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A/Prof Ross Coleman - Director

Ross Coleman

Centre for Research on Ecological Impacts of Coastal Cities
Room 101, Old Geology Building, A11
University of Sydney
Sydney, New South Wales 2006
AUSTRALIA

Telephone: +61 (0)2 9351 2590
Fax: +61 (0)2 9351 6713
Email:

Biography & Research Interests

I am based in the Centre for Research in Ecological Impacts of Coastal Cities. My personal research interests could be summarised as the ecology of defence, particularly inducible defences which are mobilised by the threat of an attack or the attack itself. Predator-prey relationships are often considered a key part of ecosystem processes. I am interested in fundamental questions such as what constitutes a signal between a predator and its food items and how the signal receiver, as well as the emitter, should respond to these signals. As many induced defences incur a cost in either energy expended or lost feeding opportunities, a prey/food organism should only activate defences when needed. It is important to identify these, as yet unknown, signals in an ecological setting before trying to establish general patterns. Responses to these signals can be behavioural, such as hiding from predators; physiological, such as increasing the level of noxious chemicals in the tissues of potential food/prey organisms; or they can be structural such as growing a thicker shell. The organisms I have used in developing experimental tests of hypotheses developed from these ideas include barnacles, limpets and seaweeds.

My other interests are marine conservation and human impacts on the intertidal. Sarah Carless, my PhD student at Plymouth, has discovered that recreational use of rocky shores does indeed reduce feeding by an ecologically important predator (the oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus), but these birds recover very quickly. So less frequent human activities on the shore are unlikely to mean these birds are deprived of food. Recreational fishing may also have an indirect effect on the marine environment. In the UK, there is a recently developed informal fishery for moulting Carcinus maenas (an intertidal crab which is invasive here in Australia) for use as bait by anglers. Emma Sheehan (another of my PhD students at Plymouth) is currently trying to understand the impact of this fishery on crab populations, the benthic infauna of estuaries and on feeding birds. Initial results show that estuaries which are fished for C. maenas seem to have higher densities of these crabs. Closing marine fisheries is a well established tool for marine conservation all over the world, but the success or otherwise of these closures is often justified in terms of fishery benefits or in terms of conservation value, a less tangible output. It is often difficult to persuade legislators and the general public of the need to conserve an environment they haven't seen or can fully engage in. With colleagues in Plymouth, I am attempting to put conservation of marine habitats such as seagrass beds and rocky subtidal reefs into a socio-economic framework by developing costed ecological goods and services (as well as fisheries benefits, the economic benefits derived from no-take angling, divers and the tourism infrastructure which that support them can be fully costed) in monetary terms. This will better inform stakeholders and enable less contentious decision making.

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Research Output

Liversage, K., Cole, V.C., McQuaid, C.D. & Coleman, R.A. (2012) Intercontinental tests of the effects of habitat patch-type and position within patches on the distributions of chitons in intertidal landscapes. Marine Biology. doi: 10.1007/s00227-012-2038-y

Coleman, R.A. (2012) Using Response-Ratios to Tests of Physiological Hypotheses in Field Experiments. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 428, 1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2012.06.001

Poore, A.G.B., Campbell, A.H., Coleman, R.A., Edgar, G.J., Jormalainen, V., Reynolds, P.L., Sotka, E.E., Stachowicz, J.J., Taylor, R.B., Vanderklift, M.A. & Duffy, J.E. (2012) Global patterns in the impact of marine herbivores on benthic primary producers. Ecology Letters 15, 912-922. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01804.x

Sheehan, E.V., Attrill, M.J., Thompson, R.C. & Coleman, R.A. (2012) Changes in shorebird behaviour and distribution associated with an intertidal crab fishery. Aquatic Conservation doi: 10.1002/aqc.2261

