Coral Reefs

Feature publications 
Subsistence harvesting by a small community does not substantially compromise coral reef fish assemblages
Martin et al. 2017 ​ICES Journal of Marine Science
Fisheries usually first remove large predators before switching to smaller species, causing lasting changes to fish community structure. Reef fish provide essential protein and income for many people, and the impacts of commercial and high-intensity subsistence fishing on reef fish are well documented. However, how fish communities respond to low levels of subsistence fishing using traditional techniques (fishing for food, few fishers) is less well understood.
Prioritising seascape connectivity in conservation using network analysis
Engelhard et al. 2017 ​Journal of Applied Ecology
​Connectivity is regarded globally as a guiding principle for conservation planning, but due to difficulties in quantifying connectivity, empirical data remain scarce. Lack of meaningful connectivity metrics is likely leading to inadequate representation of important biological connections in reserve networks. Identifying patterns in landscape connectivity can, theoretically, improve the design of conservation areas.
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Marine reserves help coastal ecosystems cope with extreme weather
Olds et al. 2014 ​Global Change Biology
​Natural ecosystems have experienced widespread degradation due to human activities. Consequently, enhancing resilience has become a primary objective for conservation. Nature reserves are a favored management tool, but we need clearer empirical tests of whether they can impart resilience. Catastrophic flooding in early 2011 impacted coastal ecosystems across eastern Australia. We demonstrate that marine reserves enhanced the capacity of coral reefs to withstand flood impacts.

Coral reef publications 

Rod Connolly's publications relating to coral reefs
2024
  • Griffiths LL, Williams J, Buelow CA, Tulloch VJ, Turschwell MP, Campbell MD, Harasti D,  Malcolm HA, Connolly RM, Brown CJ (2024) A data driven approach to multiple stressor impact assessment for a marine protected area network. Conservation Biology 38:e14177 (link to publication)

​2021
  • Pittman SJ, Yates KL, Bouchet PJ, Alvarest-Berastegui D, Andrefouet S, Bell SS, Berkstrom C, Bostrom C, Brown CJ, Connolly RM, Devillers R, Eggleston D, Gilby BL, Gullstrom M, Halpern BS, Hidalgo M, Holstein D, Hovel K, Huettmann F, Jackson EL, James WR, Kellner JB, Kot CY, Lecours V, Lepczyk C, Nagelkerken I, Nekson J, Olds AD, Santos RO, Scales KL, Schneider DC, Schilling HT, Simenstad C, Suthers IM, Treml EA, Wedding LM, Yates P, Young M (2021) Seascape ecology: identifying research priorities for an emerging ocean sustainability science. Marine Ecology Progress Series 663:1-29 PDF
  • ​Borland HP, Gilby BL, Henderson CJ, Leon JX, Schlacher TA, Connolly RM, Pittman SJ, Sheaves M, Olds AD (2021) The influence of seafloor terrain on fish and fisheries: a global review. Fish and Fisheries 22:707-734 ​PDF
  • Giffin AL, Brown CJ, Nalau J, Mackey BG, Connolly RM (2020) Marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation in Asia and Oceania: review of approaches and integration with marine spatial planning. Pacific Conservation Biology 27:104-117 PDF

2020
  • ​Brown CJ, Taylor W, Wabnitz CC, Connolly RM (2020) Dependency of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef’s tropical fisheries on reef-associated fish. Scientific Reports 10:17801 PDF
  • ​Lopez-Marcano S, Brown CJ, Sievers M, Connolly RM (2020) The slow rise of technology: computer vision techniques in fish population connectivity. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 31:210-217 PDF
  • Hafezi M, Sahin O, Stewart RA, Connolly RM, Mackey B, Ware D (2020) Adaptation strategies for coral reef ecosystems in Small Island Developing States: integrated modelling of local pressures and long-term climate changes. Journal of Cleaner Production 253:119864 PDF
  • Turschwell MP, Brown CJ, Pearson RM, Connolly RM (2020) China’s Belt and Road Initiative: conservation implications for threatened marine species and habitats. Marine Policy 112 103791 PDF
  • Scott N, Le D, Becken S, Connolly RM (2020) Measuring perceived beauty of the Great Barrier Reef using eye-tracking technology. Current Issues in Tourism 23:2492-2502 PDF

2019
  • Le D, Scott N, Becken S, Connolly RM (2019) Tourist’s aesthetic assessment of environmental changes, linking conservation planning to sustainable tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism  27:1477-1494 PDF
  • Becken S, Connolly RM, Chen J, Stantic B (2019) A hybrid is born: integrating collective sensing, citizen science and professional monitoring of the environment. Ecological Informatics 52:35-45 PDF

2018
  • Pearson RM, Jinks KI, Brown CJ, Schlacher TA, Connolly RM (2018) Functional changes in reef systems in warmer seas: asymmetrical effects of altered grazing by a widespread crustacean mesograzer. Science of the Total Environment 644:976-981 PDF
  • Martin TSH, Olds AD, Olalde ABH, Berkstrom C, Gilby BL, Schlacher TA, Butler IR, Yabsley NA, Zann M, Connolly RM (2018). Habitat proximity exerts opposing effects on key ecological functions. Landscape Ecology 33:1273-1286 PDF

