Coastal and Estuarine Adaptation Lab
The Coastal and Estuarine Adaptation Lab (CEA Lab) is led by Dr Rebecca Morris at the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne.
We research natural, restored and artificial coastal and estuarine habitats. We work in interdisciplinary teams of ecologists, engineers and social scientists in close collaboration with end users to produce stakeholder-focused science for coastal management. The lab has a particular focus on adapting to changes in coastal hazards using ‘nature-based coastal defence’ or ‘living shorelines’.
Dell Eco Reef for coastal resilience and habitat restoration.
This project offers an alternative to traditional coastal protection structures. A novel modular reef cast from 3D printed moulds aims to mitigate erosion while providing a habitat for oysters and other organisms. Oysters were once abundant along coastal Victoria.
Indigenous Australians used oyster reefs as a food source for thousands of years. Now functionally extinct, restoration projects seek to bring back these lost oyster habitats and recover the ecosystem services they once provided like coastal protection, biodiversity and fisheries enhancement, water quality improvement, and social and cultural value.
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Contact
For honours, post-graduate, or volunteering/internship opportunities
Please get in touch with Dr Rebecca Morris - rebecca.morris@unimelb.edu.au