My primary area of expertise is stable isotope analysis. Stable isotopes are naturally occurring alternative forms of elements like carbon and nitrogen, which are distinguished by their different molecular weights. They are an amazing tool in ecology that let us trace the flow of nutrients up the food chain, or track the migration of fish, birds, and insects across entire continents and oceans. Using isotopes, I have studied the habitat use and diet of sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, examined the effects of human pollution on prawns, and mapped the influence of climate on grass and shrub distribution across Australia. My other key research interests include species distribution modeling, animal tracking, and food webs. I am always open to collaboration and supervision on a wide assortment of topics.
Projects
C3 and C4 distribution in Australia
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Understanding the environmental forces that drive plant distribution are critical to protecting our native ecosystems. Australia is an ecologically diverse country with a enormous range of climate conditions. I seek to understand the climate and soil conditions that control the distribution of warm-season (aka C4) and cool-season (aka C3) plants. My goal is to create Australia-wide spatial vegetation models that can predict the distribution of these species across the country and into the future. I also plan to build δ13C leaf isoscape, a map that predicts of carbon isotope ratios of plants at a continental scale. Isoscapes are incredibly useful tools when studying animal migration and diet.
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Deepwater shark diet revealed using isotope analysis
Dr Cassie Rigby hard at work near Swain Reefs, southern Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. She is holding an eastern spotted gummy shark, which lives at a depth of 400 metres. Photo by © Cassandra Rigby
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is famous for its coral reef systems, but 1/3 of the reserve consists of largely unknown deep water habitat. These areas are increasingly being fished and deep dwelling sharks and rays are often caught as bycatch. In this project, we used stable isotope analysis to evaluate the diet, movement, and ecological interactions of deepwater sharks in Australian waters. We found that most deepwater sharks in our study had unique isoptice niches, indicating they eat different prey. We also found that shark size has a big influence on diet. This research would not be possible without the generous support of the Save Our Seas Foundation. Read more on my Save Our Seas Project Page
New tracer methods for revealing the hidden connections between ecosystems
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Marine and terrestrial ecosystems are connected by rivers, which carry nutrients, animals, and human pollutants across the land-sea boundary. We wanted to understand how land-based inputs effect coastal marine habitats. We analysed the concentrations of different metals, trace elements, and isotopes in nearshore prawns and used them as "bio-indicators" of pollution in a busy urban bay (Moreton Bay, Brisbane). We found prawns collected closer to shore had higher concentrations of certain metals and tracers, which tells us nearshore areas are more strongly affected by human activities, like agriculture and sewage. The good news is the concentrations of pollutants in prawns was low, so it does not appear to effect prawn condition and they are safe for human consumption.
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Most of us enjoy having prawns for dinner, but the chemical ‘fingerprints’ of these tasty critters can also tell us a lot about the health about coastal habitats!
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PhD Research: Shark movement and diet in a diverse coastal ecosystem
Different species have been found to exhibit generalist, opportunistically selective, and specialist resource use strategies. Sharks using these distinct strategies will have unique impacts on marine communities and respond differently to environmental fluctuation. I used a combination of passive acoustic telemetry and stable isotope analysis to determine the space use, habitat selection, and habitat specialization patterns of different shark populations on the GBR. By using two distinct techniques to study animal movement over large and small scales, l was able to better understand the foraging behaviours and distribution patterns of shark species.
Supervised Student Projects
PhD students
Rachel Atkins (Current) - Reconstructing past floral communities of Naracoorte Caves
Patrick Timmins (Current) - Measurement and Analysis of Nitrogen Isotopes to Identify Movement of Nitrogen in Soil by Australian Native Acacia Species
Honours Students
Rachel Atkins (2020) – “Carbon isotopic tools for determining the photosynthetic pathway of floral communities”, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide
Patrick Timmins (2019) “Direct measurement of soil microplastic concentration using MIR spectroscopy”, School of Agriculture, Food, and Wine, University of Adelaide
Rachel Atkins (Current) - Reconstructing past floral communities of Naracoorte Caves
Patrick Timmins (Current) - Measurement and Analysis of Nitrogen Isotopes to Identify Movement of Nitrogen in Soil by Australian Native Acacia Species
Honours Students
Rachel Atkins (2020) – “Carbon isotopic tools for determining the photosynthetic pathway of floral communities”, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide
Patrick Timmins (2019) “Direct measurement of soil microplastic concentration using MIR spectroscopy”, School of Agriculture, Food, and Wine, University of Adelaide
Publications
Munroe SEM, Guerin G, Saleeba T, Matin-Fores I, Blanco-Martin, B, Sparrow B, and Tokmakoff A (2021) ausplotsR: an R package for rapid extraction and analysis of vegetation and soil data collected by Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network. Journal of Vegetation Science
Munroe, SEM et al (2021) The photosynthetic pathways of plant species surveyed in Australia's national terrestrial monitoring network. Scientific Data Article Number 97.
