Dr. Shanta Barley
Postdoctoral Fellow
Publications
2018
Hammerschlag N, Barley SC, Irschick DJ, >Meeuwig JJ, Nelson ER, Meekan MG. 2018. Predator declines and morphological changes in prey: Evidence from coral reefs depleted of sharks. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 586: 127-139.
2017
Barley SC, Meekan MG, Meeuwig, JJ. 2017. Diet and condition of mesopredators on coral reefs in relation to shark abundance. PloS ONE, 12(4): e0165113.
Barley SC, Meekan MG, Meeuwig, JJ. 2017. Species diversity, abundance, biomass, size and trophic structure of fish on coral reefs in relation to shark abundance. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 565: 163-179.
2016
Barley SC, Meeuwig JJ. 2016. The power and the pitfalls of large-scale, unreplicated natural experiments. Ecosystems. DOI:10.1007/s10021-016-0028-5.
Barley SC, Meekan MG, Meeuwig JJ. 2016. Diet and condition of mesopredators on coral reefs in relation to shark abundance. Plos ONE.
2015
Barley SC, Mehta RS, Meeuwig JJ, Meekan MG. 2015. To knot or not? Novel feeding behaviours in moray eels. Marine Biodiversity, 46(3): 703-705.
2013
Barley SB, Walker RCJ. 2013. Population density and seasonal detection rates of a unique population of critically endangered northern Madagascar spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides brygooi). Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 8(3): 616–621.
PhD title: What the loss of sharks mean for coral reef ecosystems.
Start date: 1 September, 2012
Reef sharks are being removed from coral reefs globally yet we do not understand how this affects these hotspots of biodiversity. Where sharks are absent, prey may change in terms of abundance, size, behaviour, diet, condition and growth rate, which could have severe knock-on effects on the rest of the ecosystem.
I explore these issues using stereo underwater video systems, stable isotopes and a range of other techniques.
Collaborations
Australian Institute of Marine Science – Perth, Australia
Prof. Simon Thorrold – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Dr Neil Hammerschlag – University of Miami
BBC One – Science presenter for the series Ingenious Animals http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07wsnpq
BBC Earth – The strange reason why hagfish tie themselves into knots http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160905-the-strangest-fish-in-the-sea
BBC – Climate change blog http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/climatechange/shanta_barley
The Conversation – Humans are experimenting with the planet, so let’s make sure we learn along the way https://theconversation.com/humans-are-experimenting-with-the-planet-so-lets-make-sure-we-learn-along-the-way-64558
The Wire – Moray Eels Knot Themselves to Pry Prey http://thewire.in/62857/moray-eels-knot-reef/
Guardian UK – Contributor http://www.theguardian.com/profile/shanta-barley
Nature journal – Feature writer
New Scientist and Nature Climate Change – Environmental reporting
Think: Sustainability Podcast, Radio 2ser 107.3: The importance of large-scale, unreplicated natural experiments Australasian Science Magazine: Large-scale, unreplicated natural experiments (December 2016)
Contact
Centre for Marine Futures
School of Biological Sciences
& UWA Oceans Institute
University of Western Australia M092
35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009