Available Projects
Below is a list of available research projects. These represent a sample of the opportunities in the lab—other topics can be tailored to your interests. Most of the projects are for PhDs, but often an Honours or MSc project can be designed based on a PhD project. Most of these projects require postgraduate scholarships - good places to look for scholarships are the UQ Graduate School Scholarships (these scholarships are much easier to get for Australians and New Zealanders), the Australia Awards, or scholarships in your home country for studying in Australia.
Feel free to contact Anthony (a.richardson1@uq.edu.au) for more information or to discuss potential project ideas.
Conservation
Seamount connectivity: informing deep-sea conservation with oceanographic models
Seamounts—underwater mountains scattered throughout the ocean—are increasingly targeted by fisheries and may soon face pressure from seabed mining. Despite their ecological significance, most lie in the high seas, where protection is limited. The recently adopted Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty provides a historic opportunity to advance conservation in these regions, but actionable science is urgently needed to guide spatial planning. This PhD project will explore how the connectivity of biodiversity among seamounts—driven by deep ocean currents —can inform the design of protected area networks. While direct observations of population connectivity in the deep sea are challenging, high-resolution oceanographic models offer new opportunities to simulate larval dispersal among seamounts. The student will simulate three-dimensional dispersal of neutrally buoyant particles from selected seamounts in key regions such as the western Pacific and central Pacific. These simulations will explore horizontal and vertical connectivity, identify potential source and sink regions, assess how oceanographic isolation may drive endemism, assess model predictions against available genetic data, and explore how oceanographic connectivity may support resilient fisheries. A key focus will be designing protected area networks that incorporate seamount connectivity. This PhD is suited to a student with interests in ocean modelling, marine conservation, and spatial ecology. It will involve working with large oceanographic datasets and particle tracking simulations, and will include collaborations with deep-sea ecologists, geneticists, and policy experts. The student will gain valuable skills in oceanographic modelling, systematic conservation planning, and deep-sea ecology, contributing directly to science-policy initiatives under the BBNJ Treaty.
How well do marine protected areas work? Tracking biodiversity in a changing ocean
Marine protected areas are expanding rapidly around the world, but how well do they conserve biodiversity, especially under mounting human and climate pressures? This PhD project asks whether marine species fare better inside MPAs than outside, and whether stricter levels of protection lead to stronger ecological benefits. The student will leverage several global resources - including the BIOTIMEv2 database, IUCN red list status and AquaX distribution maps - and use Generalised Linear Mixed Models to assess how trends in species differ: inside and outside MPAs; with levels of protection in MPAs; with time since MPA designation; across taxonomic groups; with human stressors; with climate exposure; and across ecological traits. Are biodiversity trends more positive in highly protected areas or where more of a species range is covered by MPAs? Do MPAs buffer against climate change impacts such as ocean warming? Are larger species more vulnerable than small ones, and are certain habitats more affected than others? This project offers an exciting opportunity for a student with strong quantitative skills to work at the science-policy interface of marine conservation. You will develop expertise in large-scale biodiversity synthesis, statistical modelling, and conservation impact evaluation—key skills for careers in ecological research, marine policy, and environmental data science.
Smart zoning for a sustainable ocean: Optimising protected areas for biodiversity and fisheries
Although conservation scientists and NGOs advocate for fully protected no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), most MPAs end up as partial-take zones that permit some fishing—often without a clear strategy to maximise biodiversity outcomes. As global efforts accelerate to meet the 30x30 target—protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030—this disconnect between conservation ideals and real-world implementation risks delivering suboptimal outcomes for both nature and people. This PhD project asks: how can we better zone the global ocean to conserve biodiversity while supporting sustainable fisheries? It will explore whether zoning for one type of fishing (e.g., pelagic) can help protect other biodiversity components (e.g., benthic habitats), and whether more realistic, explicitly multi-use planning can outperform traditional no-take-only approaches. The project includes three integrated components: (1) a global synthesis of bycatch data across fishing gears to identify biodiversity most at risk; (2) an assessment of fishing activity within existing MPAs and its biodiversity impacts; and (3) a spatial optimisation analysis to design multi-use ocean zones that maximise both conservation and fisheries benefits. This is an excellent opportunity for a student interested in marine spatial planning, conservation science, and applied ecological modelling. The work will involve global datasets, advanced geospatial and statistical tools, and contribute directly to international policy efforts under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The student will gain expertise in systematic conservation planning, biodiversity data analysis, and policy-relevant science—valuable skills for careers in research, environmental policy, or global marine conservation.