Sparrow BD, Edwards W, Munroe SEM, Wardle GM, Guerin GR, Bastin JF, Morris B, Christensen R, Phinn S and Lowe AJ (2020) Effective ecosystem monitoring requires a multi-scaled approach. Biological Reviews doi:10.1111/brv.12636
Munroe SEM, Rigby C, and Hussey N (2020) Evidence for inter- and intraspecific resource separation among deepwater elasmobranchs on the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 636:107-121
Greg R. Guerin, Irene Martín‐Forés, Samantha E. M. Munroe, Ben Sparrow, & Andrew J. Lowe (2019) Alien plants alter the growth form ratio and structure of Australian grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science 00:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12448
Heupel MR, Munroe SEM, Lédée EJI, Chin A, & Simpfendorfer CA (2019). Interspecific interactions, movement patterns and habitat use in a diverse coastal shark assemblage. Marine Biology 166: 68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3511-7
Munroe, S, Huveneers, C (2019), Monitoring the presence and residency of sharks at key locations off Victor Harbour (Encounter Bay Marine Park). Report 2: March 2016-October 2018. Report to the Department of the Environment and Water and the City of Victor Harbor.
Munroe SEM, Coates-Marnane J, Burford MA, and Fry B. (2018) A benthic bioindicator reveals distinct land and ocean–based influences in an urbanized coastal embayment PLOS ONE https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205408
Munroe, Samantha EM, Lauren Meyer, and Michael R. Heithaus. (2018). "Dietary Biomarkers in Shark Foraging and Movement Ecology." Shark Research: Emerging Technologies and Applications for the Field and Laboratory.
Munroe, S, Huveneers, C (2018), Monitoring the presence and residency of sharks at key locations off Victor Harbour (Encounter Bay Marine Park). Report to the Department of the Environment, Water, and Natural Resources
Munroe SEM, Fry B, and Olley J (2018) Underutilized biogeochemical tracers distinguish invertebrate populations in a complex river system Limnology and Oceanography:Methods DOI: 10.1002/lom3.10258
Bird C, et al. (2018). Sharks connect food webs across the global ocean. Nature Ecology and Evolution DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0432-z
Munroe SEM, Simpfendorfer CA, Heupel MR (2016). Variation in blacktip shark movement patterns in a tropical coastal bay Environmental Biology Fishes. DOI 10.1007/s10641-016-0480-2
Munroe SEM, Simpfendorfer CA, Moloney J, and Heupel MR (2015). Nearshore movement ecology of a medium-bodied shark the creek whaler Carcharhinus fitzroyensis. Animal Biotelemetry. DOI 10.1186/s40317-015-0026-y
Espinoza M, Munroe SEM, Tayler MC, Fisk AT, and Wehrtmann IS (2015). Feeding ecology of common demersal elasmobranch species in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica inferred from stable isotope and stomach content analyses. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 470:12-25
Munroe SEM , Heupel MR, Fisk AT, Logan M, and Simpfendorfer CA. 2015. Regional movement patterns of a small-bodied shark revealed by stable-isotope analysis. Journal of Fish Biology 86:1567-1586
Munroe SEM , Heupel MR, Fisk AT, and Simpfendorfer CA. 2015. Geographic and temporal variation in the trophic ecology of a small bodied-shark: Evidence of resilience to environmental change. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 72:343-351
Munroe, S.E.M., Simpfendorfer, C.A., and Heupel M.R. 2014. Habitat and space use of an abundant nearshore shark, Rhizoprionodon taylori. Marine & Freshwater Research. 65: 959-968 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MF13272
Simpfendorfer CA, Tobin AJ, Heupel MR, Yates P, and Munroe S (2014). Drivers of juvenile shark biodiversity and abundance in inshore ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef. Technical Report to the National Environmental Research Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns (28pp.).
Munroe, S.E.M., Simpfendorfer, C.A., and Heupel M.R. 2013. Defining shark ecological specialisation: concepts, context, and examples. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 24:317-331 10.1007/s11160-013-9333-7
Munroe, S.E.M., Avery, T.S., Shutler, D., and Dadswell, M.J. 2011. Spatial attachment-site preferences of macroectoparasites on Atlantic sturgeons acipenser oxyrinchus in Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy, Canada. Journal of Parasitology 97(3): 377-383
Munroe, SEM et al (2021) The photosynthetic pathways of plant species surveyed in Australia's national terrestrial monitoring network. Scientific Data Article Number 97.