Thompson EL, Taylor DA, Nair SV, Birch G, Coleman RA, Raftos DA. (2012) Optimal acclimation periods for the bioindicator species, Saccostrea glomerata, for use in laboratory-based analyses. Journal of Molluscan Studies 78, 304-307 doi:10.1093/mollus/eys012

Marzinelli, E.M., Underwood, A.J. & Coleman, R.A. (2012) Modified habitats change ecological processes affecting a non-indigenous epibiont. Marine Ecology Progress Series 446, 110-120; doi: 10.3354/meps09472

Ghedini, G., Klein, J.C. & Coleman, R.A. (2011) Potential effects of storm-water run-off on assemblages of mobile invertebrates. Marine Ecology Progress Series 439, 169-180 doi: 10.3354/meps09307

Matias, M.G., Underwood, A.J., Hochuli, D.F. & Coleman, R.A. (2011) Habitat-identity influences species-area relationships in heterogeneous habitats. Marine Ecology Progress Series 437, 135-145 doi: 10.3354/meps09273

Mayer-Pinto, M., Underwood, A.J., Coleman, R.A. & Tolhurst, T. (2011) Effects of Zinc on biofilm and benthic assemblages on intertidal and sub-tidal habitats. Biofouling 27, 721-727; http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08927014.2011.600448

Marzinelli, E.M., Underwood, A.J. & Coleman, R.A. (2011) Modified habitats influence an invasive species via direct and indirect effects. PLoS ONE 6, e21936

Hoskin, M.G, Coleman, R.A., von Carlshausen, E. & Davis, C. (2011) Rapid population level responses to the closure of a lobster fishery via a no-take zone. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 68, 185-200

Mayer-Pinto, M. Underwood, A.J., Tolhurst, T.J. & Coleman, R.A. (2010) Effects of metals on assemblages: what do we really know. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 391, 1-9

Fraser, C.M.L., Coleman, R.A. & Klein, J.C. (2010) Up or down? Limpet orientation on steeply sloped substrata. Aquatic Biology 11, 91-98

Sheehan, E.V., Coleman, R.A., Thompson, R.C. & Attrill, M.J. (2010) Crab-tiling reduces the diversity of estuarine infauna. Marine Ecology Progress Series 411, 137-148

Moreira, F., Browne, M.A & Coleman, R.A. (2010) An ecological experimental framework for investigating and managing discharges from buildings using seawater as a coolant. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 6, 503-505.

Coleman, R.A. (2010) Limpet aggregation does not alter desiccation in the limpet Cellana tramoserica. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 386, 113-118. doi: 0.1016/j.jembe.2010.02.011

Sheehan, E.V., Coleman, R.A., Attrill, M.J. & Thompson, R.C. (2010) A quantitative assessment of the response of mobile estuarine fauna to crab-tiles. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 387, 68-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2010.02.008

Matias, M.G., Underwood, A.J., Hochuli, D.F. & Coleman, R.A. (2010) Independent effects of patch-size and structural complexity on diversity of benthic assemblages. Ecology 91, 1908 – 1915 doi: 10.1890/09-1083

Matias, M.G., Underwood, A.J. & Coleman, R.A. (2010) Effects of structural diversity and identity of patches of habitat on diversity of benthic assemblages. Austral Ecology 35, 743–751 doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2009.02081.x

Simpson, S.J. Raubenheimer, D., Charleston, M.A., Clissold, F.J., Couzin, I.D., Clements, K.D., Coleman, R.A., Dussutour, A., Foley, W.J., Forbey, J.S., Glaze, E., Gordon, I.J, Hanan, J., Hochuli, D.F., Kearney, M.R., McArthur, C., Pile, A.J. , Poore, A.G.B., Sword, G.A. & Wallis, I.J. (2010) Modelling nutritional interactions: From individuals to communities. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 25, 53-60

Sheehan, E.V., Thompson, R.C., Coleman, R.A. & Attrill, M.J. (2008) Positive feedback fishery: Population consequences of ‘crab-tiling’ on the green crab Carcinus maenas. Journal of Sea Research 60, 303-309

Coleman, R.A. (2008) Over-Estimations of Food Abundance: Predator Responses to Prey Aggregation. Ecology 89, 1777-1783

and C. McArthur (Submitted). "Induction of chemical defences in response to browsing: Effects of artificial and natural browsing by introduced Rusa deer on the eucalypt Corymbia gummifera." Oecologia.

