Exploring the Role of Novel Coral Nursery Infrastructure as Fish Habitat on the Great Barrier Reef

Gillette, Gemma M

Exploring the Role of Novel Coral Nursery Infrastructure as Fish Habitat on the Great Barrier Reef

Gillette, Gemma M

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2024

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Gillette, Gemma M
dc.date.accessioned	2025-06-29T22:05:00Z
dc.date.available	2025-06-29T22:05:00Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/187982
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Science.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	Reef ecosystems face increasing pressures in the Anthropocene, necessitating innovative management strategies to maintain their health and resilience. Coral nurseries, widely used for reef restoration, primarily focus on growing coral biomass for transplantation. However, their potential to serve as artificial habitats supporting diverse fish assemblages, which are critical for reef ecosystem functioning, remains largely unexplored. Fish assemblages contribute to the health and resilience of coral reefs by providing ecological services, yet their interactions with coral nurseries and their influence on nursery management practices have received limited attention. This thesis investigates the role of coral nursery infrastructure in providing habitat for fish assemblages and examines how these assemblages, in turn, support nursery practices. Through a series of studies conducted within an active reef restoration program, The Coral Nurture Program, this research focuses on coral nurseries used in reef restoration activities on the Great Barrier Reef, particularly at high-value reef sites that serve as primary tourism destinations. By considering coral nurseries as multi-use structures, this work aims to expand their application from solely growing coral biomass to offering broader ecological benefits, including habitat provision and enhanced restoration outcomes. The findings aim to support the integration of fish-coral interactions into nursery management practices, advancing the development of holistic approaches to reef restoration.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US.UTF-8
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/187982/1/thesis.pdf
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	© 2024 Gemma M Gillette
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/cph
dc.title	Exploring the Role of Novel Coral Nursery Infrastructure as Fish Habitat on the Great Barrier Reef	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

Reef ecosystems face increasing pressures in the Anthropocene, necessitating innovative management strategies to maintain their health and resilience. Coral nurseries, widely used for reef restoration, primarily focus on growing coral biomass for transplantation. However, their potential to serve as artificial habitats supporting diverse fish assemblages, which are critical for reef ecosystem functioning, remains largely unexplored. Fish assemblages contribute to the health and resilience of coral reefs by providing ecological services, yet their interactions with coral nurseries and their influence on nursery management practices have received limited attention. This thesis investigates the role of coral nursery infrastructure in providing habitat for fish assemblages and examines how these assemblages, in turn, support nursery practices. Through a series of studies conducted within an active reef restoration program, The Coral Nurture Program, this research focuses on coral nurseries used in reef restoration activities on the Great Barrier Reef, particularly at high-value reef sites that serve as primary tourism destinations. By considering coral nurseries as multi-use structures, this work aims to expand their application from solely growing coral biomass to offering broader ecological benefits, including habitat provision and enhanced restoration outcomes. The findings aim to support the integration of fish-coral interactions into nursery management practices, advancing the development of holistic approaches to reef restoration.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/187982