Sparrow BD, Edwards W, Munroe SEM, Wardle GM, Guerin GR, Bastin JF, Morris B, Christensen R, Phinn S and Lowe AJ (2020) Effective ecosystem monitoring requires a multi-scaled approach. Biological Reviews doi:10.1111/brv.12636
Munroe SEM, Rigby C, and Hussey N (2020) Evidence for inter- and intraspecific resource separation among deepwater elasmobranchs on the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 636:107-121
Greg R. Guerin, Irene Martín‐Forés, Samantha E. M. Munroe, Ben Sparrow, & Andrew J. Lowe (2019) Alien plants alter the growth form ratio and structure of Australian grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science 00:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12448
Heupel MR, Munroe SEM, Lédée EJI, Chin A, & Simpfendorfer CA (2019). Interspecific interactions, movement patterns and habitat use in a diverse coastal shark assemblage. Marine Biology 166: 68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3511-7
Munroe, S, Huveneers, C (2019), Monitoring the presence and residency of sharks at key locations off Victor Harbour (Encounter Bay Marine Park). Report 2: March 2016-October 2018. Report to the Department of the Environment and Water and the City of Victor Harbor.
Munroe SEM, Coates-Marnane J, Burford MA, and Fry B. (2018) A benthic bioindicator reveals distinct land and ocean–based influences in an urbanized coastal embayment PLOS ONE https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205408
Munroe, Samantha EM, Lauren Meyer, and Michael R. Heithaus. (2018). "Dietary Biomarkers in Shark Foraging and Movement Ecology." Shark Research: Emerging Technologies and Applications for the Field and Laboratory.
Munroe, S, Huveneers, C (2018), Monitoring the presence and residency of sharks at key locations off Victor Harbour (Encounter Bay Marine Park). Report to the Department of the Environment, Water, and Natural Resources
Munroe SEM, Fry B, and Olley J (2018) Underutilized biogeochemical tracers distinguish invertebrate populations in a complex river system Limnology and Oceanography:Methods DOI: 10.1002/lom3.10258
Bird C, et al. (2018). Sharks connect food webs across the global ocean. Nature Ecology and Evolution DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0432-z
Munroe SEM, Simpfendorfer CA, Heupel MR (2016). Variation in blacktip shark movement patterns in a tropical coastal bay Environmental Biology Fishes. DOI 10.1007/s10641-016-0480-2
Munroe SEM, Simpfendorfer CA, Moloney J, and Heupel MR (2015). Nearshore movement ecology of a medium-bodied shark the creek whaler Carcharhinus fitzroyensis. Animal Biotelemetry. DOI 10.1186/s40317-015-0026-y
Espinoza M, Munroe SEM, Tayler MC, Fisk AT, and Wehrtmann IS (2015). Feeding ecology of common demersal elasmobranch species in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica inferred from stable isotope and stomach content analyses. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 470:12-25
Munroe SEM , Heupel MR, Fisk AT, Logan M, and Simpfendorfer CA. 2015. Regional movement patterns of a small-bodied shark revealed by stable-isotope analysis. Journal of Fish Biology 86:1567-1586
Munroe SEM , Heupel MR, Fisk AT, and Simpfendorfer CA. 2015. Geographic and temporal variation in the trophic ecology of a small bodied-shark: Evidence of resilience to environmental change. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 72:343-351
Munroe, S.E.M., Simpfendorfer, C.A., and Heupel M.R. 2014. Habitat and space use of an abundant nearshore shark, Rhizoprionodon taylori. Marine & Freshwater Research. 65: 959-968 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MF13272
Simpfendorfer CA, Tobin AJ, Heupel MR, Yates P, and Munroe S (2014). Drivers of juvenile shark biodiversity and abundance in inshore ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef. Technical Report to the National Environmental Research Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns (28pp.).
Munroe, S.E.M., Simpfendorfer, C.A., and Heupel M.R. 2013. Defining shark ecological specialisation: concepts, context, and examples. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 24:317-331 10.1007/s11160-013-9333-7
Munroe, S.E.M., Avery, T.S., Shutler, D., and Dadswell, M.J. 2011. Spatial attachment-site preferences of macroectoparasites on Atlantic sturgeons acipenser oxyrinchus in Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy, Canada. Journal of Parasitology 97(3): 377-383