Matias, M., A. J. Underwood and R. A. Coleman (In Press). "Effects of structural diversity and identity of components of habitat on diversity of benthic assemblages." Austral Ecology.

Coleman, R.A. (Accepted 13/2/2008) Over-Estimations of Food Abundance: Predator Responses to Prey Aggregation. Ecology

Coleman, R. A. (2010). "Limpet aggregation does not alter dessication in the limpet Cellan tramoserica." Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 386: 113-118.

Coleman, R.A. & Hockey, P.A.R. (In Press, Accepted 14/3/2007) Effects of an alien invertebrate species and wave action on prey selection by African Black Oystercatchers ( Haematopus moquini ). Austral Ecology

Gilbey, V., Attrill, M.J. & Coleman, R.A. (2008) Juvenile Chinese mitten crabs ( Eriocheir sinensis ) in the Thames Estuary: distribution, movement and competitive interactions with the native crab Carcinus maenas . Biological Invasions 10, 67-77. Doi:10.1007/s10530-007-9110-4

Spooner, E.A., Coleman, R.A. & Attrill, M.J. (2007) Sex differences in body morphology and multi-trophic interactions involving the foraging behaviour of the crab Carcinus maenas . Marine Ecology: An Evolutionary Perspective 28, 394-403

Matias, M.G., Underwood, A.J. & Coleman, R.A. (2007) Interactions of components of habitats alter composition and variability of assemblages. Journal of Animal Ecology 76, 986-994

Foggo, A., Higgins, S., Wargent, J.J & Coleman, R.A. (2007) Tri-trophic consequences of UV-B exposure: plants, herbivores and parasitoids. Oecologia 154, 505-512

Coleman, R.A., Ramchunder, S.J., Moody, A.J. & Foggo, A. (2007) An enzyme in snail saliva induces herbivore-resistance in a marine alga. Functional Ecology 21, 101-106. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2006.01210.x

Coleman, R.A., Ramchunder, S.J., Davis, K.M., Moody, A.J. & Foggo, A. (2007) Herbivore-induced infochemicals influence foraging behaviour in two intertidal predators. Oecologia 151, 454-463. doi: 10.1007/s00442-006-0601-2.

Please see Erratum: Coleman, R.A. , Ramchunder, S.J., Davis, K.M., Moody, A.J. & Foggo, A. (2007) Herbivore-induced infochemicals influence foraging behaviour in two intertidal predators. Oecologia. DOI 10.1007/s00442-007-0754-7

Cartwright, S.R., Coleman, R.A. & Browne, M.A. (2006) Ecologically relevant effects of pulse application of copper on the limpet Patella vulgata L. Marine Ecology Progress Series 326, 187-194.

Dalesman, S., Rundle, S.D., Coleman, R.A. & Cotton, P.A. (2006) Cue association and anti-predator behaviour in a pulmonate snail, Lymnaea stagnalis . Animal Behaviour 71, 789-797. DOI:10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.05.028

Coleman, R.A., Benedetti-Cecchi, L., Åberg, P., Arenas, F., Arrontes, J, Castro, J, Hartnoll, R.G., Jenkins, S.R., Paula, J., Della Santina, P., Underwood, A.J, Hawkins, S.J. (2006) A Continental scale evaluation of limpet grazing on rocky shores. Oecologia 147, 556-564. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-005-0296-9

Lee, J.T., Coleman, R.A. & Jones, M.B. (2006) Population dynamics and growth of juveniles of the velvet swimming crab Necora puber (Decapoda: Portunidae). Marine Biology 148, 609-619. DOI: 10.1007/s00227-005-0107-1

Coleman, R.A., Hawkins, S.J. & Wood, H.L. (2006) Testing the reproductive benefits of aggregation: The limpet Patella vulgata shows no evidence of synchrony in gonad development. Marine Ecology Progress Series 306, 201-207.

