Research — Lisa Boström-Einarsson

My research is composed of three main pillars; 1) understanding the effects of habitat loss on coral reef species, 2) advancing evidence-based and best-practice guidelines for habitat restoration in coastal ecosystems, and 3) developing solutions to mitigate disturbances on coral reefs. Together, these topics have allowed me to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied science with the aim of improving the outcome of conservation efforts.

Ecological effects of habitat loss on coral reefs

My primary research focus has been to investigate the ecological effect of habitat loss on coral reef fish species. I have approached this question from a behavioural perspective, and use field experiments and modelling to test hypotheses. I have investigated the effects of habitat degradation on key ecological processes determining the distribution of reef fishes, density dependent competition for resources, and their interaction with the coral reef habitat. Currently, I am developing an agent based model to investigate how small behavioural changes can lead to population-wide response at macroecological scales.

The effectiveness of coral restoration

In this theme, I explore the efficacy of coral restoration methods, and evaluate how the field might learn from the past and improve outcomes of restoration going forward. I developed the first global database of coral restoration methods, with an interactive database visualisation that has been accessed by over 15000 users to directly improve the outcome of coral restoration projects worldwide. The project is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary, and strive to bridge the gap between restoration practitioners and restoration ecologists through the use of innovative science communication.

COTS control on coral reefs

I developed a cost-effective and widely available method to cull crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS). The method achieves 100% mortality using a single shot of household white vinegar and is now widely used throughout the Indo-Pacific region, and is the primary tool used to cull COTS on the Great Barrier Reef.