Staff and students at MarVERG investigate the population biology and ecology of large marine vertebrates including dugongs, cetaceans (dolphins, whales), marine reptiles (sea turtles, sea snakes) and elasmobranchs.

The research group, led by Janet Lanyon, includes Research Associates, Research Assistants, postgraduate students (PhD., MSc, Honours), undergraduate students working on special projects, and volunteers.

Some studies focus on feeding ecology, diet selection, digestibility and energetics using techniques including dietary composition in relation to availability, nutrient analysis of diet, stable isotope analysis, fatty acid signature analysis and isotopic water methods for energetics and metabolism.

Population studies of large vertebrates include field techniques such as photo-ID, gene-tagging, mark-recapture and telemetry, and health assessment and disease screening.

Janet's group is also interested in the impacts of large vertebrates (e.g. sea turtles, dugongs, sharks, dolphins) on marine ecosystems, and how the state of the coastal marine environment can affect the health of individual animals and populations. The research conducted by this group has a strong conservation focus, and many of the animals that we work on are classified as vulnerable or endangered.