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ARC DECRA award 2022—Dr Michael Sievers
Redefining success in marine ecosystem restoration

Michael will use this prestigious ARC grant to improve evaluations of marine ecosystem restoration through the measurement of key animal health metrics. This project expects to generate unique knowledge about why ecosystem restoration succeeds or fails, and improve our understanding of how animal data can better inform future restoration projects. His use of artificial intelligence will enhance our capacity to use new and efficient techniques to monitor and evaluate ecosystem restoration in a more ecologically valid way. Benefits include more effective ecosystem restoration, wildlife conservation, and the enhancement of ecosystem services including sustainable fishing and eco-tourism.
Discussion—From sharks in seagrass to manatees in mangroves, we’ve found large marine species in some surprising places

When we think of mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and saltmarshes, we don’t immediately think of shark habitats. But the first global review of links between large marine animals (megafauna) and coastal wetlands is challenging this view – and how we might respond to the biodiversity crisis.
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Read the conversation article on this research paper.
​​Coastal Wetlands Twitter Conference
See Rod's thoughts on the value of Artificial Intelligence for marine citizen science in monitoring important wetland ecosystems.
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Conference program.  Conference Review.
Keynote presentation archive.
Fish ID: Counting fish with clever cameras 
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Fish ID is a tool developed by GLOW. It uses artificial intelligence to identify and count fish, and track their movement and behaviour. It works on fixed cameras, underwater drones, and acoustic cameras for night time or murky waters. 

Video Library

Ocean predators and climate change
Top-order predator populations have cascading effects on the food web of coastal wetlands, altering the effectiveness of these enviroments as global carbon sinks.
Coastal Carbon
Working in collaboration with CSIRO, the Connolly Lab uses natural chemical traces to map the flow of carbon through food webs, and its storage and release from coastal sediments.
Spatial conservation planning
​Connectivity and linkages between marine ecosystems effects the performance of marine reserves. Spatial conservation planning provides a framework for the smart placement of conservation zones.
Sustainable Fishing - Solomon Islands
Fish are an important food source for the people of the Solomon Islands.  Chemical analysis of fish livers traced where these fish get their nutrition from.
Enhanced resilience through connectivity
​How can we build resilience in marine ecosystems?  The Connolly Lab uses a range of techniques to explore how connectivity among different components of ecosystems influences resilience. 
Vanuatu social-ecological resilience mapping
Surveys at Port Resolution, Lenakel and Northwest Whitegrass mapped the distribution and density of fish and coral relative to villages.
Resilience: as clear as mud
In this TEDx presentation at St Hilda's School, Dr Connolly talks about coastal ecosystem resilience: how you get it and how do you know when you have it?
Coastal Flood Impact
In 2011, flood waters from the Brisbane River dumped over 10 million tonnes of sediment into Moreton Bay.  ABC's Catalyst joins the Connolly Lab team to investigate the ecological impacts.