Safeguarding ocean biodiversity: Conserving species’ niches in marine protected areas
Marine protected areas are central to ocean conservation, but how well do they protect the full diversity of environmental conditions that species need to adapt and persist? While many MPAs aim to cover habitat areas, surprisingly little is known about whether they capture the range of environmental conditions — the realized niches — that foster local adaptations and long-term species survival. This project will tackle this gap by assessing how well existing MPAs conserve environmental heterogeneity for marine species, inspired by cutting-edge approaches recently applied to terrestrial ecosystems (e.g., Hanson et al. 2020, Nature). Using climate model outputs (Earth System Models) and species distribution data from AquaX, the student will classify key environmental features, including temperature, and evaluate how well marine protected areas meet conservation targets across these gradients. Ideal candidates will have skills in or a strong interest in learning spatial analysis, ecological modelling, marine conservation, climate change science, and working with large environmental data sets. This project offers the opportunity to work at the frontier of marine conservation science, develop advanced spatial analysis skills, and contribute solutions for designing future-proof protected areas that enhance the adaptive potential of species in a changing ocean.
Blue carbon and biodiversity: Optimising marine protected areas for climate and conservation
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are powerful tools for conserving ocean biodiversity — but can they also help protect the ocean’s critical role in carbon sequestration? Recent research (e.g., Berzaghi et al. 2023, Nature Climate Change) highlights worrying overlaps between intensive fishing activities and key areas of pelagic and benthic carbon storage, threatening the ocean’s ability to draw down and store carbon. This project will explore how to design MPA networks that simultaneously protect biodiversity and safeguard carbon sequestration processes, aiming for win–win outcomes for conservation and climate mitigation. Using spatial data on fishing effort, carbon sequestration hotspots, and biodiversity patterns, the student will analyse trade-offs and synergies to inform smarter ocean protection strategies. This project offers the opportunity to develop expertise in marine spatial planning, carbon cycle science, and geospatial analysis, and contribute to urgently needed solutions at the intersection of biodiversity and climate action. Ideal candidates will have skills or a strong interest in spatial ecology, conservation planning, carbon cycle science, working with geospatial data, and/or ocean sustainability.
Protecting Marine Biodiversity: Are We Covering Enough? (Honours or MSc project)
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a cornerstone of ocean conservation, but how well do they represent the full diversity of marine life? Most species have less than 5% of their ranges protected globally, and even less for wide-ranging and tropical ones (Klein et al. 2015). This project will assess how effectively current MPAs safeguard marine species, focusing on the critical “Representation” principle of the CARE (Connected, Adequate, Representative, Efficient) framework for MPA design. You will analyse species distribution maps (AquaX) to measure the percentage of species’ ranges covered by existing MPAs, distinguishing between those with partial and full protection. You will also evaluate how at-risk species, based on IUCN Red List status, are represented in fully protected areas. Looking ahead, you will project how climate change may alter the future effectiveness of MPAs. Through this project, you will gain expertise in spatial analysis, conservation planning, biodiversity informatics, and climate change impacts — skills that are highly sought after in marine science, government agencies, and conservation NGOs. Ideal candidates will have skills or a strong interest in marine ecology, spatial ecology and conservation.
Biodiversity vs industry: Mapping the battle for ocean space (Honours or MSc)
As fishing, shipping, oil, gas, and mining activities accelerate in the ocean, protecting marine biodiversity is becoming increasingly complex. High overlap between biodiversity hotspots and human uses means greater threats to species — and higher costs when trying to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This project will map where marine species distributions and human uses collide, and where they are distinct, providing critical insight into where conservation efforts can be most effective. Using AquaX global data for over 40,000 marine species, you will assess their overlap with spatial layers representing human use, including fishing, global shipping routes, oil/gas platforms and mining leases. You will also the degree of overlap between key biodiversity areas (such as Important Marine Mammal Areas, Bird Areas, and Shark and Ray Areas) and human uses. Analyses will explore different taxonomic groups, compare patterns inside Exclusive Economic Zones and in the high seas, and identify regions of both conflict and opportunity for marine protection. Through this project, you will build strong skills in spatial analysis, conservation planning, and data synthesis — valuable for careers in marine science, environmental consulting, NGOs, or government. We are looking for a motivated student with strong quantitative skills and a keen interest in conservation and marine spatial planning; experience with GIS or coding (e.g., R, Python) would be an advantage.
