ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following reference: Brandl, Simon Johannes (2016) Functional niche partitioning in herbivorous coral reef fishes. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/45253/ The author has certified to JCU that they have made a reasonable effort to gain permission and acknowledge the owner of any third party copyright material included in this document. If you believe that this is not the case, please contact
[email protected] and quote http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/45253/ Functional niche partitioning in herbivorous coral reef fishes Thesis submitted by: Simon Johannes Brandl January 2016 For the degree: Doctor of Philosophy College of Marine and Environmental Sciences ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University i Acknowledgements I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, David Bellwood, whose invaluable intellectual and emotional support has been the cornerstone of my degree. His outstanding guidance, astute feedback, incredible generosity, and tremendous patience cannot be credited adequately within the scope of this acknowledgements section. Besides his supervisory contribution to my degree, I am grateful for the countless hours full of cheerful negotiations, curly remarks, philosophical debates, humorous chitchat, and priceless counselling. I also thank everybody who has helped me in the field: Jordan Casey, Christopher Goatley, Jennifer Hodge, James Kerry, Michael Kramer, Katia Nicolet, Justin Welsh, and the entire staff of Lizard Island Research Station. I am especially grateful for Christopher Mirbach’s help, commitment, and loyalty throughout many weeks of fieldwork. This thesis would have been impossible without his dedication and enthusiasm for marine fieldwork.