Australian Museum Lizard Island Research Station Newsletter 2008 Australian Museum 6 College Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia t 02 9320 6000 www.australianmuseum.net.au nature culture discover Supported by the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation Published March 2009 DOnaTIONS The following individuals and organisations have donated funds to the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation or made in-kind gifts during 2008. Members contributed $1,000 or more while Friends contributed smaller amounts. Special donors to the 30th Anniversary Development are indicated with an asterisk (*). Those who made gifts in kind are marked with a plus sign (+). Donors of both cash and gifts in kind are marked with a caret (^). AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM Members Tony and Heather Power LIZARD ISLAND RESEARCH STATION Coral & Ian Ackery Raymond E Purves Foundation* Antoinette Albert DMP Marketing Australia Pty Ltd Belinda and James Allen Pam and Allan Rogers AM Hugh Allen and Judith Ainge Susan Rothwell Anonymous* Alan and Lynn Rydge Philip Bacon David and Daniela Shannon Balnaves Foundation* Mr Brian Sherman AM and Dr Gene Sherman Greer, Jay & Eve Banyer Charlie and Sandy Shuetrim* Ken and Roddy Bell Nell and Hermon Slade Trust Peter and Penny Berents Hermon Slade Raiatea Foundation* The Hon Thomas & Mrs Brigstocke Dick and Pip Smith Geoff and Jill Brunsdon John and Christina Stitt Ted and Mary Carter James N Kirby Foundation* Hon Virginia Chadwick AO & Mr Bruce Chadwick Thyne Reid Foundation* Arthur and Prue Charles Lyle Vail and Anne Hoggett John Charrington and Pamela McBride Rob and Bron Wannan Mrs Shirley Coles June and Bruce Watson Robert and Margaret Coles Sarah Whyte Ken Coles AM and Rowena Danziger AM* Vernon Foundation* Chrstopher and Kathryn Dibden Yulgilbar Foundation* Louise Nettleton and Michael Dowe Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation* Edith B. and Lee V. Jacobs Fund No. 3 Westfield Foundation Elizabeth Gabler Charitable Trust via Trust Company* Peter and Helen Wodetzki Friends of Conservation* Don and Susan Fry Corporate Members John & Margie Goodall Apollo Sports Company+ John and Rosemary Gough Australian Projects Pty Ltd Andrew Green and Colette Garnsey Captain Cook Cruises*+ Geoff and Elisabeth Haddy Fesq and Company+ Mike and Louise Hamshere Maple-Brown Abbott Diana Hardy Port Philip Estate+ Barbara R Hardy AO Voyages Hotels and Resorts*+ Newsletter 2008 Chestnut Tree Foundation (Philip and Sylvia Hartog) Winning Appliances Published March 2009 Geraldine and Trevor Haworth AM Friends Bill and Alison Hayward* Anonymous Tom and Beverley Healy Derek Anderson Philip and Jane Hemstritch Sue Bullock The Ian Potter Foundation* Joanna Capon Fraser and Victoria Hopkins Emma Charrington John & Laurine Proud Family Estate Trust (No 1) Richard Coles and Christine Bartlett Elizabeth and Robert Johnson Alicia Corbett Chris and Katy Joscelyne Directors All photographs by Lyle Vail or Anne Hoggett Research Strategies Results Pty Ltd Dr Lyle Vail and Dr Anne Hoggett unless otherwise indicated. James & Susan Kirby R.E. Dods Raymond & Deirdre Kirby Jade Evans Lizard Island Research Station Main cover photo: ©istockphoto. The Aquarium Society of NSW Terry Ford PMB 37 Small left cover photo: Joao Krajewsky. Diccon and Elizabeth Loxton Brian France Cairns QLD 4870 Frank Howarth’s photo: Stuart Humphreys. Rod and Margaret Macdonald Hanlon Foundation Australia Robert and Susan Maple-Brown Ronnie Harding Design and Production Alison Murphy, Maple-Brown Family Charitable Foundation Ltd* Don Henry Phone: + 61 (0)7 4060 3977 Australian Museum Design Unit. Peter & Amy Mercieca Hilary and John Hill Fax: + 61 (0)7 4060 3055 Prof Elmar Messmer & Dr Emanuela Keller E-mail: [email protected] The Australian Museum has produced this J.F. Hiller Gordon Moffatt AM and Jacqueline Moffatt www.lizardisland.net.au magazine with due regard for its impact on the M.J. and A.E. Hoy environment. The paper stock is the only Australian Lynton and Susan Morgan* Tom and Yvonne Hurley manufactured A2 coated recycled paper. It Graham and Glynn O’Neill Julia King contains 35% locally sourced waste. 92% of Gretel Packer Peter MacPhillamy the energy used to produce it is sourced from Roslyn Packer Christopher McLelland renewable hydroelectric and wind farm power. Bill and Barbara Page-Hanify Sir Lawrence & Lady Macdonald Muir Philippe and Nathalie Pichon Edward Sze-Tu Matthew and Fiona Playfair Scott Malcolm and Jane Taylor AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM DIRECTOR’S REPORT “If you build it they will come” understanding biological processes might be a credible prediction for at this critical time as coral reefs construction of a baseball field in worldwide face decline. For the middle of a cornfield in Iowa younger, early career researchers but it is not necessarily applicable who have not had the opportunity to a research station at the northern to establish outstanding track end of the Great Barrier Reef. records fundamental to winning In the same way it is not adequate substantial research grants, the justification for developing and costs can be prohibitive. maintaining extensive museum collections - even if both are In this context, the support of the Lizard Island Reef Research world-class with outstanding incredible opportunities for Foundation by providing a international reputations. In both researchers throughout the world range of fellowships to enable cases we can provide cost-effective to develop and share their expertise outstanding graduates and incentives to ensure their use. and knowledge. In so doing, they early career researchers to work enhance the value of our amazing Research on the Great Barrier Reef at the research station is vital. assets and contribute to the is expensive relative to many other The Museum has an identical Museum’s purpose – “to inspire the scientific pursuits. The high cost can approach to encourage researchers exploration of nature and cultures”. be a significant impediment to the to work with our scientists and conduct of longer-term field-based on our collections in Sydney. FRANK HOWARTH research which is fundamental to This suite of fellowships offers Director, Australian Museum RESEARCH STATION DIRECTORS’ REPORT Facilities at Lizard Island Research access to it is another. Field work Station continue to improve as on coral reefs is not an inexpensive the 30th Anniversary Development undertaking and the substantial Program unfolds thanks to the grants needed to enable it tend successful partnership between the to gravitate to senior researchers. Australian Museum and the Lizard Recognising this, the LIRRF has a Island Reef Research Foundation. long history of providing funds This year, we completed two major to support field work by young projects: two visitor houses (Kirby researchers through fellowships and Suntory) were refurbished awarded by the Australian and the Sir John Proud Aquarium Museum. Support for this program reflected in the highest usage on was improved by trebling its continues to grow, with the record, approaching the planned seawater pumping capacity and Yulgilbar Foundation joining The cap of 7,000 user nights per year. by installing systems to treat raw Ian Potter Foundation, the Hermon Research personnel comprised seawater in various ways. Next Slade Raiatea Foundation and the more than 63% of the total and year, the final visitor house (Loomis) estate of John and Laurine Proud student groups at 24% made up will be extended and refurbished as supporters of this program. the bulk of the remainder. See the and the aquarium will be extended This year, no fewer than five new list near the end of this newsletter to provide additional space fellowships were awarded: two to for the wide variety of institutions that is needed so badly during PhD students and three to early- and countries represented, and the peak periods. career scientists, as detailed inside. projects undertaken. Providing great facilities at LIRS is In 2008, the building program did ANNE HOGGETT AND LYLE VAIL one thing; making sure that the not displace normal activities as Directors, Lizard Island best and brightest people have much as in previous years. This was Research Station What HAVE we LEARNED this year? FELLOWSHIPS At least 63 publications Development of features such as Corals routinely harbour many other FEllOWSHIPS FOR PHD STUDENTS coral symbioses are poorly understood. Alicia will based on research at Lizard the hard shell of tubeworms and organisms within their tissues. The investigate the consequence of ocean acidification Fellowships were awarded by the Australian Museum Island appeared in the a particular joint in the jaw of fishes relationships are complex and poorly on the coral symbiosis. Her research will be to two PhD students to support up to three years’ field scientific literature in 2008 can drive subsequent evolution understood - they may range from conducted by complementary physiological and work at Lizard Island starting in 2009. The fellowships (see page 16). Here are just a in those groups. Papers on both symbiotic to pathogenic. Work at genetic measurements. are each valued at $7,000 per year. They are awarded few of the highlights: these developments and their Lizard Island published this year has on a competitive basis to outstanding PhD candidates consequences appeared during the shown that virus-like particles are a “Reef acidification” is likely to be different to “ocean The diversity of life on coral reefs is who will conduct field- intensive research at the Lizard year, based in part on work carried common part of this community