Hoey, Ciemon Caballes, Sven Uthicke and Jason Doyle in collaboration with Peter Doll and Janai Chandler (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Australian Institute of Marine Science)
Keywords
Coral Reefs; Disturbance; Management; Monitoring

Australian Research Council - Centres of Excellence

ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies

Indicative Funding
$28,000,000 over 8 years
Summary
The overarching aim of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies is to provide the scientific knowledge necessary for sustaining ecosystem goods and services of the world's coral reefs, which support the livelihoods and food security of millions of people in the tropics. The Centre will enhance Australia's global leadership in coral reef science through three ambitious research programs addressing the future of coral reefs and their ability to adapt to change. A key outcome of the research will be providing tangible benefits to all Australians by bui8lding bridges between the natural and social sciences, strengthening capacity, and informing and supporting transformative changes in coral reef governance and management.
Investigators
Graeme Cumming, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Malcolm McCulloch, Peter Mumby, Sean Connolly, John Pandolfi, Bob Pressey, Andrew Baird, David Bellwood, Joshua Cinner, Sophie Dove, Maja Adamska, Mia Hoogenboom, Geoff Jones, Mike Kingsford, Ryan Lowe, Mark McCormick, David Miller, Philip Munday, Morgan Pratchett, Garry Russ and Tiffany Morrison in collaboration with Janice Lough, David Wachenfeld, Stephen Palumbi, Serge Planes and Philippa Cohen (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, The University of Western Australia, College of Science & Engineering, Australian National University, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Stanford University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and WorldFish)
Keywords
coral reef ecosystems; Climate Change Adaptation; ecological resilience; biodiversity goods and services; social-ecological dynamics

Great Barrier Reef Foundation - Crown-of-Thorns Control Innovation Program (CCIP)

Crown-of-thorns starfish control innovation program ? Feasibility and Design Phase (Phase 1)

Indicative Funding
$279,950 over 1 year
Summary
Recognising that manual control of COTS during outbreaks is not, on its own, an ideal long-term solution, new efforts were launched in 2016 to develop an Integrated Pest Management approach for COTS (as part of the National Environmental Science Program), led by CSIRO and involving numerous partners. This approach relies on understanding COTS distribution, movement and population dynamics, targeting critical locations and exploring new and more effective control methods. This involves both improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the current methods while also focusing efforts to better understand and manage the pre-conditioning and initiation of outbreaks. A Feasibility and Design Phase (Phase 1) is focused on assessing the feasibility (technical, social and regulatory) and modelling the benefit (impact) at scale of a broad range of possible improvements and interventions. Applying a transparent and consistent scientific framework, this Phase will lead to recommendations on priority areas that should be further investigated and developed
Investigators
Morgan Pratchett, Damien Burrows, Ciemon Caballes, Stewart Lockie and Carla Ewels (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, College of Science & Engineering and Cairns Institute)
Keywords
Coral Reef; acanthaster spp; Management; Disturbance; Monitoring

Department of the Environment and Energy - Director of National Parks - Tender

Coral Sea Marine Park Coral Reef Health Survey (2021)

Indicative Funding
$354,402 over 1 year
Summary
The Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP) covers approximately 990,000 km2 and includes over 30 individual reef systems that are surrounded by deep waters. In March 2020 extensive bleaching of corals was recorded across shallow reef habitats within the CSMP. This project will use surveys of benthic, fish and invertebrate communities to assess the impacts of the 2020 bleaching event on coral reefs within the CSMP.
Investigators
Andrew Hoey, Morgan Pratchett and Hugo Harrison (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies)
Keywords
Coral Reef; Coral Bleaching; Marine Mark Management; Reef Fish; Coral

Department of the Environment and Energy - Director of National Parks - Contract Research

Coral Sea - Coral Reef Health Multi Year Project

Indicative Funding
$45,455 over 2 years
Summary
The principal output of this project will be providing spatial and temporal analyses of hydrodynamic patterns in the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP) to facilitate planning and establishment and/or revisions of existing management plans. This project will inform patterns of connectivity and circulation flow across the broader CSMP, and between CSMP and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park using existing modelling platforms.
Investigators
Morgan Pratchett, Hugo Harrison and Severine Choukroun (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies)
Keywords
Coral Reefs; Hydrodynamic Modeling; Coral Sea Marine Park; Connectivity

