Leanne’s current research focuses on monitoring and assessing fish species (teleosts and elasmobranchs) that comprise tropical marine ecosystems, with a particular interest in fishery species. She works on a number of ecological projects, assessing the diversity and abundance of fishes in relation to their environment, location and disturbance, and understanding drivers of presence, movement and biology of marine individuals.
Leanne has a background in biology and spatial ecology of exploited fishes, with roles on projects investigating species-habitat associations, movement ecology, life histories (ageing and reproductive biology) of tropical reef and inshore fishes, and identifying and monitoring catch composition of commercial and recreational fisheries. Leanne’s PhD investigated a combination of innovative methods to better understand movement patterns of important fishes at multiple scales, and in relation to environmental conditions. With experience from these diverse projects at AIMS, JCU and Fisheries, Leanne aims to fill ecological and biological knowledge gaps that will assist in the sustainable management of marine species and their environments.
Leanne’s research focuses on understanding the drivers of distribution, community composition and movement patterns of teleosts, sharks and rays. Projects involve a variety of methodologies, including acoustic telemetry (tracking) and Baited Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS), and collaboration with multiple partners in Queensland and nationally (e.g. universities, industry, government departments) and internationally (e.g. Global FinPrint Project). Leanne leads the AIMS component of the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS)’s national broad-scale tracking network to understand long-distance movement patterns of mobile marine species of importance to conservation, fisheries and bather safety. Leanne’s research investigates the influences of spatial, temporal, habitat and environmental variables, industry activity, and fishing pressure to better characterize fish communities on submerged reefs, emergent reefs and islands, and coastal habitats (in Qld, WA, NT, and across the Pacific Ocean).
Supervisor (secondary):
Ingo Miller – PhD Candidate – James Cook University, AIMS@JCU Project title: “Drivers of Migration and Habitat use of Marine Predators”
Publications and scientific reports can be viewed at Leanne's GoogleScholar profile
Goetze JS, Heithaus MR, MacNeil MA, Harvey E, Simpfendorfer CA, Heupel MR, Meekan M, Wilson S, Bond ME, Speed CW, Currey-Randall LM, Fisher R, Sherman CS, et al.... (2024) Directed conservation of the world’s reef sharks and rays. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1-11.
Barnett A, Jaine FRA, Bierwagen SL, Lubitz N, Abrantes K, Heupel MR, Harcourt R, Huveneers C, Dwyer RG, Udyawer V, Simpfendorfer CA, ... Currey-Randall LM (2024). From little things big things grow: enhancement of an acoustic telemetry network to monitor broad-scale movements of marine species along Australia’s east coast. Movement ecology 12 (1), 31.
Lubitz N, Abrantes K, Crook K, Currey-Randall LM, Chin A, Sheaves M, Fitzpatrick R, Barbosa Martins A, Bierwagen S, Miller IB, Barnett A (2023). Trophic ecology shapes spatial ecology of two sympatric predators, the great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) and bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas). Frontiers in Marine Science 10, 1274275.
Appert C, Udyawer V, Simpfendorfer CA, Heupel MR, Scott M, Currey-Randall LM, Harborne AR, Jaine F, Chin A (2023). Use, misuse, and ambiguity of indices of residence in acoustic telemetry studies. Marine Ecology Progress Series 714, 27-44.
Simpfendorfer CA, Heithaus MR, Heupel MR, MacNeil MA, Meekan M, Harvey E, Sherman CS, Currey-Randall LM, Goetze JS, … et al. (2023). Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays, Science 380 (6650), 1155-1160.
Udyawer V, Huveneers C, Jaine F, Babcock RC, Brodie S, Buscot MJ, Campbell HA, Harcourt RG, Hoenner X, Lédée EJI, Simpfendorfer CA, Taylor MD, Armstrong A, Barnett A, Brown C, Bruce B, Butcher PA, Cadiou G, Couturier LIE, Currey-Randall L, Drew M, Dudgeon CL, Dwyer RG, Espinoza M, Ferreira LC, Fowler A, Harasti D, Harborne AR, Knott NA, Lee K, Lloyd M, Lowry M, Marzullo T, Matley J, McAllister JD, McAuley R, McGregor F, Meekan M, Mills K, Norman BM, Oh B, Payne NL, Peddemors V, Piddocke T, Pillans RD, Reina RD, Rogers P, Semmens JM, Smoothey A, Speed CW, van Der Meulen D, Heupel MR (2023). Scaling of activity space in marine organisms across latitudinal gradients. The American Naturalist 201 (4), 586-602.
Benthuysen JA, Emslie MJ, Currey-Randall LM, Cheal AJ, Heupel MR (2022). Oceanographic influences on reef fish assemblages along the Great Barrier Reef. Progress in Oceanography 208, 102901: 1.
