CORAL REEF ECOLOGY LABORATORY
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Penny McCracken

Picture
Position: PhD candidate (commenced January 2000)

Education:
  • 1992-1996 Bachelor of Science (Biology) Deakin University, Victoria.
  • 1997-1998 Post-graduate Diploma (Marine Science) School of Life Sciences, University of Queensland. Supervisors: Dr Lexa Grutter and Dr. Ian Tibbetts.

Research Interests: Intertidal coral reef ecology and behavioural rhythms in marine invertebrates.



Picture
Penny in the lab.
Picture
Heron Island
Picture
Penny at Heron Island.
Research Project: Penny completed her Post-Graduate Diploma at UQ under the supervision of Dr Ian Tibbetts. Penny is now based at Heron Island Research Station where she is completing her PhD which investigates the trophic contribution of grazing crabs in coral reefs and identifies the effect of environmental variables on their grazing activity. Her supervisors for this project are Dr Lexa Grutter and Dr Ian Tibbetts (The Centre for Marine Studies, UQ).

PhD project: "The ecological significance of crab grazing activity in a coral reef system" 
The primary objective of my Ph.D. research is to investigate the ecological significance of crab grazing activity in a coral reef system. The investigation focuses on three common species of xanthid crab and I aim to determine their relative importance in reef trophodynamics and the indirect effects of their grazing activity on coral-algae competition. The main questions being asked are:
  1. How much organic carbon do these crabs consume each day?
  2. What are the direct influences of crab grazing on algal communities?
  3. Can the presence of grazing crabs increase the health and survivorship of live corals?
  4. What environmental cues influence their grazing activity?

Contact Details: Penny.McCracken@bio.mq.edu.au 
Picture
Penny at Heron Island looking for crabs.
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  • Home
  • The Cleaner Fish Chronicles
  • Research Projects
  • People
    • Dr. Lexa Grutter
    • Dr. Derek Sun
    • Halle Martineau
    • Olivia Cenne
    • Barbara Lainz
    • Eden Devon
    • PhD Graduates >
      • Maxi Eckes
      • Richard Smith
      • Lynda Curtis
      • Conor Jones
      • Penny McCracken
      • Laura Nagel
      • Devi Stuart-Fox
      • Gabriela Munoz
      • Samantha Waller
      • Justine Becker
      • Derek Sun
    • Masters Graduates >
      • Rachel Fogelman
      • Carlos Vargos
      • Marina Richardson
    • Honours Graduates >
      • Derek Sun
      • Peter Waldie
      • Gillian Clague
      • Jennifer Pickering
      • Jennifer Rumney
      • Jan-Maree Murphy
      • John McKiernan
      • Viviana Gamboa
      • Carrie Sims
      • Rose Penfold
      • Berilin Duong
      • Natsumi Nishigawa
      • Joanna Davis
      • Daniel Capps
      • Marty Deveny
      • Maxi Eckes
      • Lynda Curtis
      • Conor Jones
      • Carley Bansemer
    • Past Research Assistants >
      • Eva McClure
      • Cait Newport
      • Bronwyn Cameron
      • Nadia Aurisch
      • Christine Fury
    • Visiting Research Students >
      • Emilie David
      • Anais Ranica
      • Mathilde Bénézech
      • Nicolas Fournet Fayas
  • Publications
  • Grants
  • Media Stories
  • Collaborators
  • The Sustainable Marine Aquarium
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Links
  • Contact Us
  • Some of Our Volunteers
    • Marta Ferraro
    • Ofalia Ho