Securing Kelp Forests: Designing a Global Conservation Network for Ecosystem Services
Kelp forests are among the most valuable and productive ecosystems on Earth, generating an estimated US$500 billion per year in ecosystem services — from supplying food, materials, and potential biofuels, to removing nitrogen, sequestering carbon, protecting coastlines, and supporting rich biodiversity. Yet, despite their ecological and economic importance, global conservation planning rarely accounts for the full range of services kelp forests provide. This project will design a global Marine Protected Area (MPA) network for kelp forests. Working with global kelp biodiversity and ecosystem service datasets and using systematic conservation planning tools, you will identify priority areas that safeguard both kelp biodiversity and critical ecosystem services. The project will generate insights urgently needed for global conservation targets. You will develop skills in spatial analysis, ecosystem service valuation and conservation planning — preparing you for future roles in academia, conservation NGOs, or environmental policy. We are looking for a student who is passionate about marine conservation, with strong quantitative skills; experience with GIS, spatial modelling, or programming (e.g., R or Python) would be an advantage.
Modelling
The role of zooplankton in the biological pump and impacts of climate change
Despite their small size, zooplankton play a crucial role in the carbon cycle and marine food webs. However, current models struggle to accurately represent their contribution to the carbon transfer from the surface to deeper waters. This PhD project aims to improve our understanding of the role of zooplankton in the “biological pump,” which removes carbon from the atmosphere and stores it in the deep sea, how climate change could impact this process, and what this means for fisheries. This project will advance the development of the Zooplankton Model of Size Spectra (ZooMSS), a global marine ecosystem model. With better zooplankton representation in ZooMSS - particularly realistic temperature responses of different zooplankton groups and processes - this will lead to improved understanding of the biological pump and why there is high tuna biomass in nutrient-poor tropical waters. This research will provide novel insights into marine ecosystems in a warming world and improve predictions of carbon sequestration and fish stocks, both important for managing climate change and fisheries. Students with a background in marine science or environmental modelling will gain expertise in ecosystem modelling, zooplankton ecology, and climate impact assessment.
Modelling zoolankton and fisheries to understand the global carbon cycles
Understanding the role of zooplankton is arguably the biggest gap in our knowledge of the ocean carbon cycle. Zooplankton constitute 40% of total marine biomass, feed on different sizes of plankton, vary by an order of magnitude in their carbon content, and have diverse roles in carbon transport across the world’s oceans. Yet these features are poorly resolved in current ecosystem models.
You would develop new ways of modelling zooplankton in an innovative ecosystem model – the Zooplankton Model of Size Spectra (ZooMSS). You will use the model to explore present and future impacts of climate change on the global ocean’s capacity to sequester carbon and support fisheries. You would be working with a team of modellers, zooplankton ecologists, and climate change scientists.
This position is funded through the Australian Research Council Discovery Project Zooplankton: the missing link in modelling the ocean carbon cycle.
The scholarship includes: living stipend of $35,000 per annum tax free (2024 rate; indexed annually) and your tuition fees are covered.
This scholarship is available for Australian (or New Zealand) citizens and Australian permanent residents.
You will have demonstrated skills in modelling, coding experience (in any programming language), and strong written and communication skills. You do not need experience in marine ecology (although it is preferred), but you must have a keen interest to learn.
More information and how to apply for this position is available here
Some like it hot: Rethinking models of zooplankton in a warming world
Despite their pivotal role in oceanic carbon cycling, zooplankton are often oversimplified in marine ecosystem and biogeochemical models, where they are typically lumped into a few generic groups with uniform traits and temperature responses. This project challenges that paradigm by integrating the rich body of experimental data on zooplankton physiology to better represent their temperature preferences. We will quantify how different zooplankton groups vary in their temperature sensitivity—such as respiration, ingestion, growth, and faecal production—using group-specific Q10 values derived from meta-analyses of published data. These refined parameters will be incorporated into a next-generation ecosystem model to test how more realistic zooplankton dynamics affect predictions of fish biomass and carbon export under climate change. By comparing outputs from bespoke temperature parameterisations with traditional models using a uniform Q10, we aim to reveal how overlooked biological complexity can reshape our understanding of ocean futures. Students involved in this project will gain expertise in ecological modelling, meta-analysis, and climate-ecosystem interactions, contributing to a transformative shift in how zooplankton are represented in biogeochemical and ecosystem models. Ideal candidates will have a background in marine science, quantitative ecology, or biological oceanography, with strong skills in modelling and data analysis.
