The Study Team

 

Our principal study team consists of Dr Matt Edmunds, Mr Patrick Gilmour, Mr Joel Williams, Mr Jac Monk, Mr Kim Stewart, Mr Jason Crozier, Mr Tony Judd and Miss Penny Pickett. They are experienced and competent scientific divers, who have high scientific qualifications and are knowledgeable in temperate marine biology. The team enjoys working together and is capable of working for long periods in the field or at sea, often under adverse conditions. Please contact us for further information about the qualifications, experience and expertise of these and other members of the Australian Marine Ecology team.

 

 

 

 

Matt Edmunds (B.Sc. Hons, Ph.D., Marine Ecology)

Dr Matt Edmunds has specialist expertise in coastal ecological investigations. He has been designing and implementing research and monitoring programs for 17 years. His work encompasses a broad range of ecological aspects, including ecological processes, taxonomy, population dynamics and environmental impact assessment. Dr Edmunds has substantial experience in experimental/sampling design and analysis, in addition to a strong practical background in underwater sampling techniques. These include visual censuses, underwater photography, sediment sampling, phytoplankton and biological collections. His research has helped establish standard census techniques for many long-term monitoring programs in southern Australia.

Dr Edmunds has considerable experience in the design of survey protocols, as well as the implementation and management of long-term monitoring programs. This experience includes environmental impact assessments at over 21 effluent outlets and outfalls in Australia, one of which is the longest running Before-After-Control-Impact monitoring program in Australia (Pardoe Downs, Tasmania). His experience includes assessments of effects on infauna, epibenthic biota, reef biota and plankton, as well as bioaccumulation, toxicology and physico-chemical parameters. Other experience includes: long-term monitoring of subtidal reef communities for the Victorian Subtidal Reef Monitoring Program; initiation of the Victorian Intertidal Reef Monitoring Program, surveys of abalone and rock lobster fishing stocks for MAFRI; biomass surveys of Undaria at Station Pier, and measurements of temporal trends in juvenile lobster recruitment in Tasmania and Victoria.

Dr Edmunds has developed a sound knowledge of temperate marine ecosystems through a broad range of scientific research and consulting experience (as listed in his CV). His achievements place him as one of Australia’s experts in temperate marine ecology, with contributions including:

  • ecological modelling of marine plant biomass and production;

  • environmental impact assessments of fisheries, wastewater discharges, dredging and submarine cables;

  • environment-biota relationships of reef flora and fauna;

  • spatial and temporal patterns and trends in the composition of temperate subtidal and intertidal reef flora and fauna;

  • description and mapping of shallow and deep benthic habitats and communities;

  • population and community dynamics in shallow marine waters;

  • ecological status of marine protected areas in Victoria; and

  • biogeography of reef biota in Victoria.

 

 

 

Patrick Gilmour (B.Sc. Hons, Marine Biology)

Mr Patrick Gilmour graduated with a first class honours degree in zoology from Melbourne University. He specialised in marine biology and ecology and received the Dean’s Prize for academic achievement in 1999. He has a sound knowledge of the principles of experimental/sampling design, strengthened with a range of practical experience. Mr Gilmour is a competent scientific diver and has substantial experience in underwater video and ROV surveys. Mr Gilmour’s project involvement includes:

  • census and monitoring of flora and fauna of Victorian subtidal reefs;

  • environmental impact assessment of subtidal telecommunications cables;

  • examination of using community-based groups to monitor Victoria’s marine protected areas;

  • experimental investigation of the effect of density on artificially cultured blacklip abalone Haliotis rubra;

  • investigation of the effect of density on seeded adult and juvenile greenlip abalone Haliotis laevigata at Cape Jervis, South Australia;

  • determining the location and abundance of populations of the exotic Japanese goby Tridentiger spp. in Port Phillip Bay;

  • collection of sessile invertebrate fauna for ecotoxicological experimentation;

  • collection of juvenile greenback flounder Rhombosolea tapirina for heavy metal analysis;

  • surveying the abundance of the exotic Northern Pacific seastar Asterias amurensis in Port Phillip Bay; and

  • a variety of sediment and seagrass community investigations in Port Phillip Bay.

Mr Gilmour has experience demonstrating in biology and ecology field and laboratory classes at the University of Melbourne, and has assisted taxonomy and curatorial work in the icthyology department of the Melbourne Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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