2017
  • Bryan-Brown DN, Brown CJ, Hughes JM, Connolly RM (2017) Patterns and trends in marine population connectivity research. Marine Ecology Progress Series 585:243-256 PDF
  • Davis JP, Pitt KA, Olds AD, Harborne AR, Connolly RM (2017) Seagrass corridors and tidal state modify how fish use habitats on intertidal coral reef flats. Marine Ecology Progress Series 581:135-147 PDF
  • Becken S, Stantic B, Chen J, Alaei A, Connolly RM (2017) Monitoring the environment and human sentiment on the Great Barrier Reef: assessing the potential of collective sensing. Journal of Environmental Monitoring 203:87-97 PDF
  • Martin TSH, Connolly RM, Olds AD, Ceccarelli DM, Fenner DE, Schlacher TA, Beger M (2017). Subsistence harvesting by a small community does not substantially compromise coral reef fish assemblages. ICES Journal of Marine Science 74:2191-2200 PDF
  • Engelhard SL, Huijbers CM, Stewart-Koster B, Olds AD, Schlacher TA, Connolly RM (2017) Prioritising seascape connectivity in conservation using network analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology 54:1130-1141 PDF
  • Gilby BL, Olds AD, Connolly RM, Stevens T, Henderson CJ, Maxwell PS, Tibbetts IR, Schoeman DS, Rissik D, Schlacher TA (2016) Optimising land-sea management for inshore coral reefs. PLoS One 11(10): e0164934. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164934 PDF
  • van de Merwe JP, Lee SY, Connolly RM, Pitt KA, Steven ADL (2016) Assessing temporal and spatial trends in estuarine nutrient dynamics using a multi-species stable isotope approach. Ecological Indicators 67:338-345 PDF
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2016
  • Olds AD, Connolly RM, Pitt KA, Pittman SJ, Maxwell PS, Huijbers CM, Moore BR, Albert S, Rissik D, Babcock RC, Schlacher TA (2016) Quantifying the conservation value of seascape connectivity: a global synthesis. Global Ecology and Biogeography 25:1-13 PDF
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2015
  • Davis JP, Pitt KA, Fry B, Connolly RM (2015) Stable isotopes as tracers of residency for fish on inshore coral reefs. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 167:368-376 PDF
  • Huijbers CM, Connolly RM, Pitt KA, Schoeman DS, Schlacher TA, Burfeind DD, Steele C, Olds AD, Maxwell PS, Babcock RC, Rissik D (2015)  Conservation benefits of marine reserves are undiminished near coastal rivers and cities. Conservation Letters 8:312-319 PDF
  • Davis JP, Pitt KA, Connolly RM, Fry B (2015) Community structure and dietary pathways for invertebrates on intertidal coral reef flats. Food Webs 3:7-16 PDF
  • Martin TSH, Olds AD, Pitt KA, Johnston AB, Butler IR, Maxwell PS, Connolly RM (2015) Effective protection of fish on inshore coral reefs depends on the scale of mangrove-reef connectivity. Marine Ecology Progress Series 527:157-165 PDF
  • Nagelkerken I, Sheaves M, Baker R, Connolly RM (2015) The seascape nursery: a novel spatial approach to identify and manage nurseries for coastal marine fauna. Fish and Fisheries 16:362-371 PDF

2014
  • Davis JP, Pitt KA, Fry B, Olds AD, Connolly RM (2014) Seascape-scale trophic links for fish on inshore coral reefs. Coral Reefs 33:897-907 PDF
  • Olds AD, Pitt KA, Maxwell PS, Babcock RC, Rissik D, Connolly RM (2014) Marine reserves help coastal ecosystems cope with extreme weather. Global Change Biology 20:3050-3058. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12606 PDF
  • Olds AD, Connolly RM, Pitt KA, Maxwell PS, Aswani S, Albert S (2014) Incorporating surrogate species and seascape connectivity to improve marine conservation outcomes. Conservation Biology 28:982-991 PDF
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2013
  • Olds AD, Albert S, Maxwell PS, Pitt KA, Connolly RM (2013) Mangrove-reef connectivity promotes the effectiveness of marine reserves across the western Pacific. Global Ecology and Biogeography 22:1040-1049 PDF

2012
  • Olds AD, Pitt KA, Maxwell PS, Connolly RM (2012) Synergistic effects of reserves and connectivity on ecological resilience. Journal of Applied Ecology 49:1195-1203 PDF
  • Olds AD, Connolly RM, Pitt KA, Maxwell PS (2012) Primacy of seascape connectivity effects in structuring coral reef fish assemblages. Marine Ecology Progress Series 462:191-203 PDF
  • Olds AD, Connolly RM, Pitt KA, Maxwell PS (2012) Habitat connectivity improves reserve performance. Conservation Letters 5:56-63 PDF​