WA’s marine environment is both diverse and unique.
A biodiversity hotspot with up to 80% of fish, invertebrates and other organisms found nowhere else in the world. With over 3,000km of coral reefs, including the largest barrier reef in the Indian Ocean, as well as one of the largest and most species rich sea grass meadows in the world all you have to do to see sea life is look.
Understanding the patterns and processes that underpin our marine biodiversity and the influences of both environmental and human driven change is a key goal of marine ecologists at UWA. Important environmental drivers include the Leeuwin Current and ocean warming with human activities such as fishing, dredging for shipping access and pollution also impacting our marine biodiversity.
Looking underwater is not without its challenges and UWA researcher use a range of techniques. Divers count and sample seagrasses, stereo video cameras are used to identify and measure fish. Corals tell us the history of the world through cores samples, microbial analysis herald future applications and hydroacoustic surveys and towed video reveals the spatial patterns in habitats.
Due to the large diversity and complexity of marine ecology systems it is easier to break down this research area into its different aspects:
- Fish ecology
- Microbial ecology
- Coral reefs
- Temperate reefs
- Seagrass
- Spatial ecology
- Marine Neuroecology
Are you considering a degree in marine science but don't know where it could take you? Watch this 3 minute video to see a marine biologist in action, created by a UWA science communication student.
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
