We combine expertise in field ecology, physiology, population genetics and genomics to improve outcomes for management, ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation in the face of ever growing pressures of an expanding human population and economic growth.Seagrass meadows in tropical and temperate Western Australia are sites of extreme biodiversity and endemism, globally. 

 

Our major research programs address species diversity and distribution in relation to the physical environment, stress biology, biotic interactions (competition, herbivory, predation, microbes), genetic and genomic diversity, gene expression, and resilience of these ecosystems. The combined approach to research increases our understanding of historical and contemporary patterns and processes. 

 

Seagrass meadows make a significant contribution to ecosystem health and productivity, yet they still decline due to anthropogenic activities and are vulnerable to extreme climatic events. The loss of seagrass meadows globally continues at a pace beyond which they can be restored. We are working to overcome some of the inherent and very real problems of restoring a marine environment, developing methods to scale-up restoration and assist natural recovery.