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Supported by the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation Australian Museum Lizard Island Research Station Published March 2012 Newsletter 2011 nature culture discover Australian Museum 6 College Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia t +61 2 9320 6000 www.australianmuseum.net.au AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM DIRECTOR’S REPORT In the 2010 newsletter I wrote significant Lizard Island Research about the trends in the type of Station contributors. I would like LIZARD ISLAND RESEARCH STATION research that is done at our Station to pay my personal tribute to and the need to provide adaptable, the remarkable and sustained NEWsleTTER 2011 leading edge facilities, able to meet efforts of those who have been changing needs. With an estimated instrumental in the Station’s 75% of the world’s reefs seriously achievements but who have now threatened, we have a massive chosen to follow other paths - responsibility to better understand Ken Coles AM, the Foundation these unique systems. I also alluded Chair for the past 18 years; to the importance of longer term Andrew Green, for 34 years and campaign leader Charlie research to meet the enormous and of service on the Foundation Shuetrim AM in particular and, of complex challenges facing coral as member, Secretary, Treasurer course, the Research Station staff. reefs around the world, including and Public Officer and Lance those on our door step. and Marianne Pearce for their As with coral reefs themselves, 24 years of dedicated service turnover creates opportunities. Long term commitment is a strong on the Research Station. I look forward to working with the characteristic of those who have new Foundation chair, members and served to make the Research Station This year also marks the end of the Station staff to ensure we are in a th the leading on-reef research facility highly successful 30 Anniversary strong position to meet the challenge. that it is today. This year marks the development – a massive overhaul conclusion of a collective centenary of the Station’s infrastructure FRANK HOWARTH of commitment of several very made possible by the Foundation Director, Australian Museum ReseARCH STATION DIRECTORS’ COMMENT 01 Change can be unsettling, perhaps the two worlds and makes sure more so when you know that that they mix. He gives sage advice something is about to happen but and unstinting support and he it hasn’t happened yet. This year has the leadership to bring others A facility of the Australian Museum brought a frisson of uncertainty along with him. All three have when key people who have long worked hard in their different Published March 2012 been associated with LIRS decided ways to help make LIRS a success. to change their roles. In 2012, We are privileged to have worked Lance and Marianne Pearce will with them for so long. retire after almost 24 years as Directors All photographs by Lyle Vail or Anne Hoggett Another looming change is the maintenance staff. As well, Ken change their roles - especially since Dr Lyle Vail and Dr Anne Hoggett unless otherwise indicated. end of the 30th Anniversary Coles is stepping back from 18 they will all remain close to LIRS. Development in 2012. This has been Lizard Island Research Station Frank Howarth’s photo: Carl Bento. years of chairing the Lizard Island We wish them well and thank them PMB 37 Centre photo on front and back cover and above: a major focus for almost ten years. Reef Research Foundation. Just one sincerely for their contributions Cairns QLD 4870 Dr Andy Lewis Reef Eco Images. of these changes is major, but two The infrastructure is now in place to Australia Fellowship and grant winners provided own photos. and their friendship. And we keep LIRS productive and relevant in the same year is quite boggling. look forward to entering the next into the future. The challenge is Phone: + 61 (0)7 4060 3977 Design: Agraphique, phase at LIRS with the stability of Fax: + 61 (0)7 4060 3055 Australian Museum Design Studio. All of these people are much to maintain it and to ensure that it Bob and Tania Lamb continuing in Email: [email protected] more than work colleagues - they continues to be used well. Planning www.australianmuseum.net.au/Lizard-Island-Research-Station ISSN 0729-0942. their half-time maintenance roles, are dear friends. With Lance and for the next phase at the Station is Ken remaining a trustee on the Environmental responsibility Marianne, we’ve had many good well under way. wonderful LIRRF board, and with This newsletter is printed in Australia using times and forged the strong bonds vegetable-based inks on paper produced from new people who have yet to be that you only get by facing real Managing change is the subject well-managed forests and controlled sources. found filling some very big boots. challenges together, and there have of much hot air. We think that been plenty of those over the years. change is one of life’s spices to be ANNE HOGGETT AND LYLE VAIL Ken’s life is very different to ours