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

• BZ3755: Biodiversity and Climate Change: Impact, Mitigation and Adaptation (Level 3; TSV)
• BZ5755: Biodiversity and Climate Change: Impact, Mitigation and Adaptation (Level 5; TSV)
• 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

• Ecology (0602)
• Environmental Science and Management (0502)
• Ecological Applications (0501)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding Knowledge (9701)
• Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)
• Climate and Climate Change (9603)

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

• Bollati E, D'Angelo C, Alerdice R, Pratchett M, Ziegler M and Wiedenmann J (2020) Optical feedback loop involving dinoflagellate symbiont and Scleractinian host drives colorful coral bleaching. Current Biology, 30 (13), pp. 2433-2445, DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.055.
• Burn D, Matthews S, Caballes C, Chandler J and Pratchett M (2020) Biogeographical variation in diurnal behaviour of Acanthaster planci versus Acanthaster cf. solaris. PLoS ONE, 15 (2), Article: e0228796, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0228796.
• Chase T, Pratchett M, McWilliam M, Hein M, Tebbett S and Hoogenboom M (2020) Damselfishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals. Royal Society Open Science, 7, Article: 192074, DOI:10.1098/rsos.192074.
• Chase T, Pratchett M and Hoogenboom M (2020) Behavioral trade-offs and habitat associations of coral-dwelling damselfishes (family Pomacentridae). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 633, pp. 141-156, DOI:10.3354/meps13167.
• Cowan Z, Ling S, Caballes C, Dworjanyn S and Pratchett M (2020) Crown-of-thorns starfish larvae are vulnerable to predation even in the presence of alternative prey. Coral Reefs, 39, pp. 293-303, DOI:10.1007/s00338-019-01890-w.
• Graba-Landry A, Loffler Z, McClure E, Pratchett M and Hoey A (2020) Impaired growth and survival of tropical macroalgae (Sargassum spp.) at elevated temperatures. Coral Reefs, 339, pp. 475-486, DOI:10.1007/s00338-020-01909-7.
• McWilliam M, Pratchett M, Hoogenboom M and Hughes T (2020) Deficits in functional trait diversity following recovery on coral reefs. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences, 287, Article: 20192628, DOI:10.1098/rspb.2019.2628.
• Nowicki J, Pratchett M, Walker S, Coker D and O'Connell L (2020) Gene expression correlates of social evolution in coral reef butterflyfishes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences, 287 (1929), DOI:10.1098/rspb.2020.0239.
• Pratchett M, Messmer V and Wilson S (2020) Size‑specific recolonization success by coral‑dwelling damselfishes moderates resilience to habitat loss. Scientific Reports, 10, Article: 17016, DOI:10.1038/s41598-020-73979-0.
• Pratchett M, McWilliam M and Riegl B (2020) Contrasting shifts in coral assemblages with increasing disturbances. Coral Reefs, 39, pp. 783-793, DOI:10.1007/s00338-020-01936-4.
• Pratchett M, Caballes C, Newman S, Wilson S, Messmer V and Pratchett D (2020) Bleaching susceptibility of aquarium corals collected across northern Australia. Coral Reefs, 39, pp. 663-673, DOI:10.1007/s00338-020-01939-1.
• Westcott D, Fletcher C, Kroon F, Babcock R, Plagányi E, Pratchett M and Bonin M (2020) Relative efficacy of three approaches to mitigate Crown‑of‑Thorns Starfish outbreaks on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Scientific Reports, 10, Article: 12594, DOI:10.1038/s41598-020-69466-1.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 285+ 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

• 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)
• Interactions between fish and coral reefs: the influence of habitat degradation on fish communities (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Changes in behaviour and sociality of Chaetodon butterflyfish linked to population declines and coral loss (Masters , Primary Advisor)
• Differential susceptibility of corals to major versus routine disturbances in Australia’s Coral Sea (Masters , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• The Role of Hybridisation in the Evolution of Coral Reef Fishes (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• 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)
• 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

• Causes and consequences of natural hybridisation among coral reef butterflyfishes (Chaetodon: Chaetodontidae) (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Adaptive strategies in reef-building corals (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Vectors and environmental drivers of coral disease dynamics on the Great Barrier Reef (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Environmental influences on the reproductive biology and early life history of the crown-of-thorns starfish (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Predation on the early life stages of the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Neural and ecological basis of pair bonding in butterflyfishes (F: Chaetodontidae) (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Effects of habitat versus fisheries management on spatio-temperal variation in fish assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Effects of climate change-induced thermal stress and habitat degradation to the biodiversity and species composition of coral-associated invertebrates (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Temporal and Spatial Variation in the Growth of Branching Corals (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• The Dietary Niche in Behavioural and Community Ecology (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Spatial and Temporal Variation in Demographic Traits in the Reef Coral, Acropora Millepora, on The Great Barrier Reef (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Variation in structure and function of reef fish assemblages among distinct coral habitats (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• 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)
• Spatial, temporal and taxonomic variation in the incidence of partial mortality among reef-building corals (2015, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• 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)
• 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)

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

• 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.