Lee, J.T., Coleman, R.A. & Jones, M.B. (2005) Vertical migration during tidal transport of megalopae of Necora puber in coastal shallow waters. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 65, 396-404. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2005.05.022.

Jenkins, S.R., Coleman, R.A., Burrows, M.T., Hartnoll, R.G. and Hawkins, S.J. (2005) Regional scale differences in determinism of limpet grazing effects. Marine Ecology Progress Series 287, 77-86.

Borell, E.M., Foggo, A. & Coleman, R.A. (2004) Herbivore-induced resistance in intertidal macroalgae: Do models developed in terrestrial systems predict herbivore induced resistance in marine plants? Oecologia , 140, 328-344 (DOI: 10.1007/s00442-004-1589-0)

Lee, J.T., Widdows, J. & Jones, M.B., Coleman, R.A. (2004) Settlement of megalopae and early juveniles of the velvet swimming crab Necora puber (Decapoda; Portunidae) in flow conditions. Marine Ecology Progress Series 272, 191-202.

Coleman, R.A., Browne, M. & Theobalds, T. (2004) Prey aggregation functioning as a group defense via vibration-vigilance: Limpet tenacity changes in response to simulated predator attack. Ecology 85 (4), 1153-1159

Coleman, R.A. , Underwood, A.J. & Chapman, M.G. (2004) Absence of Costs of Foraging Excursions in Relation to Limpet Aggregation. Journal of Animal Ecology 73(5), 577-584 (DOI: 10.1111/j.0021-8790.2004.00834.x).

Rundle, S.D., Spicer, J.I., Coleman, R.A. , Vosper, J. & Soane, J. (2004) Environmental calcium modifies induced defences in snails. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. B (Suppl.) 271, S67-S70 (DOI 10.1098/rsbl.2003.0106).

Coleman, R.A. , Salmon, N.A. & Hawkins, S.J. (2003) Sub-dispersive human disturbance of foraging oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus . Ardea 91, 263-268.

Jenkins, S.R., Åberg, P., Cervin, G., Coleman, R.A., Delaney, J., Hawkins, S.J., Hyder, K., Myers, A.A., Paula, J., Power, A-M., Range, P. & Hartnoll, R.G.. (2001) Population dynamics of the intertidal barnacle Semibalanus balanoides at three European locations: Spatial scales of variability. Marine Ecology Progress Series 217, 207-217.

Jenkins S.R., Arenas F., Arrontes J., Bussell J., Castro J., Coleman, R.A., Hawkins S.J., Kay S., Mart'nez B., Oliveros J., Roberts M.F., Sousa, S., Thompson, R.C. & Hartnoll, R.G. (2001) A European scale analysis of seasonal variability in limpet grazing activity and microalgal abundance. Marine Ecology Progress Series 214 193-203.

Coleman, R.A. & Hawkins, S.J. (2000) Limpet relocation from home-scars in relation to position in a group. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 80, 1133-1134.

Jenkins, S.R., Åberg, P., Cervin, G., Coleman, R.A., Delaney, J., Della Santina, P., Hawkins, S.J., LaCroix, E., Myers, A.A., Lindegarth, M., Power, A-M., Roberts, M.F. & Hartnoll, R.G. (2000) Spatial and temporal variation in settlement and recruitment of the intertidal barnacle Semibalanus balanoides (L.) (Crustacea: Cirripedia) over a European scale. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 243, 209-225.

