OUR Mission
To protect future generations of sharks as they face threats in an ever changing climate.
The Physioshark project, led by Dr. Jodie Rummer from James Cook University in Australia, investigates how climate change impacts the physiology of newborn and juvenile reef sharks. Sharks that are born today represent adult shark populations of the future. Understanding how human and environmental impacts affect these sharks is crucial knowledge for developing effective shark conservation strategies.
The fieldwork is based at the CRIOBE Research Center on Moorea, French Polynesia. The project investigates the physiological energetics (i.e., costs/benefits) of newborn blacktip reef and sicklefin lemon sharks living in the 11 potential nursery areas identified around the island. For instance, the research team is investigating how well newborn sharks cope with hot water temperatures in these nurseries and how the cost of growing up in these nurseries will change with increased human disturbances like coastal development and climate change.
While French Polynesia is a protected shark sanctuary, there is a need to address the sharks’ physiological tolerance to the environmental conditions of their nurseries that will likely become more severe as climate change progresses. Decreases in physiological performance may translate to decreases in fitness.
What can we learn from these sharks – sharks that are protected in the largest shark sanctuary in the world – that can be applied not only locally, but also on a global scale?
Our projects
COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION
It is important for us to connect with the future generations of marine stewards and conservationists. By visiting local schools on Moorea and Tahiti in French Polynesia and across Australia, we are able to educate kids and young adults about the the problems our oceans are facing and the science we are doing to hopefully understand and solve those problems. Not only will our youth be the future decision-makers faced with cleaning up and preserving biodiversity and natural resources, both land and sea, but even today, our youth are able to influence the adults in their lives that are key to current decision-making and management of marine resources.
Indeed, our presence in French Polynesia extends beyond the laboratory; we undertake vital outreach and education programs to give back to those who generously host us.
Dr Jodie Rummer and her team also frequently present at international conferences and public events including the World Science Festival, TED, and via media platforms including the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and ABC.
RESEARCH
Our research focuses on the populations of newborn blacktip reef and lemon sharks that use nursery areas around the island of Moorea. The primary objective is to understand how sharks in nursery habitats maintain or alter their physiology to cope with stressful environmental conditions.
We collect newborn sharks from these nurseries and, in the nearby laboratory, simulate a variety of conditions, including increased water temperatures, low oxygen, an elevated carbon dioxide (low pH). Then, via a series of performance tests, we can determine how sharks may or may not cope with future ocean conditions. We then release the sharks back to the habitats in which they were captured, as we also do field monitoring of their whereabouts as well as the environmental conditions of their habitats.
GET INVOLVED
We love the passion that people bring to our project, and we are always on the look out for collaborators and partners.
There is plenty that you can do, from connecting with us on social media to hosting a screening of our new documentary.
If you have any questions about our project or how you can support us in our research, you can contact us here.
Baby Sharks in a Changing World
The Physioshark Research Program at James Cook University is dedicated to understanding how climate change is impacting sharks and informing conservation efforts. The team investigates the effects of rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, and declining oxygen on the physiology and behaviour of sharks. Sharks are an important element of healthy environments and without them entire ocean ecosystems can fall out of balance. Based on the Great Barrier Reef and in French Polynesia the Physioshark Research Program seeks to understand and protect sharks in a changing world. By working to safeguard these important predators, the team is contributing to the health and sustainability of marine ecosystems, which are essential to the well-being of our planet.
To encourage donations to the cause, JCU has set up a page for non-U.S. donors and a page for U.S. donors (for U.S.-specific tax deduction purposes).
