BSc University of Otago MSc James Cook University PhD James Cook University
Research interests
Marine ecology
Swimming performance in fishes
Chemical ecology of predator-prey interactions
Environmental influences on predator-prey interactions.
My research explores how environmental changes can alter the mechanisms underlying population processes and how these changes scale to community dynamics. To do this, I use field collections, observations and experiments in conjunction with laboratory experiments to investigate a wide range of impacts including climate change, oil pollution, habitat disturbances, microplastic pollution, and other human activities that influence the physiology, behaviour and survival of fish. My field sites span both tropical and temperate regions.
I am also a member of the Coastal People: Southern Skies collaboration that connects communities with world-leading, cross-discipline research to rebuild coastal ecosystems. Coastal People: Southern Skies
I encourage enthusiastic students who have a strong academic background and are interested in joining our research group to contact me directly to discuss potential postgraduate projects:
Influence of habitat complexity on anti-predator behaviour in marine animals
Impacts of microplastic pollution on the physiology and behaviour of marine animals
The impacts of dredging and sediment exposure on the physiology and behaviour of marine animals
Effects of habitat degradation on reproductive fitness in marine animals
The ecological role of chemically-mediated larval behaviour in ecosystem function
MARI 322 Coastal and Shelf Seas Oceanography (Course co-ordinator)
MARI 401 Advanced Methods in Marine Science (Lecturer)
Postgraduate students
Current students
Eleanor Kelly, PhD: The combined response of warming, UV, and crude oil exposure on predator-prey interactions of fish and the neurophysiological drivers responsible.
José Emilio Trujillo Moyano, PhD: The relationship between physiological traits and fast-start escape behavior of juvenile blacktip reef sharks under different thermal conditions.
Aneesa Delpachitra, MSc: Assessing the interactive impacts of crude oil and microplastics on juvenile coral reef fish (Pomacentrus amboinensis).
Jake Edwards-Ingle, MSc: Influence of habitat complexity and time of day on encounter-rates of blacktip reef shark neonates and their predators.
Teresa Morrell, MSc: The impact of microplastic exposure on the reproductive success of Triplefins.
Completed students
Zoe Psarathoukis, MSc: The impact of ingested microplastics with adsorbed heavy metals on the fitness and predator avoidance behaviour of Forsterygion capito (robust triplefin fish).
Paige Olmstead, PGdipSci: The effect of microplastics on gut morphology in triplefin.
Ashleigh Hawke, PGdipSci: The effect of heavy metal and microplastic contamination on the escape performance of the New Zealand Triplefin fish.
Eleanor Kelly, MSc: Microbial biofilms on marine plastic debris.
Ben Paanakker, PGdipSci: Exposure to sublethal levels of glyphosate-based herbicide on the embryonic development of coastal triplefin, Forsterygion capito.
Campbell Pearson, PGdipSci: The effect of crude oil on Triplefin (Forsterygion capito) embryo physiology.
Fletcher Munsterman, MSc: The effect of plasticisers on nest guarding behaviour in Triplefins.
Isla Twigg, PhD: Macrocystis pyrifera as a biogenic engineer.
Publications
Hawke, A. M., Trujillo, J. E., Oey, I., Giteru, S. G., & Allan, B. J. M. (2024). Exposure to petroleum-derived and biopolymer microplastics affect fast start escape performance and aerobic metabolism in a marine fish. Science of the Total Environment, 906, 167423. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167423
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. (2023). Antipredator specializations: Alarm cues. In Reference Module in Life Sciences. (Online ed.) Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-90801-6.00149-X
Chapter in Book - Research
Kjesbu, O. S., Alix, M., Sandø, A. B., Strand, E., Wright, P. J., Johns, D. G., … Allan, B. J. M., … Sundby, S. (2023). Latitudinally distinct stocks of Atlantic cod face fundamentally different biophysical challenges under on-going climate change. Fish & Fisheries, 24, 297-320. doi: 10.1111/faf.12728
Journal - Research Article
Fakan, E. P., Allan, B. J. M., Illing, B., Hoey, A. S., & McCormick, M. I. (2023). Habitat complexity and predator odours impact on the stress response and antipredation behaviour in coral reef fish. PLoS ONE, 18(6), e0286570. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286570
Journal - Research Article
Kelly, E. R. M., Trujillo, J. E., Setiawan, A., Pether, S., Burritt, D., & Allan, B. J. M. (2023). Investigating the impacts of biofouled marine plastic debris on the olfactory behaviour of juvenile yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 192, 115079. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115079
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., Fakan, E. P., Vamvounis, G., Bosshard, S., Moad, C., Smyth, E., … Allan, B. J. M. (2023). No effects of plasticized microplastics on the body condition and reproduction of a marine fish. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 80, 1267-1276. doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsad049
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. J. M., Browman, H. I., Shema, S., Skiftesvik, A.-B., Folkvord, A., Durif, C. M. F., & Kjesbu, O. S. (2022). Increasing temperature and prey availability affect the growth and swimming kinematics of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) larvae. Journal of Plankton Research, 44(3), 401-413. doi: 10.1093/plankt/fbac014
Journal - Research Article