Coleman, R.A., Hawkins, S.J., Durell, S.E.A. Le V. dit & Goss-Custard, J.D. (1999) Limpet ( Patella spp. ) consumption by Oystercatchers ( Haematopus ostralegus ): A preference for solitary prey items. Marine Ecology Progress Series 183, 253-261.

Coleman, R.A. , Barker, A.M. & Fenner, M. (1999) Parasitism of the herbivore Pieris brassicae L. (Lep., Pieridae) by Cotesia glomerata L. (Hym., Braconidae) does not benefit the plant by reduction of herbivory. Journal of Applied Entomology 123, 171-177.

Coleman, R.A., Barker, A.M., Fenner, M. & King, F.C. (1997) Relative effect of different host feeding site on long-range host location and electroantennogram response in the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Journal of Applied Entomology 121, 487-494.

Coleman, R.A., Barker, A.M. & Fenner, M. (1997) A test of possible indirect mediation of wound-induced resistance in cabbage against Pieris brassicae . Oikos 80, 43-50

Coleman, R.A., Barker, A.M. & Fenner, M. (1996) Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var. Capitata ) fails to show wound-induced defence against adapted and non-adapted herbivores? Oecologia 108, 105-112.

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Invited Chapters

Coleman, R.A. (2007) Homing. In Encyclopaedia of Tidepools (ed. S. Gaines & M. Denny). (in press) University of California Press, Berkeley

Other Publications

Coleman, R.A., Jackson, E., & Frost, M.T. (2005) In: R.N. Gibson and R.J.A. Atkinson, Editors, Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review vol. 41, Taylor and Francis (2003) ISBN 0 415 25463 9 etc., 390 pp. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 315, 235-238.

Reports

Hoskin, M., Coleman, R.A., and Hiscock, K., (2004). Pilot work to refine sampling protocols for monitoring the Lundy Island No Take Zone. Report to English Nature.

Coleman, R.A. and Chapman M.G. (2005) Ecological monitoring of Waterbird refuge phase-1. Report for Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

Hoskin, M.G., Coleman, R.A., Hiscock, K & von Carlshausen, E. (2006) Monitoring the Lundy No-Take Zone: The first 3 years. Report to English Nature, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs & World-Wide Fund for Nature.

Coleman, R.A. (2006) Subtidal Flora and Fauna at Davis Marina. Report for Davis Marina.

Coleman, R.A. (2006) Ecological monitoring of Waterbird refuge phase-1 part 2. Report for Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

Invited Seminars

Cooperation and Collaboration in Marine Science.
Sydney Institute of Marine Sciences, Delegation of Vice-Chancellors from Chinese Super-8 Universities.
2009

A Mob of Molluscs: Using Limpet Behaviour to Understand Animal Aggregation.
Hong Kong University.
2009

The Ecology of Aggregations.
University of Sydney.
2008

Confrence Presentations

Aggregation does not alter the desiccation status in an intertidal limpet.
Coleman, R.A.
8th International Temperate Reefs Symposium, University of Adelaide, Australia
2009

One of the most common reasons invoked for patterns of distribution of animals in the rocky intertidal is physiological constraint; that animals live in certain places because their physiology dictates this. This explanation has been put forward for different scales of animal distribution from macroecological dimensions to microscale distributions, including for aggregation behaviours. For intertidal limpets, a common explanation for aggregation is a reduction in desiccation risk. There is no good published evidence for this. By manipulating the relative aggregation status of individual limpets, I show that aggregation in the limpet Cellana tramoserica makes no difference to the desiccation status of individual limpets and that this pattern is consistent in time/space. Not only does this demonstrate that one model for why limpets form aggregations is not correct, but also has implications for our understanding of the response of animals to changing climatic conditions; increased temperature and hence desiccation risk may not change patterns of aggregation

A conceptual framework to study the effects of habitat structure on diversity of benthic assemblages.
Matias, M.G., Underwood, A.J., Coleman, R.A. & Hochuli, D.F.
94th Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2-7 August, 2009