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Program (NESP) - Tropical Water Quality Hub (TWQ Hub)

Innovations in COTS Control on the Great Barrier Reef

Indicative Funding
$2,900 over 1 year (administered by Reef & Rainforest Research Centre)
Summary
Innovations in COTS Control on the Great Barrier Reef. For decades, crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) research effort has been fragmented and failed to inform improvements in the effectiveness of COTS control. However, under the NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub?s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) research program, a more collaborative and targeted approach has harnessed research effort and enabled delivery of significant improvements in effectiveness and efficiency of COTS control, while also looking to develop methods for the future. Wholescale adoption of this IPM approach by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and operators is already demonstrably saving live coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).
Investigators
Suzanne Long, Frederieke Kroon, Sven Uthicke, Jason Doyle, Russ C Babcock, Morgan Pratchett and Peter Mumby in collaboration with David Logan, Paulina Kaniewska, David Westcott, Cameron Fletcher, Eva Plaganyi and Scott Condie (Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland and Parks Australia)
Keywords
Crown-of-thorns starfish; Integrated Pest Management; Great Barrier Reef

Australian Museum - Crown-of-Thorns Starfish research grants

Early detection of Crown-of-Thorns starfish recruitment using settlement traps and genetic analyses

Indicative Funding
$22,727 over 1 year
Summary
Major knowledge gaps remain around the settlement and early post-settlement stages of Crown-of-Thorns starfish (CoTS). Early detection of large settlement pulses provides our best chance to potentially stop future CoTS outbreaks. Our recent work has shown that CoTS larvae settled to our custom-built settlement traps. In order to detect settlement, genetic analyses were developed to analyse the samples. The aim is to additionally use new innovative analyses that will allow us to compare settlement rates at different time points, reefs, sites and depths. More traps will also be deployed during the next spawning season to improve our understanding of settlement preferences and test the traps as an early warning system on reefs not subject to outbreaks yet.
Investigators
Vanessa Messmer and Morgan Pratchett in collaboration with Jason Doyle and Sven Uthicke (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Australian Institute of Marine Science)
Keywords
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish; Genetic Analysis; Early detection; digital droplet PCR; settlement traps; CoTS ourbreaks

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Program (NESP) - Tropical Water Quality Hub (TWQ Hub)

Crown-of-thorns starfish: surveillance and life history

Indicative Funding
$150,000 over 3 years (administered by CSIRO)
Summary
This project supports the implementation of the NESP Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Integrated Pest Management Project's management and research strategy by i) describing ecological parameters key to parameterizing the tools underpinning the management strategy, ii) analysing existing data sets to assess management performance and describe the interaction between CoTS and bleaching, and , iii) scoping new technologies and surveillance strategies for detecting and monitoring primary and secondary outbreaks. The work will involve a combination of field ecological research, statistical analysis of existing data, technology and strategy development (the latter through workshops) and inform decision making through incorporation into decision support tools and recommendations.
Investigators
David Westcott and Morgan Pratchett in collaboration with Cameron Fletcher, Russ C Babcock, Frederieke Kroon, Sven Uthicke, Jason Doyle, Charlotte Johansson, Vanessa Messmer, Peter Mumby and Pascal Craw (Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Institute of Marine Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and The University of Queensland)
Keywords
Coral Reefs; Management; Disturbance; Surveillance; Biology; Acanthaster

Department of the Environment and Energy - Director of National Parks - Tender

Coral Reef Health in the Coral Sea Marine Park

Indicative Funding
$968,346 over 2 years
Summary
A number of coral reefs occur in the Australian Marine Parks estate, particularly within the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP). In 2016 and 2017, coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and CSMP were impacted by a mass global coral bleaching event. Regular surveys of coral bleaching and associated reef health in the CSMP are needed to inform future marine park management over the next three years to either enable comparisons against historical baselines where bleaching has previously occurred, or set new baselines for areas that aren?t bleached but may be in the future.
Investigators
Morgan Pratchett, Andrew Hoey, Hugo Harrison, Andrew Baird, Tom Bridge, Daniela Ceccarelli and Jean-Paul Hobbs (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Curtin University of Technology)
Keywords
Coral Reefs; Monitoring; Coral Bleaching; Coral Sea Marine Park