Bosch NE, Monk J, Goetze J, Wilson S, Babcock RC, Barrett N, Clough J, Currey‐Randall LM, Fairclough DV, Fisher R, Gibbons BA, Harasti D, Harvey ES, Heupel MR, Hicks JL, Holmes TH, Huveneers C, Ierodiaconou D, Jordan A, Knott NA, Malcolm HA, McLean D, Meekan M, Newman SJ, Radford B, Rees MJ, Saunders BJ, Speed CW, Travers MJ, Wakefield CB, Wernberg T, Langlois TJ (2022). Effects of human footprint and biophysical factors on the body‐size structure of fished marine species. Conservation Biology 36 (2), e13807: 12.
Holmes BJ, Williams SM, Barnett A, Awruch CA, Currey-Randall LM, Ferreira LC, Huveneers C, Jones RL, Nowland SJ, Taylor A, Tracey SR, Waltrick D (2022). Chapter 13: Research methods for marine and estuarine fishes, IN Wildlife Research in Australia: Practical and Applied Methods, CSIRO Publishing, 257pp.
Williams SM, Holmes BJ, Barnett A, Rogers T, Fetterplace L, Middleton H, Mitchell J, Sih T, Harasti D, Sheaves M, Henderson CJ, Tibbets IR, Mitchell L, Martin T, Pepperell J, Moore A, Skelton M, Taylor M, Gilby BL, Chargulaf C, Cortesi F, Currey-Randall LM, Tracey S, Rabbitt S, Campbell M. (2022). Chapter 30: Marine fishes, IN Wildlife Research in Australia: Practical and Applied Methods, CSIRO Publishing, 257pp.
Jones R, Wakeford M, Currey-Randall L, Miller K, Tonin H (2021). Drill cuttings and drilling fluids (muds) transport, fate and effects near a coral reef mesophotic zone. Marine Pollution Bulletin 172, 112717: 3.
Meekan MG, Speed C, McCauley RD, Fisher R, Birt M, Currey-Randall LM, Semmens JM, Newman SJ, Cure K, Stowar M, Vaughan B, Parsons M (2021). A large-scale experiment finds no evidence that a seismic survey impacts a demersal fish fauna. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118 (30) e2100869118; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2100869118.
Cheal AJ, Emslie MJ, Currey-Randall LM, Heupel MR (2021). Comparability and complementarity of reef fish measures from underwater visual census (UVC) and baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS). Journal of Environmental Management 289, 112375.
Goetze JS, Wilson S, Radford B, Fisher R, Langlois TJ, Monk J, Knott NA, Malcolm H, Currey‐Randall LM, Ierodiaconou D, Harasti D, Barrett N, Babcock RC, Bosch NE, Brock D, Claudet J, Clough J, Fairclough DV, Heupel MR, Holmes TH, Huveneers C, Jordan AR, McLean D, Meekan M, Miller D, Newman SJ, Rees MJ, Roberts KE, Saunders BJ, Speed CW, Travers MJ, Treml E, Whitmarsh SK, Wakefield CB, Harvey ES (2021). Increased connectivity and depth improve the effectiveness of marine reserves. Global Change Biology 00:1-6.
Harvey ES, McLean DL, Goetze JS, Saunders BJ, Langlois TJ, Monk J, Barrett N, Wilson SK, Holmes TH, Ierodiaconou D, Jordan AR, Meekan MG, Malcolm HA, Heupel MR, Harasti D, Huveneers C, Knott NA, Fairclough DV, Currey-Randall LM, Travers MJ, Radford BT, Rees MJ, Speed CW, Wakefield CB, Cappo M, Newman SJ (2021). The BRUVs workshop–An Australia-wide synthesis of baited remote underwater video data to answer broad-scale ecological questions about fish, sharks and rays. Marine Policy 127, 104430.
Currey-Randall LM, Galaiduk R, Stowar M, Vaughan BI, Miller KJ (2021). Mesophotic fish communities of the ancient coastline in Western Australia. PloS One 16 (4), e0250427.
Huveneers C, Jaine FRA, Barnett A, Butcher PA, Clarke TM, Currey-Randall LM, Dwyer RG, Ferreira LC, Gleiss AC, Hoenner X, Ierodiaconou D, Lédée EJI, Meekan MG, Pederson H, Rizzari JR, van Ruth PD, Semmens JM, Taylor MD, Udyawer V, Walsh P, Heupel MR, Harcourt R (2021). The power of national acoustic tracking networks to assess the impacts of human activity on marine organisms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Biological Conservation 256, 108995.
Cure K, Currey-Randall L, Galaiduk R, Radford B, Wakeford M, Heyward A (2021). Depth gradients in abundance and functional roles suggest limited depth refuges for herbivorous fishes. Coral Reefs 40 (2), 365-379.
Clementi GM, Bakker J, Flowers KI, Postaire BD, Babcock EA, Bond ME, Buddo D, Cardeñosa D, Currey-Randall LM, Goetze JS, Harvey ES, Heupel M, Kiszka JJ, Kyne F, MacNeil MA, Meekan MG, Rees MJ, Simpfendorfer CA, Speed CW, Heithaus MR, Chapman DD (2021). Moray eels are more common on coral reefs subject to higher human pressure in the greater Caribbean. Iscience 24 (3), 102097.