Water Depth and Foraging of Black-Winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus.
Coleman, R.A., Forsyth, K. and Chapman M.G.
British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK.
2009

It is widely held assumed that water depth modifies the foraging of wading birds, yet this has not been tested. By manipulating the water depth in a lagoon used by a population of black winged stilts Himantopus himantopus, we show that making the water deeper changes feeding behaviour but decreasing depth does not. Potential mechanisms for this are discussed

Lundy Island No Take Zone – The First Five Years. Coastal Futures
Hoskin, M.G., Davis. C., Coleman, R.A.
Review and Future Trends, SOAS, University of London, UK
2008

Food supply and foraging behaviour: Attacks by oystercatchers on aggregated prey.
Coleman, R.A.
35th Annual Meeting of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour, Coffs Harbour, University of New England, Australia
2008

Know your prey: The foraging response of oystercatchers when prey availability varies independently from abundance.
Birdsey, E.M. & Coleman, R.A.
35th Annual Meeting of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour, Coffs Harbour, University of New England, Australia
2008

Refuting the Drying-out Hypothesis: Aggregation does not alter the desiccation status in an intertidal limpet.
Coleman, R.A.
British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Imperial College, London.
2008

Coastal development affects diversity and ecological processes of kelp epifauna.
Marzinelli, E. M., Coleman R.A, Underwood A.J. Blockley, D.J.
World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, Valencia, Spain
2008

Changes in management of an urban coastal lagoon and ecological consequences for birds.
Coleman, R.A.
Ecological Society of Australia Annual Meeting, University of Sydney, Australia
2008

Restoration of habitats requires two things. First, a quantitative understanding of existing ecological conditions and second, a statement of the desired ecological outcomes of the completion of restoration. The long-term management of the Waterbird Refuge (WBR) at the Sydney Olympic Park (NSW, Australia) included increasing the diversity and number of birds utilising the WBR and so the WBR was drained and tidal flushing increased via a ‘SmartGate’. This project evaluated the WBR in respect of wading birds and their food under current conditions. Microalgal abundance was examined using chlorophyll density as a surrogate measure. This was variable between the three locations chosen (two control and the WBR) but most importantly, was very variable at the scale of 10's of centimetres. Within the WBR, the macrofaunal was examined as an estimate of available food for wading birds. This showed that the total assemblage variation between sites (10's of metres) was less than that at a smaller scale, that of centimetres. The assemblage macrofaunal encountered was very different from controls before the ‘SmartGate' was installed. The wading bird assemblage noted as feeding at the WBR were dominated by Recurvirostra novahollandiae and Himantopus himantopus, however location of feeding activities did not change. From this three-year study, it is clear that the ecological conditions of the WBR and are now very different. The number and diversity of wading birds has increased and the management of the WBR has solved a significant local problem.

Posters

Know what you want: monitoring of management targets in ecological restoration for biodiversity.
Coleman, R.A.
Diversitas OSC, Cape Town, South Africa
2009

Native water rats: a neglected but significant species in aquatic communities?
Connell, K., McArthur, C., Grant, T., Dickman, C. and Coleman, R.A.
45th National Congress of the Australian Society for Limnology, Albury-Wodonga, Australia
25th - 29th September 2006

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Research Collaboration

(Exernal Pages)

Marine Biology and Ecology Research Group, University of Plymouth

The Marine Biological Association of the UK

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Research Students

I supervise PhD students working on a wide range of projects within Marine Ecology, including Recruitment ecology of crabs and barnacles; Foraging behaviour of oystercatchers; The impact of crab tiling on estuarine infauna; Predator induced defensive behaviour of snails, assemblage responses to pollution.

