My research is on coral reef ecosystems and fisheries, which is also integrated with my teaching and research student's work.  I have overseen the Postgraduate Coursework programs in Science, particularly in Marine Biology and Fisheries Science & Management.  You can review these exciting and career changing courses here.

Research Interests:

My current and emerging research explores the drivers of coral reef and coastal ecosystem function so as to improve livelihood and food security outcomes in the Asia-Pacific. I am particularly focused on coastal and island based fishery dynamics in Indonesia and the wider Coral Triangle region.

I have substantive background in coral reef fish ecology and behaviour. I maintain my research interests in this field through several research student projects. The central theme of this research is the relationship between fish and their reefal habitats.  These relationships drive fish community responses to continued habitat degradation but also to reef restoration efforts. I am interested in exploring the patterns and processes that direct community and individual responses, and how fish assemblages in degraded ecosystems can be restored, at least in part. This has direct implications for the livelihoods of people on island and coastal communities in the Coral Triangle region.

Making a difference:

I am directly involved with leading capacity building programs for managers and researchers in Indonesia and the Coral Triangle. This focuses on a science for management approach whereby I assist researchers target their work towards the applications and outcomes necessary for attaining sustainable resource management, food security and improved livelihoods. Simultaneously I assist managers and policy makers connect to the scientific community so that policy development and its implementation can take an evidence based approach. 

 Funding:

To date, I have been successful in attracting $300k in external funding for capacity building and research programs. The most recent of these is the 2017/18 Australian Government sponsored Australia Awards Fellowship for Indonesian marine science academics. 

I am also part of the JCU-Griffith-CDU consortium that led the 2017 Australia Professional Development Program for Indonesia's Australia Award Alumni. This program was valued at over $400k.  

Students:

I am seeking Masters and PhD research students in fields of fisheries biology, coral reef ecology, ecosystem restoration and fisheries management. These projects would specifically focus on using biological and /or ecological methods to investigate and improve reef and coastal fisheries in Indonesia. Field, Lab and desktop projects are available. You will need to be adaptable, resilient and have excellent self-management skills.

Teaching

• MB3014: Managing Tropical Fisheries (Level 3; TSV)
• MB5014: Managing Tropical Fisheries (Level 5; TSV)
• MB5300: Sampling and Experimental Design (Level 5; TSV)
• MB5610: Fishing Gear and Technologies (Level 5; TSV)
• MB5620: Grand Challenges in Fisheries (Level 5; TSV)
• SC3901: Special Topic 1 (Level 3; TSV)
• SC3902: Special Topic 2 (Level 3; TSV)
• SC5009: Postgraduate Internship (Level 5; CNS & TSV)
• SC5200: Professional Employability (Level 5; CNS & TSV)
• SC5502: Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5912: Research Project (Part 1 of 2) (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5913: Research Project (Part 2 of 2) (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Professional

• Environmental management
• Teaching and Capacity Building
• Science for Management approaches
• CTI-CFF Coral Triangle Intiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security
• Indonesia - Society, Environment, History, Education, Science and Management, Language

Research

• Coral Reef Fish
• Habitat specialization
• Social behavior of animals
• Animal movement ecology
• habitat loss
• coral reef
• Fisheries
• Indonesia
• Marine Biology

Teaching

• Science communication
• Experimental ecology
• Animal behaviour
• Coral Reef Ecology
• Marine Biology
• Fisheries

Experience

• 2009 to present - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville)
• 2006 to 2011 - PhD, James Cook University (Townsville)
• 1996 to 2000 - Bachelor of Science, Biology, The University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia)
• 1996 to 2000 - Bachelor of Arts, Indonesian Studies, The University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia)

Research Disciplines

• Ecology (3103)
• Environmental management (4104)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Marine systems and management (1805)

Memberships

• 2005 - Australian Coral Reef Society Current Member

Other

• 2011 to 2014 - Treasurer and Council member, Australian 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

