JCU > Research Portfolio > Dr Robert Coles

About

Research Disciplines: Environmental Science and Management (0502)

Ecology (0602)

Ecological Applications (0501)
Socio-Economic Objectives: Ecosystem Assessment and Management (9605)

Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)

Honours

Fellowships

1996 - Churchill Fellow

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

Grech A, Hanert E, McKenzie L, Rasheed M, Thomas C, Tol S, Wang M, Waycott M, Wolter J and Coles R (2018) Predicting the cumulative effect of multiple disturbances on seagrass connectivity. Global Change Biology, 24 (7). pp. 3093-3104
Tol S, Jarvis J, York P, Grech A, Congdon B and Coles R (2017) Long distance biotic dispersal of tropical seagrass seeds by marine mega-herbivores. Scientific Reports, 7. pp. 1-8
York P, Smith T, Coles R, McKenna S, Connolly R, Irving A, Jackson E, McMahon K, Runcie J, Sherman C, Sullivan B, Trevathan-Tackett S, Brodersen K, Carter A, Ewers C, Lavery P, Roelfsema C, Sinclair E, Strydom S, Tanner J, van Dijk K, Warry F, Waycott M and Whitehead S (2017) Identifying knowledge gaps in seagrass research and management: an Australian perspective . Marine Environmental Research, 127. pp. 163-172
Grech A, Wolter J, Coles R, McKenzie L, Rasheed M, Thomas C, Waycott M and Hanert E (2016) Spatial patterns of seagrass dispersaland settlement. Diversity and Distributions, 22 (11). pp. 1150-1162
Sheaves M, Coles R, Dale P, Grech A, Pressey R and Waltham N (2016) Enhancing the value and validity of EIA: serious science to protect Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Conservation Letters, 9 (5). pp. 377-383
Tol S, Coles R and Congdon B (2016) Dugong dugon feeding in tropical Australian seagrass meadows: implications for conservation planning. PeerJ, 4.
Coles R, Rasheed M, McKenzie L, Grech A, York P, Sheaves M, McKenna S and Bryant C (2015) The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area seagrasses: managing this iconic Australian ecosystem resource for the future. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 153. pp. A1-A12
McKenna S, Jarvis J, Sankey T, Reason C, Coles R and Rasheed M (2015) Declines of seagrasses in a tropical harbour, North Queensland, Australia, are not the result of a single event. Journal of Biosciences, 40 (2). pp. 389-398
Rasheed M, McKenna S, Carter A and Coles R (2014) Contrasting recovery of shallow and deep water seagrass communities following climate associated losses in tropical north Queensland, Australia. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 83. pp. 491-499
Sheaves M, Brookes J, Coles R, Freckelton M, Groves P, Johnston R and Wingberg P (2014) Repair and revitalisation of Australia's tropical estuaries and coastal wetlands: opportunities and constraints for the reinstatement of lost function and productivity. Marine Policy, 47. pp. 23-38

Conference Papers

Carter A, Coles R, McKenna S and Rasheed M (2017) Spatial management tools for coastal seagrasses in Queensland, Australia. Proceedings of the Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference. 21-23 June 2017, Cairns, QLD, Australia
Rasheed M, McKenna S, Coles R and Carter A (2017) Protection of Great Barrier Reef seagrasses through innovative port industry and science research partnerships. Proceedings of the Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference. In: Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference: working with nature, 21-23 June 2017, Cairns, QLD, Australia

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 42+ research outputs authored by Dr Robert Coles from 2007 onwards.

Current Funding

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

Department of Innovation, Tourism Industry Development and the Commonwealth Games - Advance Queensland Small Business Innovation Research

Boosting coral abundance on the Great Barrier Reef - Scaling up coral restoration using innovative Symbiodinium co-culture and mass larval supply on reefs

Indicative Funding: $71,000 over 2 years (administered by Southern Cross University)
Summary: This project will supply millions of coral larvae and significantly increase the settlement and recruitment success of juvenile corals. This will rapidly replenish damaged GBR coral sites, restoring ecological functions and resilience of coral communities. Our concept will significantly increase the supply of high quality larvae of foundation corals and provide the world?s first mass production of larvae containing Symbiodinium microalgae, which will increase larval energy and settlement success and survival of newly settled corals. Innovations include coral larval restoration at larger scales (hundreds of square metres) than previous studies and pioneering front-line diagnostics to confer thermal tolerance in coral recruits. Our team includes world-leading researchers with decades of relevant experience collaborating directly with tourism and other Queensland businesses to provide cost-effective outcomes that can be commercially scaled to restore large reef areas in future.
Investigators: Katie Chartrand, Robert Coles and Alexandra Carter (TropWATER)
Keywords: Symbiodinium spp.; Coral larvae; Coral spawning; restoration; Coral reef; Great Barrier Reef

QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries - Contract Research

Green Mussel Monitoring Proposal 2017 - Weipa Plankton Sampling and Sample Processing

Indicative Funding: $64,445 over 2 years
Summary: This project will sample plankton for the presence of AGM larval DNA at two locations; Weipa Harbour, and the Amrun project site to the south of Weipa. It will meet the initial requirements of the Weipa Asian Green Mussel Surveillance Strategy. The collection will follow protocols previously used in Cairns Harbour and will rely on expertise developed by TropWATER scientists to collect, process and transport DNA material for analysis and to report the results.
Investigators: Robert Coles, Michael Rasheed and Alysha Sozou in collaboration with Carissa Reason, Lloyd Shepherd and T Sankey (TropWATER)
Keywords: Asia Green Mussel; Plankton; Survey; Biosecurity; DNA

Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales - Research Grant

The role of seagrass dispersal by marine mega-herbivores, dugong (Dugong dugon) and green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas).

Indicative Funding: $7,000 over 3 years
Summary: This project will investigate the dispersal mechanisms of tropical seagrasses and determine which mechanisms are most effective for long distance dispersal. It will examine whether marine mega-herbivores (dugongs and green sea turtles) disperse seagrass seeds through their fecal matter and whether those seeds are viable. It will determine how long seagrass fragments, created by abiotic and biotic mechanisms, remain viable and establish new meadows. This information will be used to model which seagrass meadows are at greater risk of slow recovery after a large scale loss. This recovery model will have the potential to highlight which seagrass meadows rely solely on dispersal by marine mega-herbivores for recovery.
Investigators: Samantha Tol, Brad Congdon and Robert Coles (College of Science & Engineering and TropWATER)
Keywords: tropical seagrass; Dugong (Dugong dugon); Chelonia mydas; Seagrass Dispersal; Seagrass Seed; Seagrass Fruit

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

Seagrass mapping synthesis - A resource for marine park and coastal management

Indicative Funding: $36,000 (administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
Summary: Key to understanding the desired state of Queensland seagrasses is reliable data on seagrass distribution, abundance and species composition, and how this changes through time. Also valuable is the ability to reliably 'drill' down from large-scale (World Heritage Area) to small-scale estuaries and meadows. TropWATER provides a composite map of seagrass for the GBRWHA available through E-Atlas, GBRMPA and Pangaea. However this layer has not been updated since 2010 and is missing changes from important areas and extensive new data, and provides no meadow-specific information. This project will recompile existing GIS layers, update with 2010-2015 data, and provide meadow-specific information.
Investigators: Robert Coles, Michael Rasheed and Alexandra Carter in collaboration with Skye McKenna and Leath Muller (TropWATER and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)
Keywords: Seagrass; Queensland; Management; Zoning; map; Great Barrier Reef

SeaWorld Research and Rescue Foundation Inc - Research Grant

Seagrass seed dispersal by marine mega-herbivores: Dugong dugon and Chelonia mydas

Indicative Funding: $18,500
Summary: This project will investigate whether marine mega-herbivores (dugongs and sea turtles) disperse seagrass seeds through their faecal matter after feeding and whether those seeds are viable, and whether those seeds have an increased, decreased or equal germination success rate. In addition, dugong feeding creates plant fragments and we intend to study if these are viable and can successfully settle and establish. The knowledge gained from this project will be used to investigate strategies for seagrass meadow reestablishment and the role marine mega-herbivores play in that process. We intend to model strategies for seagrass recovery and create a model which will determine which seagrass meadows are at risk, allowing for targeted management on vulnerable meadows.
Investigators: Robert Coles in collaboration with Samantha Tol and Brad Congdon (TropWATER and College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Tropical Seagrass; Dugong (Dugong dugon); Chelonia mydas; Seagrass Dispersal; Seagrass Seed; Seagrass Fruit

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

Relative Importance of Different Seagrass Re-Establishment Strategies in Tropical Queensland (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Data

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.

Tol, S. (2016) Biotic tropical seagrass seed dispersal by dugong and green sea turtles in the Great Barrier Reef. James Cook University

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.