Dr Ashley Fowler
Honorary fellow
Centre for Integrative Ecology
Deakin University, Burwood campus
221 Burwood Hwy, VIC 3125
Ash’s research
Ash is an aquatic ecologist focusing on the population structure, demography and movement of coastal fishes. He models the populations dynamics of fished species in Australia using the catch information from commercial fishing fleets. Ash also tracks the movements and migration of fish using the chemical composition of their ear bones, as well as citizen-science tagging programs involving recreational anglers.
Ash’s other main area of research is artificial reefs, particularly the ecosystems that develop on offshore energy structures like oil platforms. These novel ecosystems represent the largest addition of artificial reef on the planet and their eventual removal may have substantial implications for biological populations that now rely on them.
Keywords
Fish, artificial reefs, otoliths, oil platforms, anglers
Career Highlights
- Honorary Fellow, Deakin University (2018 ongoing)
- Honorary Associate, University of Technology Sydney (2014 ongoing)
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Technology Sydney (2012-2014)
- PhD Marine Ecology, University of Technology Sydney (2008)
- BSc (Hons) Marine Ecology, University of New South Wales (2004)
- BSc Marine Science, University of Sydney (2003)
Selected publications
Fowler AM, Chick RC, Stewart J (2018) Patterns and drivers of movement for a coastal benthopelagic fish, Pseudocaranx georgianus, on Australia’s southeast coast. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 16738.
Fowler AM, Jørgensen AM, Svendsen JC, Macreadie PI, Jones DO… and Coolen JWP (2018). Environmental benefits of leaving offshore infrastructure in the ocean. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 16:571-578
Macreadie PI, McLean DL, Thomson PG, Partridge JC, Jones DO… and Fowler AM (2018) Eyes in the sea: Unlocking the mysteries of the ocean using industrial, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Science of the Total Environment, 634:1077-1091
Fowler AM, Smith SM, Booth DJ, Stewart J (2016). Partial migration of grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) on Australia’s east coast revealed by otolith chemistry. Marine Environmental Research, 119:238-244
Fowler AM, Macreadie PI, Booth DJ (2015). Should we “reef” obsolete oil platforms? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112:E102
External links to Ash’s research
GoogleScholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5QvDZkMAAAAJ&hl=en
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ashley_Fowler2