• Hillcoat S, Curnock M, Gardiner N and Birtles R (2021) Developing protocols for in?water morphometric measurements of cetaceans using stereo?videogrammetry. Marine Mammal Science, 37 (1), pp. 45-63, DOI:10.1111/mms.12724.
• Coppock A, González-Murcia S, Srinivasan M, Gardiner N and Jones G (2020) Different responses of coral and rubble-dwelling coral reef damselfishes (Family: Pomacentridae) to chemosensory cues from coral reef microhabitats. Marine Biology, 167, Article: 74, DOI:10.1007/s00227-020-03687-w.
• Hein M, Beeden R, Birtles A, Gardiner N, Le Berre T, Levy J, Marshall N, Scott C, Terry L and Willis B (2020) Coral restoration effectiveness: multiregional snapshots of the long-term responses of coral assemblages to restoration. Diversity, 12 (4), Article: 153, DOI:10.3390/d12040153.
• Hein M, Beeden R, Birtles R, Chase T, Couture F, Haskin E, Marshall N, Ripple K, Terry L, Willis B, Willis R, Gardiner N and (2020) Effects of coral restoration on fish communities: snapshots of long-term, multiregional responses and implications for practice. Restoration Ecology, 28 (5), pp. 1158-1171, DOI:10.1111/rec.13177.
• Rueger T, Harrison H, Buston P, Gardiner N, Berumen M and Jones G (2020) Natal philopatry increases relatedness within groups of coral reef cardinalfish: Natal philopatry increases relatedness. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences, 287 (1930), Article: 20201133, DOI:10.1098/rspb.2020.1133.
• Hein M, Birtles A, Willis B, Gardiner N, Beeden R and Marshall N (2019) Coral restoration: socio-ecological perspectives of benefits and limitations. Biological Conservation, 229, pp. 14-25, DOI:10.1016/j.biocon.2018.11.014.
• Rueger T, Harrison H, Gardiner N, Berumen M and Jones G (2019) Extra‐pair mating in a socially monogamous and paternal mouth‐brooding cardinalfish. Molecular Ecology, 28 (10), pp. 2625-2635, DOI:10.1111/mec.15103.
• Hadi T, Tuti Y, Hadiyanto , Abrar M, Suharti S, Suharsono and Gardiner N (2018) The dynamics of coral reef benthic and reef fish communities in Batam and Natuna Islands, Indonesia. Biodiversity, 19 (1-2), pp. 81-94, DOI:10.1080/14888386.2018.1473797.
• Konovalov D, Hillcoat S, Williams G, Birtles R, Gardiner N and Curnock M (2018) Individual minke whale recognition using deep learning convolutional neural networks. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 6 (5), Article: 84616, pp. 25-36, DOI:10.4236/gep.2018.65003.
• Rueger T, Gardiner N and Jones G (2018) Site fidelity facilitates pair formation in aggregations of coral reef cardinalfish. Oecologia, 186 (2), pp. 425-434, DOI:10.1007/s00442-017-4018-x.
• Buck A, Gardiner N and Boström-Einarsson L (2016) Citric acid injections: an accessible and efficient method for controlling outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster cf. solaris. Diversity, 8 (28), Article: d8040028, pp. 1-12, DOI:10.3390/d8040028.
• Coppock A, Gardiner N and Jones G (2016) Sniffing out the competition? Juvenile coral reef damselfishes use chemical cues to distinguish the presence of conspecific and heterospecific aggregations. Behavioural Processes, 125, pp. 43-50, DOI:10.1016/j.beproc.2016.02.001.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 26+ research outputs authored by Dr Naomi Gardiner from 2005 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

• Dwarf Minke Whale Morphometrics, Growth Rates and Long-term Behaviour Responses to Human Interactions in the Great Barrier Reef. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

Completed

• Social relationships in a small habitat-dependent coral reef fish: an ecological, behavioural and genetic analysis (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• The ecological state and fishing practices of coral reefs in South Buton (2018, Masters , Primary Advisor)
• Characterising the effectiveness of coral restoration to build reef resilience: a socio-ecological perspective (2019, PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Gills develop early in coral reef fishes: respiratory and ionoregulatory processes (2019, Masters , Secondary Advisor/AM)

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

• Usobiaga, A. (2019) Interactions between ecological state and fishing practices on coral reefs in South Buton, Indonesia. James Cook University
• Gardiner, N. (2018) Water quality and fringing reef condition at Putri Menjangan, West Bali, Indonesia in May 2016. 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.