Dr Neil Hutchinson co-ordinates the Bachelor of Business and Environmental Science program at JCU and is based at our Singapore Campus. 

His main, continuing, research objectives lie in the examination of interactions between species in intertidal and shallow coastal marine systems and how such relationships are influenced by environmental factors.  His research focuses on how fish utilise coastal habitats, such as mangroves and seagrass beds, and he is currently examining the ecology of mesopredators such as bamboo sharks.    

Since completing his PhD in Marine Ecology in Hong Kong in 2000, Neil worked at a wide range of institutions including universities, government research laboratories and NGO’s, providing research services and information to a variety of stakeholders. He  advocates research  that has direct implications for conservation biology and fisheries management.

Potential PhD projects in Singapore include:

Assessing marine fish habitat utilisation around a "future city"

Singapore has developed rapidly over the last 50 years, and has become a regional icon in relation to land based development.  This has inevitably led to the loss and fragmentation of coastal marine habitats.  Current understanding of how this has impacted wild marine fish populations around Singapore is minimal.  This project will examine the population structure and movement patterns of fish species found in Singapore waters.  A range of techniques will be utilised that may include acoustic tracking, underwater video systems, and potentially novel genetic tools.  An important project outcome will be the provision of information to resource managers. Would suit an applicant who is highly motivated and has completed Honours, Masters or appropriate Postgraduate research training in fisheries science and marine ecology or an associated field.  Familiarity with acoustic telemetry, BRUVs or population genetics would be an advantage, but overall an acute desire to develop more skills is vital.  The candidate should be field competent and happy working on boats as well as in laboratory situations.

Sentinels in tropical aquaculture: tracking individual behaviour to improve farming practices

Over 50% of fisheries production in Southeast Asia is from aquaculture, amounting to over US$17 billion per year.  Automation will enable the industry to develop more sustainable practices, reducing environmental impacts and costs while improving the quality of fisheries products. This project will focus on how the behaviour of individual, sentinel, animals in an aquaculture system can be used to understand the behaviour of the broader population. Animal tracking technologies will be used in real-life situations in commercial farms. This information will enable the development of rapid adaptive management strategies, to maximise animal condition and production. Would suit an applicant who is highly motivated and has completed Honours, Masters or appropriate Postgraduate research training in Aquaculture, Marine Science or an associated field.  Familiarity with acoustic telemetry and analysis would be an advantage.  The candidate should be keen to work in field and laboratory situations and should possess a positive and open approach to communication that would enable them to work closely with non-academic partners.

For more details on these projects, or to discuss other research interests, please contact Dr Hutchinson via email. For more details on current projects see this link.

Teaching

• BS1007: Introduction to Biodiversity (Level 1; SIN)
• BS5460: Fundamentals of Ecology (Level 5; TSV)
• MB3200: Marine Conservation Biology (Level 3; SIN)
• MB5001: Tropical Marine Ecology and Coastal Impacts (Level 5; TSV)
• SC3901: Special Topic 1 (Level 3; SIN)
• SC5901: Special Topic 1 (Level 5; SIN)
• SC5902: Special Topic 2 (Level 5; SIN)

Research Disciplines

• Ecology (3103)

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

• Warren-Rhodes K, Cabrol N, Phillips M, Tebes-Cayo C, Kalaitzis F, Ayma D, Demergasso C, Chong-Diaz G, Lee K, Hinman N, Rhodes K, Boyle L, Bishop J, Hofmann M, Hutchinson N, Javiera C, Moersch J, Mondro C, Nofke N, Parro V, Rodriguez C, Sobron P, Sarazzain P, Wettergreen D, Zacny K and the SETI Institute NAI Team (in press) Orbit-to-ground framework to decode and predict biosignature patterns in terrestrial analogues. Nature Astronomy,
• Clark-Shen N, Chin A, Arunrugstichai S, Labaja J, Mizrahi M, Simeon B and Hutchinson N (in press) Status of Southeast Asia's marine sharks and rays. Conservation Biology,
• Ng T, Lau S, Davies M, Stafford R, Seuront L, Hutchinson N, Hui T and Williams G (2021) Behavioural repertoire of high-shore littorinid snails reveals novel adaptations to an extreme environment. Ecology and Evolution, 11 (12). pp. 7114-7124
• Han G, Cartwright S, Ganmanee M, Chan B, Adzis K, Hutchinson N, Wang J, Hui T, Williams G and Dong Y (2019) High thermal stress responses of Echinolittorina snails at their range edge predict population vulnerability to future warming. Science of the Total Environment, 647. pp. 763-771
• Benzeev R, Hutchinson N and Friess D (2017) Quantifying fisheries ecosystem services of mangroves and tropical artificial urban shorelines. Hydrobiologia, 803 (1). pp. 225-237
• Arakaki S, Hutchinson N and Tokeshi M (2014) Foraging ecology of a large opportunistic predator (adult Lateolabrax latus) on a temperate-subtropical rocky shore. Coastal Ecosystems, 1. pp. 14-27
• Hutchinson N, Jenkins G, Brown A and Smith T (2014) Variation with depth in temperate seagrass-associated fish assemblages in Southern Victoria, Australia. Estuaries and Coasts, 37 (4). pp. 801-814
• Pecl G, Ward T, Doubleday Z, Clarke S, Day J, Dixon C, Frusher S, Gibbs P, Hobday A, Hutchinson N, Jennings S, Jones K, Li X, Spooner D and Stoklosa R (2014) Rapid assessment of fisheries species sensitivity to climate change. Climatic Change, 127 (3). pp. 505-520
• Doubleday Z, Clarke S, Li X, Pecl G, Ward T, Battaglene S, Frusher S, Gibbs P, Hobday A, Hutchinson N, Jennings S and Stoklosa R (2013) Assessing the risk of climate change to aquaculture: a case study from south-east Australia. Aquaculture Environment Interactions , 3 (2). pp. 163-175
• Smith T, Jenkins G and Hutchinson N (2012) Seagrass edge effects on fish assemblages in deep and shallow habitats. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 115. pp. 291-299
• Hutchinson N and Rhodes K (2010) Home range estimates for squaretail coralgrouper, Plectropomus areolatus (Rüppell 1830). Coral Reefs, 29 (2). pp. 511-519
• Hutchinson N, Davies M, Ng J and Williams G (2007) Trail following behaviour in relation to pedal mucus production in the intertidal gastropod Monodonta labio (Linnaeus). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 349 (2). pp. 313-322

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 20+ research outputs authored by Dr Neil Hutchinson 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

• Life history, ecology and fisheries impact on Carcharhinus sealei and Carcharhinus tjutjot: implications for conservation and management (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• Conservation biology of wedgefishes (Family Rhinidae) and giant guitarfishes (Family Glaucostegidae) (2022, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

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.