Research Commons
      • Browse 
        • Communities & Collections
        • Titles
        • Authors
        • By Issue Date
        • Subjects
        • Types
        • Series
      • Help 
        • About
        • Collection Policy
        • OA Mandate Guidelines
        • Guidelines FAQ
        • Contact Us
      • My Account 
        • Sign In
        • Register
      View Item 
      •   Research Commons
      • University of Waikato Research
      • Science and Engineering
      • Science and Engineering Papers
      • View Item
      •   Research Commons
      • University of Waikato Research
      • Science and Engineering
      • Science and Engineering Papers
      • View Item
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

      Acanthaster planci invasions: applying biosecurity practices to manage a native boom and bust coral pest in Australia

      Hoey, Jessica; Campbell, Marnie L.; Hewitt, Chad L.; Gould, Brendan; Bird, Rosemary
      Thumbnail
      Files
      2016 hoey campbell hewitt gould bird Management of Biological Invasions.pdf
      Published version, 671.5Kb
      DOI
       10.3391/mbi.2016.7.3.01
      Find in your library  
      Citation
      Export citation
      Hoey, J., Campbell, M. L., Hewitt, C. L., Gould, B., & Bird, R. (2016). Acanthaster planci invasions: applying biosecurity practices to manage a native boom and bust coral pest in Australia. Management of Biological Invasions, 7(3), 213–220. http://doi.org/10.3391/mbi.2016.7.3.01
      Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/10664
      Abstract
      Coral reef systems are in global decline. In Australia, much of this decline has been attributable to cyclic outbreaks (every ~17 years) of the coral-feeding crown-of-thorns seastar. While a native species, when in large enough densities the seastar acts like an invasive pest. Since 2012 the Australian government has invested significantly in a targeted control program using lethal injection. While this program is effective for individual reefs, it is not a complete strategyfor the entire Great Barrier Reef (~2,500 reefs). In order to find a longer-term solution to the problem, in 2015, the lead author travelled to New Zealand, the United States, and Canada under a Churchill Fellowship to understand successful aquatic integrated pest management strategies and their potential application to the Great Barrier Reef. Meetings and workshops were convened with experts who specialise in risk assessment, categorisation, and management of aquatic invasive species. The experts comprised academics, applied scientists, policy makers, and a not for profit community based invasive species council. Bioinvasion management and prioritisation of management effort using risk-based frameworks were reviewed for application to the crown-of-thorns seastar. This viewpoint is novel in its approach of applying invasive species tools and perspectives to a non-invasive, native marine pest. Early detection and rapid response is key to preventing the transition of the seastar from natural densities to outbreak densities. However given the seastar is a native species already established, when in outbreak mode a multifaceted post-border management approach is essential. Private support funding models, that bridge conservation and tourism/philanthropy have proved successful in New Zealand to supplement government funded marine reserve management – this is an approach which should be explored by Australia to help manage the seastar. Dedicated support and commitment is needed to break the issue-attention cycle. On the Great Barrier Reef, a dedicated biosecurity approach should be used to maintain the seastar at natural densities, increase the time between outbreaks, protect coral cover and increase resilience of the system.
      Date
      2016
      Type
      Journal Article
      Publisher
      Regional Euro-Asian Biological Invasions Centre (REABIC)
      Collections
      • Science and Engineering Papers [3122]
      Show full item record  

      Usage

      Downloads, last 12 months
      130
       
       
       

      Usage Statistics

      For this itemFor all of Research Commons

      The University of Waikato - Te Whare Wānanga o WaikatoFeedback and RequestsCopyright and Legal Statement