enjoyed. We are pleased that Lance, Directors, Lizard Island but he moves gracefully between Marianne and Ken have chosen to Research Station 2011 in SUmmarY FeaTURed RESEARCH Another likely maladaptive behaviour in reef fish larvae high CO2 water showed no preference. Then the Fishes was found by Paolo Domenici and colleagues. They team released marked, treated fish 200 m from their Senior scientists showed that elevated carbon dioxide affects behavioural home site and found that fish treated with high CO Corals 2 Research students lateralisation, which is the decision by a fish to turn water were 20% to 30% less likely to find their way Other marine invertebrates to the left or right (Biology Letters, 2011). Individual home than fish treated with normal seawater. Student groups Plants fish that have been raised in high CO2 water lose their Volunteers All these studies showing that fishes’ senses become Process or non-living systems normal tendency to turn a particular way when faced Other users scrambled in high CO2 water led to the breakthrough Terrestrial animals with a choice. Behavioural lateralisation is directly related to brain function through the visual system – discovery at Lizard Island of the cellular mechanism. Göran Nilsson and colleages found that the transmission Research usage by senior scientists and research Fishes and marine invertebrates other than corals by having a tendency to turn a particular way, individual of nerve signals in fishes’ brains is disrupted (Nature students comprised more than 70% of total were the most frequent subjects of research. fish can keep a given eye on the environment and make Climate Change, January 2012). The story behind this visitor usage in 2011 (6392 person nights). quicker decisions about which way to turn. This research discovery shows science at its best in operation. suggests that elevated CO2 has a direct effect on brain function in larval reef fishes. Göran is an eminent physiologist from the University Marine biology & ecology Settlement behaviour of larval damselfishes is also of Oslo who has conducted annual research visits to Senior Effects of climate change affected by elevated carbon dioxide, as shown by Brynn Lizard Island for many years. Through those trips he PhD students has developed collaborations with many ecologists and Taxonomy Devine and colleagues (Coral Reefs, 2011). Settlement Masters students is a critical period in the life of a reef fish, when a larva has been working recently with Phil Munday of James Archaeology Cook University on the effects of climate change. They Honours students must choose a permanent home on the reef after its Reef management first few weeks of life in open water. Larvae use many became increasingly intrigued by the sensory scrambling Undergrad students 03 02 Terrestrial biology environmental cues to detect suitable habitats and to of reef fish. It is known that fish avoid becoming acidotic approach them at a time when the risk of being eaten in high CO2 water by shunting bicarbonate, chloride Senior scientists and PhD students led nearly 90% As usual, marine biology and ecology were is lowest; smell and vision are both important. The and hydrogen ions, among others, across cell membranes. From his knowledge of neurochemistry, of the 103 research projects conducted during 2011. the main research areas. team found that larvae raised in elevated CO2 water lost the ability to smell their preferred habitat but they Göran reasoned that this altered ion balance might were still able to find it when they could see it at close affect nerve signals because receptors in the brain either range in aquarium experiments. However, the timing of transmit or inhibit them depending on the chemical environment. Particularly, the GABA-A neuroreceptor, settlement was very different in high CO2 water. Instead of settling at the new moon as is normal, larvae mostly which is found in all vertebrate and many invertebrate FeaTURed RESEARCH settled at full moon when the risk of predation is higher. brains, could be affected since it uses chloride and The researchers think that this shift occurred because bicarbonate to transmit its signals. Göran thought with an impaired sense of smell, the larvae needed that the crazy behaviour of fish larvae raised in high moonlight to find their preferred habitat by sight alone. CO2 water might be reversed by treating them with gabazine, a specific antagonist of the GABA-A receptor. The same group of researchers found that high carbon The team went to work on a series of experiments to dioxide levels disrupt the sense of smell in adult reef see whether this was the case and the results were MIXed-up fish the team found that fish continued to feed and fishes - an effect that had previously been shown only immediate and clear – fish reverted to normal behaviour swim much more when exposed to predation risk for larvae - to the extent that their homing ability Fish behave strangely – and in ways that do not help when treated with gabazine.

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