Dr Travis Elsdon

I have a keen interest in the ecology of estuaries, particularly fish and the use of fish otolith chemistry to determine movements and migrations.  I have worked as a postdoctoral associate at the State University of New York: College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) with Assoc Prof Karin Limburg, and postdoctoral scholar at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) with senior scientist Dr Simon Thorrold. I am currently an ARC postdoctoral fellow (APD) at University of Adelaide.

Research Interests

My current research focuses on understanding life-history patterns and demographics of fish populations (movements, connectivity, productivity of populations), and how these are related to environmental stressors, such as anthropogenic impacts of nutrients, flows, habitat alteration.

I have worked in freshwater, estuarine, and coastal or marine systems in tropical and temperate regions. My research has included work on fish, algae, periphyton. I have travelled extensively for field based research across Australias temperate coast (WA to Sydney), in the USA, Mexico, and Panama. I have experience in several methods of fish collections (i.e. electrofishing) and several tools, such as otolith chemistry, isotope analyses, nutreint and water sample analyses etc.

Projects:

1. Nutrient impacts on seagrass, algae, and fish communities.
2. Connectivity and productivity of fish in estuaries.
3. Land-use impacts on estuarine communities.
4. Impacts of trout stocking.
5. Condition indices in fish.
6. Dietary reconstructions of fish using isotopes of muscle and otoliths.
7. Factors influencing otolith chemistry of fish.

 Current and Past Research Grants:

• 2008 Elsdon, T.S. and Walther, B.D. Fish condition: methods to estimate energetic reserves and fitness. Sir Mark Mitchell Research Foundation Grant. $4,951)
• 2006 to 09 Elsdon, T.S. (Sole CI) Bottom-up effects of nutrients on estuarine fish related ecosystems. Australian Research Council Discovery grant and APD Fellowship. ($315,000)
• 2006 to 09 Gillanders, B.M., Maier, H.R., and Elsdon, T.S. Effects of urbanisation and introduced species on river and estuaries: a whole of catchment approach. Australian Research Council Linkage grant. ($228,000 ARC contribution)
• 2006 to 07 Elsdon, T.S., Thorrold, S.R., Houghton, L. Are mangrove forests important juvenile nursery areas for coral reef fishes? An empirical test at the Liquid Jungle Lab. Ocean Life Institute Tropical Research Initiative Grant, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (USD $69,986)
• 2004 to 05 Elsdon, T.S. and Gillanders, B.M. Investigating how environmental variables affect fish otolith chemistry. Australia & Pacific Science Foundation Grant. ($7,489) 2004 Elsdon, T.S. and Gillanders, B.M. Fish otolith chemistry of black bream in South Australia. Sir Mark Mitchell Research Foundation Grant. ($3,985)
• 2003 to 04 Elsdon, T.S. Reconstructing environmental history of black bream in estuaries using otolith chemistry. Fisheries Society of the British Isles Research Grant. (2,888 GBP)
• 2003 Elsdon, T.S. Water quality in South Australian estuaries. Onkaparinga Catchment Water Management Board Grant. ($4,335)
• 2002 Elsdon, T.S. and Gillanders, B.M. Fish otolith chemistry of black bream in South Australia. Sir Mark Mitchell Research Foundation Grant. ($4,367)

Recent publications:

• Elsdon, T.S., Wells, B.K., Campana, S.E., Gillanders, B.M., Jones, C.M., Limburg, K.E., Secor, D.E., Thorrold, S.R., and Walther, B.D. 2008. Otolith chemistry to describe movements and life-history measurements of fishes: hypotheses, assumptions, limitations, and inferences using five methods. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review. 46: 297-330.
• Elsdon, T.S., and Limburg, K.E. in press. Differential effect of nutrient pulse times on long term changes to benthic biomass. Marine and Freshwater Research.
• Munro, A.R., Gillanders, B.M., Elsdon, T.S., Crook, D.A., and Sanger, A.C. 2008. Enriched stable isotope marking of juvenile golden perch Macquaria ambigua otoliths. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 65: 276-285.

Selected Pubs:

• Elsdon, T.S., and Gillanders, B.M. 2005. Alternative life history patterns of estuarine fish: barium in otoliths elucidates freshwater residency. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 62: 1143-1152.
• Russell, B.D., Elsdon, T.S., Gillanders, B.M., and Connell, B.M. 2005. Nutrients increase epiphyte loads: broad scale observations and an experimental assessment. Marine Biology. 147: 551-558.
• Irving, A.D. Connell, S.D., and Elsdon, T.S. 2004. Effect of kelp canopies on bleaching and photosynthetic activity of encrusting coralline algae. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 310: 1-12.
• Elsdon, T.S., and Gillanders, B.M. 2003. Reconstructing migratory patterns of fish based on environmental influences on otolith chemistry. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 13: 219-235.
• Elsdon, T.S., and Gillanders, B.M. 2002. Interactive effects of temperature and salinity on otolith chemistry: challenges for determining environmental histories of fish. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 59: 1796-1808.

Contact Information: