Professor Geoff P. Jones

Professor

Professor (2006- Present) Reader (1999 – 2005) Senior Lecturer (1994 - 1998) Lecturer (1992-93) Marine Biology Dept., JCU Lecturer, Auckland University (1987-91) National Research Fellow, University of Sydney (1986-87) Queens Fellowship in Marine Science, University of Sydney (1983-86) Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Melbourne (1981-83). BSc PhD Auckland. Member of the: Ecological Society of America, Australian Coral Reef Society, Australian Fish Society, and The Society for Conservation Biology.

Research Interests

• Marine Conservation Biology and Environmental Impact Assessment

• Ecology of Coral Reef Fish Populations and Communities

• Marine Animal Behaviour

My research has emphasized the processes determining adult population densities in coral reef fishes, particularly recruitment and the roles of competition, predation and habitat complexity. In addition, I have focussed on processes influencing the structure and diversity of reef fish assemblages, from a local to a biogeographic scale. Another facet of my research concerns the ecological role of fishes as predators and grazers in tropical communities. The effects of fishing and habitat modification of reef fish assemblages has become increasingly important areas of study.

Recent and Current Projects Include

• The causes of patterns of commonness and rarity in reef fish communities.

• Recruitment limitation and enhancement in reef fish communities.

• The role of competition in determining local and regional patterns in species diversity.

• The ecology of isolated island fish fauna's and the mechanisms of larval retention.

Recent and Currently Supervised Projects

• Disturbance, habitat structure and the dynamics if fishes on coral reefs

• Role of habitat structure and competition in communities of coral-dwelling fishes

• Body size as a determinant of life history and ecological patterns in reef fish communities

• Contrasting processes limiting the abundance of common and rare fish species

Future PhD Directions

• Population enhancement in reef fishes

• Habitat architecture and the composition of reef fish communities

• Determinants of life history variation

• Food limitation and behavioural interactions limiting reef fish populations

Teaching

MB3200/MB5004

Marine Conservation Biology

MB5300

Sampling and Experimental Design

Selected Publications

Almany, GR., Peacock, L., Syms, C., McCormick, MI. & Jones, GP. (2007) Predators target rare prey in coral reef fish assemblages. Oecologia. 152: 751 – 761

Feary, DA., Almany, GR., Jones, GP. & McCormick, MI. (2007) Coral degradation and the structure of tropical reef fish communities. Marine Ecology-Progress Series. 333: 243 – 248

Jones, GP., Srinivasan, M. & Almany, GR. (2007) Population Connectivity and Conservation of Marine Biodiversity. Oceanography. 20 (3): 42 – 53

Limbourn, AJ., Jones, GP., Munday, PL. & Srinivasan, M. (2007) Niche shifts and local competition between two coral reef fishes at their geographic boundary. Marine and Freshwater Research. 58: 1120 – 1129

Munday, PL., Jones, GP., Sheaves, MJ., Williams, AJ. & Goby, G. (2007) Vulnerability of fishes of the Great Barrier Reef to climate change. In: Climate change and the Great Barrier Reef: A Vulnerability Assessment (ed Johanna E Johnson and Paul AMarshall), 357 - 391. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Australian Greenhouse Office

Munday, PL., Jones, GP., Sheaves, MJ., Williams, AJ. & Goby, G. (2007) Vulnerability of fishes of the Great Barrier Reef to Climate Change. In: Climate change and the Great Barrier Reef: A Vulnerability Assessment (ed Johanna E Johnson and Paul A Marshall), 357 - 392. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Australian Greenhouse Office, Townsville

Thompson, VJ., Munday, PL. & Jones, GP. (2007) Habitat patch size and mating system as determinants of social group size in coral-dwelling fishes. Coral Reefs. 26: 165 – 174

Wong, M., Buston, PM., Munday, PL. & Jones, GP. (2007) The threat of punishment enforces peaceful cooperation and stabilizes queues in a coral-reef fish. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Biological Sciences. 274: 1093 – 1099

Thorrold, S., Jones, GP., Planes, S. & Hare, J. (2006) Transgenerational marking of embryonic otoliths in marine fishes using barium stable isotopes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 63: 1193 – 1197

Srinivasan, M. & Jones, GP. (2006)Extended breeding and recruitment periods of fishes on a low latitude coral reef. Coral Reefs. 25: 673 – 682

Smith-Keune, CR., Jerry, DR., Evans, BS., McCormick, MI., Munday, PL. & Jones, GP. (2006) Development and characterization of eight new microsatellite markers for the haremic sandperch, Parapercis cylindrica (family Pinguipedidae). Molecular Ecology Notes. 6: 1036 – 1038

Nardi, K., Newman, S., Moran, M. & Jones, GP. (2006) Vital demographic statistics and management of the baldchin groper (Choerodon rubescens) from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands. Marine and Freshwater Research. 57: 485 – 496

Gardiner, NM., Jones, GP. & Syms, C. (2006) Habitat selection and shoaling preferences amongst coral reef dwelling cardinalfish (Family Apogonidae). In: Coral Reef Research - From the Seas to the Skies . Australian Coral Reef Society

Beger, M., Jones, GP. & Possingham, H. (2006) A method of statistical modelling of coral reef fish distribution: Can it aid conservation planning in data poor regions? In: Proceedings of 10th International Coral Reef Symposium 1445 - 1456. 10th International Coral Reef Symposium, CD-ROM of Proceedings (CD-ROM)

Messmer, V., L. van Herwerden, P. L. Munday and G. P. Jones (2005) Phylogeography of colour polymorphism in the coral reef fish, Pseudochromis fuscus , from Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef . Coral Reefs 24: 392-402.

Gardiner, N. and G.P. Jones (2005) Habitat specialisation and overlap in a guild of coral reef cardinalfish (family Apogonidae). Marine Ecology Progress Series 305:163-175.

Wong, M, P.L. Munday and G.P. Jones (2005) Habitat patch size, facultative monogamy and sex change in a coral-dwelling fish . Environmental Biology of Fishes 74:141-150.

Ceccarelli, D., G.P. Jones and L. McCook (2005) Foragers versus farmers: roles of two behavioural groups of herbivorous fishes on coral reefs. Oecologia 145:445-453.

Ceccarelli, D.M., G.P. Jones and L.J. McCook (2005) Effects of territorial damselfish on an algal-dominated coastal coral reef. Coral Reefs 24:606-620.

Eagle and G.P. Jones (2005) Ecology and evolution of mimicry in coral reef fishes. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review 43:455-482.

Messmer, V., G.P. Jones, L. van Herwerden and P.L. Munday (2005) Ecological and genetic characterisation of colour dimorphism in a coral reef fish. Environmental Biology of Fishes 74:175-183.

Sale , P.F., R.K. Cowen, B.S. Danilowicz, G.P. Jones , J.P. Kritzer, K.C. Lindeman, S. Planes, N.V.C. Polunin, G.R. Russ, Y.J. Sadovy and R.S. Steneck (2005) Critical science gaps impede use of no-take fishery reserves. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 20:74-80.

Jones, G.P., S. Planes and S.R. Thorrold (2005) Coral reef fish larvae settle close to home. Current Biology 15:13 14-1318.

Hixon, M.A. and G.P. Jones (2005) Competition, predation, and density-dependent mortality in demersal marine fishes. Ecology 85:2847-2859.

Jones, G.P., M.I. McCormick, M. Srinivasan and J.V. Eagle (2004) Coral decline threatens fish biodiversity in marine reserves. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 101:8251-8253. Moland, E., J.V.

Munday, P.L., P. Eyre and G.P. Jones (2003) Ecological mechanisms maintaining colour polymorphism in a coral reef fish: an experimental evaluation. Oecologia 442:519-526.

Beger, M., G.P. Jones and P.L. Munday (2003) Conservation of coral reef biodiversity: a comparison of reserve selection procedures for corals and fishes. Biological Conservation 111:53-62.

Jones, G.P., M.J. Caley and P.L. Munday (2002) Rarity in coral reef fish communities. In: "Coral Reef Fishes. Dynamics and diversity in a complex ecosystem" (P.F. Sale, ed.), Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 81-102.

Jones, G.P. and M.I. McCormick (2002) Interaction between energetic and numerical processes in the ecology of coral reef fish populations. In: "Coral Reef Fishes. Dynamics and diversity in a complex ecosystem" (P.F. Sale, ed.), Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 221-238.

Ceccarelli, D.M., G.P. Jones and L. McCook (2001) Territorial damselfish as determinants of benthic community structure on coral reefs. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review 39:355-389.

Munday, P.L., G.P. Jones and M.J. Caley (2001) Interspecific competition and coexistence in a guild of coral-dwelling fishes. Ecology 82: 2177-2189.

Syms, C. and G.P. Jones (2000) Disturbance, habitat structure, and the dynamics of a coral reef fish community. Ecology 81:2714-2729.

Jones, G.P., M.J. Milicich, M.J. Emslie and C. Lunow (1999) Self-recruitment in a coral reef fish population. Nature 402:802-804.

Contact Details

Dr Geoff Jones

Campus: Townsville

Phone: +61 7 4781 4559

Fax: +61 7 4725 1570

Email: Geoffrey.Jones@jcu.edu.au