Department of the Environment and Energy - National Environmental Science Program (NESP) - Tropical Water Quality Hub (TWQ Hub)

Implementation of the Crown of Thorn Starfish research strategy: regional strategies

Indicative Funding
$85,000 over 3 years (administered by CSIRO)
Summary
Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS) management requires decisions be made about where to invest control effort in order to achieve regional scale objectives, e.g. to modify COTRS spread or to facilitate coral recovery. However, no objective basis for choosing sites exists, beyond their economic importance, meaning that achieving these important goals is largely left to chance. This project will leverage past and current research to develop a decision support framework to assist in prioritizing reefs for control and for assessing alternative strategies by integrating the full range of ecological and management information available. Field and desktop research will also be conducted to fill critical knowledge gaps and to assess the prospects of new control technologies.
Investigators
David Westcott and Morgan Pratchett in collaboration with Peter Mumby, Cameron Fletcher, Russ C Babcock, Karlo Hock, Scott Condie, Rebecca Gorton, Eva Plaganyi-Lloyd, Lone Hoj, Maria Byrne, Frederieke Kroon, P Costello, Sven Uthicke, Jason Doyle, Frances Patel, Robin Beaman and Matthew Dunbabin (Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, The University of Queensland, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australian Institute of Marine Science, The University of Sydney, College of Science & Engineering and Queensland University of Technology)
Keywords
Acanthaster; Great Barrier Reef; Integrated Pest Management; Tagging; Movement; Field surveys

Fisheries Research & Development Corporation - Annual Competitive Round

Establishing baselines and assessing vulnerability of commercially harvested corals across northern Australia

Indicative Funding
$384,300 over 5 years (administered by JCU)
Summary
This project is critically important to provide necessary data on the distribution, abundance and biology of commonly harvested corals across northern Australia, both to ensure that current harvest levels and practices are sustainable and address legislative requirements for harvesting and exporting species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Investigators
Morgan Pratchett and Vanessa Messmer in collaboration with Stephen Newman (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and WA Department of Fisheries)
Keywords
Corals; aquarium fishery; Stock Assessment; Population Structure; Vulnerability

Australian Museum - Crown-of-Thorns Starfish research grants

Distribution, abundance and reproductive behaviour of non-outbreak populations of Acanthaster cf. solaris

Indicative Funding
$23,004 over 1 year
Summary
This project will investigate the relative importance of diet regime and reproductive effort on the overall health of the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish. The aim is to determine the underlying causes and mechanisms that lead to population crashes among COTS at the end of major outbreaks, filling the knowledge gap on what naturally regulates abundance of COTS. This will provide valuable data that will be of great help to the selection of areas to be controlled, thereby increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of control activities, ultimately assisting in the management of this species and preventing coral loss.
Investigators
Morgan Pratchett and Andrew Hoey (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies)
Keywords
Acanthaster cf. solaris (Acanthasteridae; Management; distu7rbance; Surveillance; Biology
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
  • Interactions between fish and coral reefs: the influence of habitat degradation on fish communities (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
  • 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)
  • Changes in behaviour and sociality of Chaetodon butterflyfish linked to population declines and coral loss (Masters , Primary Advisor)
  • Effective Sampling of Acanthaster cf.Solaris to provide early Warning of New and Renewed Outbreaks (Masters , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
  • The Role of Hybridisation in the Evolution of Coral Reef Fishes (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
  • Identifying key indicators to quantify ecological recovery and adaptation of coral reefs across space and time (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
  • Vulnerability and Resilience of Coral Assemblages in Australia's CoralSea Marine Park (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
  • The Effect of Ocean Warming on the Behaviour and Fitness of Post-settlement Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) (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)
  • Dynamics of Reef-building corals along the north-western Australian coastline (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • The effects of macroalgal stands on coral demographics on the GBR (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • The Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Macroalgal Assemblages on Coral Reefs (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
  • Habitat suitability and patterns of larval settlement for crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) in the western Pacific (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Completed
Data

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

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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