Publications
Newborn blacktip reef sharks and simulated climate change conditions
Weideli, O.C., Bouyoucos, I.A., Papastamatiou, Y.P., Mescam, G., Rummer, J.L., Planes, S. (2019) Same species, different prerequisites: investigating body condition and foraging success in young reef sharks between an atoll and an island system. Scientific Reports 9,13447. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49761-2
IF: 5.228, Citations: n/a, Altmetric: 46
Bouyoucos, I.A., Weideli, O.C., Planes, S., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Rummer, J.L. (2018) Dead tired: Evaluating the physiological status and survival of neonatal reef sharks under stress. Conservation Physiology 6:1 coy053. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coy053
IF: 3.634, Citations: n/a, Altmetric: 38
Working with sharks in the field & laboratory
Schwieterman, G.D., Bouyoucos, I.A., Potgieter, K., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Brill, R.W., Rummer, J.L. (2019) Analyzing tropical elasmobranch blood samples in the field: Blood stability during storage and validation of the HemoCue® haemoglobin analyser. Conservation Physiology (accepted 15 September 2019) doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coz081.
IF: 3.634, Citations: n/a, Altmetric: n/a
Bouyoucos, I.A., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Rummer, J.L. (2019) Estimating oxygen uptake rates to understand stress in sharks and rays. Reviews in Fish Biology & Fisheries 29(2):297-311. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-019-09553-3
IF: 3.299, Citations: 1, Altmetric: 29
Talwar, B., Bouyoucos, I.A., Shipley, O., Rummer, J.L., Mandelman, J.W., Brooks, E.J., Grubbs, R.D. (2017) Validation of a portable, waterproof blood pH analyzer for elasmobranchs. Conservation Physiology 5 (1): cox012. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cox012
IF: 3.634, Citations: 1, Altmetric: 9
Elasmobranchs and climate change
Rosa, R., Rummer, J.L., Munday, P.L. (2017) Biological Responses of sharks to ocean acidification. Biology Letters 13(3) 20160796. doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0796
IF: 3.089, Citations: 3, Altmetric: 56
Epaulette sharks hatching and developing under elevated temperatures
Gervais, C.R., Nay, T.J., Renshaw, G., Johansen, J.L., Steffensen, J.F., Rummer, J.L. (2018) Too hot to handle? Using movement to alleviate the effects of elevated temperatures in a benthic elasmobranch, Hemiscyllium ocellatum. Marine Biology 165:162. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-018-3427-7
IF: 2.215, Citations: n/a, Altmetric: 34
Gervais, C., Mourier, J., Rummer, J.L. (2016) Developing in warm water: Irregular colouration and patterns of a neonate elasmobranch. Marine Biodiversity 2016:1-2. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-015-0429-2
IF: 1.104, Citations: 1, Altmetric: 50
Healing rates in blacktip reef sharks
Chin, A., Mourier, J., Rummer, J.L. (2015) Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) show high capacity for wound healing and recovery following injury. Conservation Physiology 3 (1):cov062. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cov062
IF: 3.634, Citations: 10, Altmetric: 96
Epaulette and bamboo sharks under simulated ocean acidification conditions
Lopes, A.R., Sampaio, E., Santos, C., Couto, A., Pegado, M.R. Diniz, M., Munday, P.L., Rummer, J.L., Rosa, R. (2018) Absence of cellular damage in tropical newly-hatched sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) under ocean acidification conditions. Cell Stress & Chaperones 23(5):837-846. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12192-018-0892-3
IF: 2.411, Citations: n/a, Altmetric: 6
Johnson, M.S., Kraver, D.W., Renshaw, G.M.C., Rummer, J.L. (2016) Will ocean acidification affect the early ontogeny of a tropical oviparous elasmobranch (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)? Conservation Physiology 4 (1):cow003. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cow003
IF: 3.634, Citations: 3, Altmetric: 93
Heinrich, D.D.U., Watson, S-A., Rummer, J.L., Brandl, S.J., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Heupel, M.R., Munday, P.L. (2015) Foraging behaviour of the epaulette shark Hemiscyllium ocellatum is not affected by ocean acidification. ICES Journal of Marine Science (published online 8 May 2015). doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsv085
IF: 2.377, Citations: 14, Altmetric: 40
Heinrich, D.D.U., Rummer, J.L., Morash, A.J., Watson, S-A., Simpfendorfer, C.A, Heupel, M.R., Munday, P.L. (2014) A product of its environment: The epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) exhibits physiological tolerance to elevated environmental CO2. Conservation Physiology 2, cou047. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cou047
IF: 3.634, Citations: 16, Altmetric: 80