JCU > Research Portfolio > Dr Vanessa Messmer

About

Research Disciplines: Ecology (0602)

Ecological Applications (0501)

Environmental Science and Management (0502)
Socio-Economic Objectives: Expanding Knowledge (9701)

Ecosystem Assessment and Management (9605)

Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)

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

Wilmes J, Hoey A, Messmer V and Pratchett M (in press) Incidence and severity of injuries among juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs,
Raby G, Messmer V, Tobin A, Hoey A, Jutfelt F, Sundin J, Cooke S and Clark T (2018) Swim for it: effects of simulated fisheries capture on the post-release behaviour of four Great Barrier Reef fishes. Fisheries Research, 206. pp. 129-137
Wilmes J, Caballes C, Cowan Z, Hoey A, Lang B, Messmer V and Pratchett M (2018) Contributions of pre- versus post-settlement processes to fluctuating abundance of crown-of-thorns starfishes ( Acanthaster spp.). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 135. pp. 332-345
Almany G, Planes S, Thorrold S, Berumen M, Bode M, Saenz-Agudelo P, Bonin M, Frisch A, Harrison H, Messmer V, Nanninga G, Priest M, Srinivasan M, Sinclair-Taylor T, Williamson D and Jones G (2017) Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1 (6). pp. 1-4
Clark T, Messmer V, Tobin A, Hoey A and Pratchett M (2017) Rising temperatures may drive fishing-induced selection of low-performance phenotypes. Scientific Reports, 7.
Cowan Z, Pratchett M, Messmer V and Ling S (2017) Known predators of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.) and their role in mitigating, if not preventing, population outbreaks. Diversity, 9 (1). pp. 1-19
Harrison H, Pratchett M, Messmer V, Saenz-Agudelo P and Berumen M (2017) Microsatellites reveal genetic homogeneity among outbreak populations of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Diversity, 9 (1).
Messmer V, Pratchett M and Chong-Seng K (2017) Variation in incidence and severity of injuries among crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Diversity, 9 (1).
Messmer V, Pratchett M, Hoey A, Tobin A, Coker D, Cooke S and Clark T (2017) Global warming may disproportionately affect larger adults in a predatory coral reef fish. Global Change Biology, 23 (6). pp. 2230-2240
Pratchett M, Caballes C, Wilmes J, Matthews S, Mellin C, Sweatman H, Nadler L, Brodie J, Thompson C, Hoey J, Bos A, Byrne M, Messmer V, V. Fortunato S, Chen C, Buck A, Babcock R and Uthicke S (2017) Thirty years of research on crown-of-thorns starfish (1986-2016): scientific advances and emerging opportunities. Diversity, 9 (4).
Pratchett M, Cowan Z, Nadler L, Caballes C, Hoey A, Messmer V, Fletcher C, Westcott D and Ling S (2017) Body size and substrate type modulate movement by the western Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster solaris. PLoS ONE, 12 (9).
Pratchett M, Cameron D, Donelson J, Evans L, Frisch A, Hobday A, Hoey A, Marshall N, Messmer V, Munday P, Pears R, Pecl G, Reynolds A, Scott M, Tobin A, Tobin R, Welch D and Williamson D (2017) Effects of climate change on coral grouper (Plectropomus spp.) and possible adaptation options. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 27. pp. 297-316

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 29+ research outputs authored by Dr Vanessa Messmer from 2005 onwards.

Current Funding

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

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
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

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

Microhabitat preferences and post-settlement demography for juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS)

Indicative Funding: $35,717
Summary: We will document fine-scale (within reef) variation in the abundance of juvenile (0+ year old) CoTS and relate patterns of abundance to specific features of the local habitat (e.g., depth and aspect) and micro-habitat (eg., cover of different coralline algae and corals) to further refine where to find newly settled CoTS. In areas with high settlement of CoTS, we will also quantify early post-settlement growth and mortality for a single cohort of CoTS, by measuring the local abundance and size structure of juvenile CoTS at selected locations through the course of 1 year.
Investigators: Morgan Pratchett, Jennifer Wilmes, Andrew Hoey and Vanessa Messmer (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies)
Keywords: Acanthaster; Demography; Settlement; Disturbance; Coral Reefs

Australian Museum - Crown-of-Thorns Starfish research grants

Settlement collectors as an early warning system for outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish

Indicative Funding: $25,000
Summary: The purpose of this project is to quantify patterns of larval settlement using purpose-built settlement collectors. If effective, this will provide an early warning system to forewarn of new or continued outbreaks up to 18 months before increased densities of Acanthaser sp. Are typically detected within reef habitats. This research will not only help to target current control efforts but help to establish when and where COTS actually settle (ie preferred settlement habitats) which will facilitate improved predictions about the distribution and spread of starfish across the Great Barrier Reef.
Investigators: Morgan Pratchett and Vanessa Messmer (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies)
Keywords: Acanthaster; Crown-of-Thorns Starfish; Settlement; Disturbance; Management; Genetics

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

Updated review of research and monitoring in Australia's Commonwealth Marine Reserves relating to natural values

Indicative Funding: $40,821 over 2 years
Summary: Review and summarise all information (including scientific literature, technical reports and other relevant outputs of scientific research and monitoring) relevant to Australia?s Commonwealth Marine Reserves (CMRs). Relevance to CMRs will be assessed on the basis of geographic overlapping with CMR boundaries and adjacent areas and relevance (eg connectivity) to the CMRs'values, including any literature that links uses or pressures to natural values. All information will be incorporated into an updated CMR research database for the Australian Director of National Parks.
Investigators: Andrew Hoey, Morgan Pratchett and Vanessa Messmer (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies)
Keywords: Commonwealth Marine Reserves; Tropical Reef; Temperate Reef; Resource Management; Ecosystem Health

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

Modelling tools for the management of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) outbreaks on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Spatial Variation in the Density and Demography of Newly Settled Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris). (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

Predation on the early life stages of the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) (2017, 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.

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

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.