Plankton
Tides of change: Unravelling long-term impacts of urbanisation on the ecosystem health of Moreton Bay
As Southeast Queensland continues to urbanise rapidly, the health of its iconic coastal ecosystems—especially Moreton Bay—is under increasing pressure. Urban expansion, evolving sewerage treatment practices, and intensifying flood events are altering the delicate balance of nutrient inputs and water quality. Yet, despite the ecological and economic importance of Moreton Bay, we still lack a clear, long-term understanding of how these stressors interact and impact ecosystem health over decades. This project leverages over 25 years of high-resolution data from the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP)—one of the world’s most comprehensive aquatic monitoring efforts. Using advanced statistical and modelling techniques, including integration with a ROMS biogeochemical model in the region, you will explore how urbanisation, wastewater management, and extreme weather events have shaped the ecological trajectory of Moreton Bay. The research will identify key drivers of change and inform future management strategies for resilient coastal ecosystems. As a student in this project, you’ll develop cutting-edge skills in time-series analysis, spatial modelling, and ecosystem forecasting. You’ll work with one of Australia’s richest environmental data sets, collaborate with leading scientists and government agencies, and contribute to real-world solutions for sustainable coastal management. We are looking for motivated students with a background in marine science, environmental science, quantitative ecology, or a related field. Experience with R, Python, or GIS is highly desirable, as is a passion for solving complex environmental problems through data-driven approaches.
Phytoplankton on the move: tracking phytoplankton shifts in a changing climate
Phytoplankton are the invisible powerhouses of the ocean—producing half of the world’s oxygen and forming the base of the marine food web. In a time of intensifying climate variability and change, understanding their response to stressors such as marine heatwaves, El Niño events, global warming and ocean acidification is critical. This PhD project will leverage nearly 20 years of Integrated Marine Observing System plankton data alongside historical records to examine how trends in phytoplankton abundance, timing, and species composition across Australia’s marine waters are being impact by climate variability and change. You will compare your findings on changes in zooplankton communities from Australia with a much larger global phytoplankton data set from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In this project, you will learn how to use advanced statistical techniques while developing expertise in climate-ecosystem interactions, ecological forecasting, and long-term environmental monitoring.
Sentinels of change: zooplankton response to a warmer and more acid ocean
Zooplankton, comprising around 40% of marine biomass, play a pivotal role in ocean ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles. But how are these crucial organisms responding to climate variability and long-term change? This project will explore shifts in zooplankton abundance, distribution, composition and phenology using nearly 20 years of Integrated Marine Observing System data, with long-term context provided by historical Australian records. From the fingerprints of marine heatwaves and El Niño to the broader impacts of ocean warming and acidification, you will investigate whether zooplankton are extending their range southward, changing their seasonal behaviour, and showing signs of community change. You will be able to compare your findings on changes in zooplankton communities from Australia with a much larger global zooplankton data set from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Through this work, you will gain hands-on experience with large-scale ecological datasets and cutting-edge statistical modelling—essential tools for a future career in global change biology or marine ecosystem science.
Rise of the jellies? Unpacking the mystery of gelatinous zooplankton in a changing ocean
Are jellyfish really taking over the oceans? Gelatinous zooplankton—including jellyfish, salps, and larvaceans—are increasingly recognized as key players in marine ecosystems. They influence food webs, carbon cycling, and even fisheries, yet their global trends remain contentious. Some evidence suggests they are proliferating in response to human pressures such as overfishing, warming seas, and pollution—but is this true? This project investigates long-term changes in gelatinous zooplankton at a global scale, combining ecological theory with cutting-edge data analysis. The student will update and analyse the global JeDI (Jellyfish Database Initiative) dataset and link it to environmental stressors, including Halpern’s human impact index. Using statistical models that account for sampling biases—such as generalized linear mixed models —the project will evaluate whether and where gelatinous taxa are increasing, and why. This project has the potential to shape marine policy and management. This is a great opportunity for a postgraduate student interested in global change biology and quantitative ecology, and who wants to gain valuable experience in global data synthesis and statistical modelling, while contributing to an urgent and unresolved scientific question. The project is co-supervised by experts at UQ and the Danish Technical University.
Shifting depths: Zooplankton behaviour in a warming ocean
As global temperatures rise and ocean productivity declines, one of the most fundamental behaviours in the marine food web—zooplankton diel vertical migration—may be undergoing a dramatic shift. This project asks a pressing question: in a warming ocean, will zooplankton reduce their daytime descents to the safety of deeper waters to feed for longer in surface waters and thus be more at risk of predation by visual predators such as fish? The outcomes have major implications for marine predator-prey dynamics and the biological carbon pump. Climate models and observations increasingly suggest that primary production from phytoplankton will decline, challenging zooplankton to find sufficient food while coping with the higher metabolic demands of warmer waters. By analysing long-term (>60 yrs) global zooplankton datasets, this project will investigate if copepods are already altering their migration patterns, drawing parallels with other climate-driven behavioural changes in the animal kingdom—such as increased diurnal ibex foraging at night to escape heat, despite increased risk. The successful candidate will gain skills in big data analysis, ecological modelling, and climate-ecosystem interactions, contributing to a frontier area of marine science with wide-reaching ecological and biogeochemical consequences.