Langlois T, Goetze J, Bond T, Monk J, Abesamis RA, Asher J, Barrett N, Bernard ATF, Bouchet PJ, Birt MJ, Cappo M, Currey‐Randall LM, Driessen D, Fairclough DV, Fullwood LAF, Gibbons BA, Harasti D, Heupel MR, Hicks J, Holmes TH, Huveneers C, Ierodiaconou D, Jordan A, Knott NA, Lindfield S, Malcolm HA, McLean D, Meekan M, Miller D, Mitchell PJ, Newman SJ, Radford B, Rolim FA, Saunders BJ, Stowar M, Smith ANH, Travers MJ, Wakefield CB, Whitmarsh SK, Williams J, Harvey ES (2020). A field and video annotation guide for baited remote underwater stereo‐video surveys of demersal fish assemblages. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 11 (11), 1401-1409.
MacNeil MA, Chapman DD, Heupel M, Simpfendorfer CA, Heithaus M, Simpfendorfer CA, Heithaus M, Meekan M, Harvey E, Goetze J, Kiszka J, Bond ME, Currey-Randall LM, … et al. (2020). Global status and conservation potential of reef sharks. Nature 583 (7818), 801-806.
Currey-Randall LM, Cappo M, Simpfendorfer CA, Farabaugh NF, Heupel MR (2020). Optimal soak times for Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations in surveys of reef elasmobranchs, PLOS One 15 (5), e0231688, 8.
Birt MJ, Stowar M, Currey-Randall LM, McLean DL, Miller K (2019). Comparing the effects of different coloured artificial illumination on diurnal fish assemblages in the lower mesophotic zone, Marine Biology 166 (12), 154
Langlois T, Williams J, Monk J, Bouchet P, Currey L, Goetze J, Harasti D, Huveneers C, Ierodiaconou D, Malcolm H, Whitmore S (2018) Marine sampling field manual for benthic stereo BRUVS (Baited Remote Underwater Videos). In: Field Manuals for Marine Sampling to Monitor Australian Waters, National Environmental Science Programme, Hobart, Tasmania.
Currey LM, Heupel MR, Simpfendorfer CA, Williams AJ (2015) Assessing fine-scale diel movement patterns of an exploited coral reef fish. Animal Biotelemetry 3(1): 1
Currey LM, Heupel MR, Simpfendorfer CA, Williams AJ (2015) Assessing environmental correlates of fish movement on a coral reef. Coral Reefs 34(4): 1267-1277
Currey LM, Heupel MR, Simpfendorfer CA, Williams AJ (2014) Sedentary or mobile? Variability in space and depth use of an exploited coral reef fish. Marine Biology 161(9): 2155-2166
Currey LM, Heupel MR, Simpfendorfer CA, Williams AJ (2014) Inferring movement patterns of a coral reef fish using oxygen and carbon isotopes in otolith carbonate. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 456: 18-25
Currey LM, Heupel MR, Simpfendorfer CA, Clark TD (2013) Blood lactate loads of redthroat emperor Lethrinus miniatus associated with angling stress and exhaustive exercise. Journal of Fish Biology 83: 1401–1406
Currey LM, Williams AJ, Mapstone BD, Davies CR, Carlos G, Welch DJ, Simpfendorfer CA, Ballagh AC, Penny AL, Grandcourt EM, Mapleston A, Wiebkin AS, Bean K (2013) Comparative biology of Lethrinus species (Emperors): challenges for multi-species management. Journal of Fish Biology 82: 764-788
Tobin AJ, Currey LM, Simpfendorfer CA (2013) Informing the vulnerability of species to spawning aggregation fishing using commercial catch data. Fisheries Research 143: 47- 56
Sweet M, Kirkham N, Bendall M, Currey L, Bythell J, Heupel M (2012) Evidence of melanoma in wild marine fish populations. PLoS ONE 7: e41989
Marriott RJ, Mapstone BD, Ballagh AC, Currey LM, Penny AL, Williams AJ, Jackson G, Lou DC, Mapleston AJ, Jarvis NDC, Keay IS, Newman SJ (2010) Accepting final counts from repeat readings of otoliths: should a common criterion apply to the age estimation of fish? Marine and Freshwater Research 61: 1171-1184
Williams AJ, Davies CR, Mapstone BD, Currey LM, Welch DJ, Begg GA, Ballagh AC, Choat JH, Murchie CD, Simpfendorfer CA (2009) Age-based demography of humpback grouper Cromileptes altivelis: implications for fisheries management and conservation. Endangered Species Research 9: 67-79
Williams AJ, Currey LM, Begg GA, Murchie CD, Ballagh AC (2008) Population biology of coral trout species in the eastern Torres Strait: Implications for fishery management. Continental Shelf Research 28: 2129-2142
Williams AJ, Ballagh AC, Begg GA, Murchie CD, Currey LM (2008) Harvest patterns and effort dynamics of indigenous and non-indigenous commercial sectors of the eastern Torres Strait reef line fishery. Continental Shelf Research 28: 2129-2142
