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The First Graduates of the Connecting Coastal Communities Project

We are proud to announce that the first two Master's students of the Connecting Coastal Communities project have successfully completed their theses. Here are their key findings:


Emily Steele: "Fine-Scale Foraging and Movement Behaviour of Chaetodon Butterflyfish Along a Turbidity Gradient on a Coral Reef in the Solomon Islands"

Emily Steele's Master's thesis at Auckland University of Technology explores the foraging and movement behaviours of Chaetodon butterflyfish along a turbidity gradient in the Solomon Islands. Her study reveals how coral reef degradation affects these fish, using advanced stereo-video techniques at Vavanga Reef. Emily discovered that Chaetodon baronessa prefers Acropora corals, showing altered behaviour with increased turbidity, while Chaetodon lunulatus randomly selects Porites corals across the gradient. Chaetodon vagabundus remained unaffected. Additionally, increased turbidity correlated with decreased body mass and length in C. baronessa and C. lunulatus, suggesting physiological stress or age-related distribution. The findings underscore the importance of nuanced behavioural indicators in assessing coral reef health amid environmental changes. Read Emily's full thesis here.


Grace Martin: "Fine-Scale Habitat Zonation of Fringing Reef Flats in the Solomon Islands; a Geospatial Analysis"

Grace Martin's research focuses on the fine-scale habitat zonation of fringing reef flats in the Solomon Islands, employing innovative Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Full Motion Video techniques. By integrating UAV footage with underwater video, AI driven benthos identification, and ArcGIS Pro, Grace successfully mapped the distribution of substrata and biota across the Vavanga reef flat on Kolombangara Island. Her work demonstrated the effectiveness of these methods in yielding precise images and maps, contributing significantly to advancing subtidal surveying and mapping techniques. These advancements are crucial for ecosystem-based management and the conservation of coral reef ecosystems, highlighting the potential of UAV technology in environmental monitoring. Read Grace's full thesis here.


Congratulations to Emily Steele and Grace Martin on their outstanding research and contributions to the field of marine science!

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