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Postgraduate Supervision


PhD Completed

Plymouth:

  • James Lee. Recruitment ecology of the velvet swimming crab (Necora puber). Funded by Brazilian Government, supervised by R.A. Coleman and Prof. M.B. Jones. Completed Nov. 2004.
  • Sarah Carless. Human disturbance and the foraging ecology of oystercatchers. Funded by University of Plymouth, supervised by R.A. Coleman, Dr P.A. Cotton and Dr R.A. Stillman (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Dorset). Completed Nov. 2005
  • Emma Sheehan. The ecological effects of crab tiling on estuarine fauna. Funding by Holly Hill Trust assisted by English Nature to RAC, supervised by Prof. M.J. Attrill, R.A. Coleman and Dr R.C. Thompson. Completed May 2007
  • Sarah Dalesman. Plasticity and heritability of behaviour in freshwater snails. Funding: University of Plymouth Research Studentship, supervised by Dr S.D. Rundle, R.A. Coleman and Dr P.A. Cotton. Completed May 2007.
  • Gerardo Gomes-Filho. Factors affecting the ecology of estuarine organisms. Funded by Brazilian government, supervised by R.A. Coleman, Dr R.C. Thompson and Prof. S.J. Hawkins (MBA). Completed November 2007

Sydney:

  • Victoria Cole. The ecology of polychaetes in biogenic habitats on intertidal rocky shores. APA funded. Supervised by M.G. Chapman, A.J. Underwood & R.A. Coleman. Completed Dec. 2006
  • Amy Palmer. Larval development and life history of Ischochitons. APA funded. Supervised by A.J. Underwood, R.A. Coleman, A.C. Jackson with C.A. Styan (Deakin University). Completed December 2007
  • Mariana Mayer. The response of fouling assemblages to contaminants. IPRS funded. Supervised by A.J. Underwood, R.A. Coleman and T. Tolhurst. Completed Mar. 2008
  • Ezequiel Marzinelli. Effects of Modification of Habitat on Kelp Epifauna. IPRS funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, A.J. Underwood. Completed July 2009
  • Giordana Cocco. Differences in the distribution, density and composition of wrack and of living seagrass between urbanized and unurbanized shorelines of estuarine lakes. APAI Funded. Supervised by M.G. Chapman, R.A. Coleman and D.E. Roberts (BioAnalysis Pty). Completed 2010
  • Miguel Matias. Patterns of biodiversity related to structural complexity in algal habitats. FCT (Portuguese Government) Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, A.J. Underwood and D.F. Hochuli. Completed 2010
  • Denise Bunting. Biogenic habitats and invasive species. Northcote Graduate Scholarship (UK) funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, W. Figueira & E. Johnston (UNSW). Completed 2011
  • Fabiana Moreira. Responses of benthic invertebrates to contaminants. APA Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, M.A. Browne & A.J.W. Ward. Completed 2012
  • Kiran Liversedge. Ecology of chitons under boulders. APA Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, W. Figueira & A. Palmer. Completed 2012
  • Emily Williams. Ecology of marine Gastropoda parasitised by Trematoda. USIRS Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, A. Ward & F. Ponton. Completed 2012.

PhD in Progress

Sydney:

  • Ana Bugnot. The ecological interactions between native fauna and the invasive isopod Cirolana harfordi. APA and SIMS Foundation funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, W. Figuiera and E.M. Marzinelli (UNSW).
  • David McElroy. The role of ecological history and temporal variation in assemblage responses to disturbance.. APA funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman & Dieter Hochuli
  • Clarissa Fraser. Ecological and physiological determinants of orientation in an intertidal invertebrate. APA Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman and F. Seebacher
  • Rodrigo Roman Pena. Regional scale distribution of micro-gastropods. APA Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman and M. Bishop (Macquarie University)
  • Sonia Brazao. Foraging decisions of limpets in a variable foodscape. USIRS Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, Stephen Simpson & Richard Murphy
  • Aline Martinez. Habitat structure and grazer competition on rocky shores. Endeavour Funded. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, M. Byrne & Richard Murphy
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Masters Projects/Theses:

  • 2010 Master of Applied Science: Wildlife Management. Luara Tardieu: Group fieldity in limpets. Supervised by R.A. Coleman & Judith Klein
  • 2009 Master of Applied Science: Wildlife Management. Renée Mersino: Aggregation behaviour by limpets. Supervised by R.A. Coleman & Judith Klein
  • 2006-7 Sydney: Master of Applied Science: Wildlife Management. Emilie Kissler: Induction of chemical defences in response to browsing: effects of artificial and natural browsing by introduced Rusa deer on the eucalypt Corymbia gummifera. Supervised by Clare McArthur and R.A. Coleman
  • 2006 Sydney: Masters of Applied Science: Quantitative Marine Ecology. Amy Brookes: The management of intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons in New South Wales. Masters of Applied Science: Coastal Management. Caitlin Brady: The concept of surrogacy and design of marine parks.
  • 2004-5 Plymouth: MRes. Mark Breckels: Foraging by limpets on seawalls and rocky shores. Miguel Matias: Resolving complexity: Experimental studies use artificial algal turves. Elizabeth Spooner: Food choice in the shanny Lipophrys pholis. MSc Adam Jones: Foraging behaviour of the shanny Lipophrys pholis: The role of learning and spatial awareness. Alyson Little: Socioeconomic aspects of a no-take zone at Lundy.
  • 2003-4 Gareth Cunningham: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function: The Role of Microbial Gut Assemblages in Detrital Processing by Amphipods; Sorain Ramchunder: Tritophic Signalling in Algae-Herbivore-Predator Systems; Rebecca Harris: Optimising a Sampling Design for Measuring the Effectiveness of a No-Take Zone in the Bristol Channel.
  • 2002-3 Esther Borell: Do Models of Wound-Induced Resistance Developed from Terrestrial Systems Apply to Marine Plant-Herbivore Interactions?; Karen Burnett: The role of Reliability of Cue in Predator Detection by the Intertidal Barnacle Elminius modestus.
  • 2002-1 Tim Theobalds: Anti-predator Benefits of Aggregation by the Limpet Patella vulgata

Honours Students:

  • 2012 Ryan Keith: Residential developments disrupts trophic structures in sandy shore food webs. Supervised by D. Hochuli & R.A. Coleman
  • 2011 Paloma Matis: Oceanographic variation and fish assemblages. Supervised by W. Figueira and [[b||R.A. Coleman
  • 2011 Ben Muscat: Distribution of grazers in a variable environment. Supervised by R.A. Coleman and R. Murphy
  • 2010 Giulia Ghedini: Ecological effects of stormwater discharges. Supervised by R.A. Coleman and J. Klein.
  • 2009-10 Jeremy Platt: Induced defences in seaweeds. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, S.J. Simpson and F. Clissold
  • 2009-10 Clarissa Fraser: Spatial organisation of limpets. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, W. Figueira & M. Browne
  • 2009 Kieran MacKenzie: Social behaviour of fish. Supervised by A.J. W. Ward & R.A. Coleman.
  • 2008 Katherine Forsythe: Foraging Ecology of the Blackwinged Stilt Himantopus himantopus. Supervised by R.A. Coleman. M.G. Chapman & T. Tolhurst
  • 2008 Emily Williams: Aggregation Behaviour of Cellana tramoscerica. Supervised by R.A. Coleman, A.J. Underwood and A.C. Jackson.
  • 2007 Jesmin Chikani: Limpets as substrata for foliose algae. B.Sc. Honours Thesis, University of Sydney, supervised by R.A. Coleman, A.J. Underwood and A.C. Jackson.
  • 2005 Nathan Campbell: Patterns and distribution of the mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis and Trichomya hirsuta on urban structures and rocky shores in Sydney Harbour, NSW. B.Sc. Honours thesis, University of Sydney, supervised by R.A. Coleman, C. Styan and T. Tolhurst.
  • 1999-2005: 35 Honours projects supervised at the University of Plymouth
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