Dr Michelle Heupel
Adjunct Principal Research Fellow
Education
Bachelor of Science (Colorado State University)
PhD (University of Queensland)
Work History
1998 – 2006. Staff Scientist and Program Manager, Center for Shark Research, Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida.
2006 – current. Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University.
Research Interests
Recently my research has focused on the behavioural ecology and movement patterns of coastal elasmobranchs, primarily use of nursery habitats by juveniles. These studies have involved long-term acoustic monitoring of movement, residence and behaviour patterns within marine, estuarine and freshwater habitats along the central Gulf coast of Florida, USA. Prior to this I conducted my PhD studies on Heron Island Reef studying the life history of reef-dwelling sharks. My future research aims are to combine my experience with tracking coastal species to understanding movements and residency in reef regions. Future research will focus on ecology and movement of elasmobranch and teleost fishes with an aim to better understanding habitat use and needs as well as ecological roles of species within coastal and reef ecosystems.
Selected publications
Heupel, M.R. and M.B. Bennett (2007) Estimating the abundance of reef dwelling sharks: a case study of the epaulette shark. Pacific Science 61:383-394
Heupel, M.R. J.K. Carlson and C.A. Simpfendorfer (2007) Shark nursery areas: concepts, definitions, characterization and assumptions. Marine Ecology Progress Series 337:287-297.
Collins, A.B., M.R. Heupel, R.E. Hueter and P.J. Motta (2007) Hard prey specialists or opportunist generalists? An examination of the diet of the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus. Marine and Freshwater Research 58: 135-144.
Heupel, M.R., J.M. Semmens and A.J. Hobday (2006) Automated acoustic tracking of aquatic animals: scales, design and deployment of listening station arrays. Marine and Freshwater Research 57: 1-13.
Heupel, M.R. and C.A. Simpfendorfer (2005) Quantitative analysis of shark aggregation behavior. Marine Biology 147: 1239-1249
Heupel, M.R. and C.A. Simpfendorfer (2005) Using acoustic monitoring to evaluate MPAs for shark nursery areas: the importance of long-term data. Marine Technology Society Journal 39: 10-18
Heupel, M.R., C.A. Simpfendorfer and R.E. Hueter (2004). Estimation of shark home ranges using passive monitoring techniques. Environmental Biology of Fishes 71, 135-142
Heupel, M.R., C.A. Simpfendorfer and R.E. Hueter (2003). Running before the storm: blacktip sharks respond to falling barometric pressure associated with Tropical Storm Gabrielle. Journal of Fish Biology 63: 1357-1363
Heupel, M.R. and C.A. Simpfendorfer (2002). Estimation of survival and mortality of juvenile blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus limbatus, within a nursery area based on telemetry data. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 59: 624-632
Heupel, M.R. and R.E. Hueter (2002). The importance of prey density in relation to the movement patterns of juvenile sharks within a coastal nursery area. Marine and Freshwater Research 53: 543-550
Heupel, M.R., C.A. Simpfendorfer and M.B. Bennett (1999). Skeletal deformities in elasmobranchs from Australian waters. Journal of Fish Biology 54: 1111-1115
Heupel, M.R., J.M. Whittier and M.B. Bennett (1999). Plasma steroid hormone profiles and reproductive biology of the epaulette shark Hemiscyllium ocellatum. Journal of Experimental Zoology (Endocrinology Supplement) 284: 586-594
Heupel, M.R. and M.B. Bennett (1998). Infection of the epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum by the nematode parasite Proleptus australis Bayliss (Spirurida: Physalopteridae). Journal of Fish Diseases 21: 407-413
Heupel, M.R., C.A. Simpfendorfer and M.B. Bennett (1998). Analysis of tissue responses to fin tagging in Australian carcharhinids. Journal of Fish Biology 52: 610-620
Heupel, M.R., and M.B. Bennett (1997). Histology of dart tag insertion sites in the epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Elasmobranchii: Hemiscyllidae). Journal of Fish Biology 50: 1034-1041
Heupel, M.R. and M. B. Bennett (1996). A myxosporean parasite (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) in skeletal muscle of epaulette sharks, Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Bonnaterre, 1788) from the Great Barrier Reef. Journal of Fish Diseases 19: 189-191
Other
Adjunct Scientist Mote Marine Laboratory
Review Editor for Aquatic Biology
Michelle Heupel Curriculum Vitae (Download PDF)