Clere, I. K., Ahmmed, F., Remoto, P. J. G., Fraser-Miller, S. J., Gordon, K. C., Komyakova, V., & Allan, B. J. M. (2022). Quantification and characterization of microplastics in commercial fish from southern New Zealand. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 184, 114121. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114121
Journal - Research Article
Komyakova, V., Jaffrés, J. B. D., Strain, E. M. A., Cullen-Knox, C., Fudge, M., Langhamer, O., … Allan, B. J. M., … Haward, M. (2022). Conceptualisation of multiple impacts interacting in the marine environment using marine infrastructure as an example. Science of the Total Environment, 830, 154748. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154748
Journal - Research Article
Trujillo, J. E., Bouyoucos, I., Rayment, W. J., Domenici, P., Planes, S., Rummer, J. L., & Allan, B. J. M. (2022). Escape response kinematics in two species of tropical sharks: Short escape latencies and high turning performance. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225, jeb243973. doi: 10.1242/jeb.243973
Journal - Research Article
Richardson, C. R., Burritt, D. J., Allan, B. J. M., & Lamare, M. D. (2021). Microplastic ingestion induces asymmetry and oxidative stress in larvae of the sea urchin Pseudechinus huttoni. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 168, 112369. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112369
Journal - Research Article
Arvizu, B., Allan, B. J. M., & Rizzan, J. R. (2021). Indirect predator effects influence behaviour but not morphology of juvenile coral reef Ambon damselfish Pomacentrus amboinensis. Journal of Fish Biology, 99, 679-683. doi: 10.1111/jfb.14728
Journal - Research Other
Ahmmed, F., Clere, I., Allan, B., Miller, S., & Gordon, K. (2021). Potential use of Raman microscope for the detection and identification of microplastic polymers in New Zealand commercial fish species. Proceedings of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting. Retrieved from https://www.acs.org
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Kelly, E., Trujillo, J., & Allan, B. (2021). Testing the attractiveness of biofouled marine plastic debris on yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). Proceedings of the University of Otago Student Research Symposium: Te Wānaka Rakahau: Ākoka. (pp. 40). [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Allan, B. J. M., Illing, B., Fakan, E. P., Narvaez, P., Grutter, A. S., Sikkel, P. C., … McCormick, M. I. (2020). Parasite infection directly impacts escape response and stress levels in fish. Journal of Experimental Biology, 223, jeb230904. doi: 10.1242/jeb.230904
Journal - Research Article
Bernal, M. A., Schunter, C., Lehmann, R., Lightfoot, D. J., Allan, B. J. M., Veilleux, H. D., … Ravasi, T. (2020). Species-specific molecular responses of wild coral reef fishes during a marine heatwave. Science Advances, 6(12), eaay3423. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aay3423
Journal - Research Article
Cresci, A., Allan, B. J. M., Shema, S. D., Berit Skiftesvik, A., & Browman, H. I. (2020). Orientation behavior and swimming speed of Atlantic herring larvae (Clupea harengus) in situ and in laboratory exposures to rotated artificial magnetic fields. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology, 526, 151358. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2020.151358
Journal - Research Article
Jarrold, M. D., Welch, M. J., McMahon, S. J., McArley, T., Allan, B. J. M., Watson, S.-A., … Munday, P. L. (2020). Elevated CO2 affects anxiety but not a range of other behaviours in juvenile yellowtail kingfish. Marine Environmental Research, 157, 104863. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.104863
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., Chivers, D. P., Ferrari, M. C. O., Blandford, M. I., Nanninga, G. B., Richardson, C., … Allan, B. J. M. (2020). Microplastic exposure interacts with habitat degradation to affect behaviour and survival of juvenile fish in the field. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 287, 20201947. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1947
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. J. M. (2020). The cost of recreation: How hiking could be making birds sick. Conservation Physiology, 8(1), c0aa058. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coaa058
Journal - Research Other
Frommel, A. Y., Brauner, C. J., Allan, B. J. M., Nicol, S., Parsons, D. M., Pether, S. M. J., Setiawan, A. N., … Munday, P. L. (2019). Organ health and development in larval kingfish are unaffected by ocean acidification and warming. PeerJ, 7, e8266. doi: 10.7717/peerj.8266
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., Fakan, E. P., Nedelec, S. L., & Allan, B. J. M. (2019). Effects of boat noise on fish fast-start escape response depend on engine type. Scientific Reports, 9, 6554. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-43099-5
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. J. M. (2019). Scared to death? The killer effect of predation risk in snowshoe hares. Conservation Physiology, 7(1), coz029. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coz029
Journal - Research Other
Domenici, P., Allan, B. J. M., Lefrançois, C., & McCormick, M. I. (2019). The effect of climate change on the escape kinematics and performance of fishes: Implications for future predator-prey interactions. Conservation Physiology, 7(1), coz078. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coz078
Journal - Research Other
Hess, S., Allan, B. J. M., Hoey, A. S., Jarrold, M. D., Wenger, A. S., & Rummer, J. L. (2019). Enhanced fast-start performance and anti-predator behaviour in a coral reef fish in response to suspended sediment exposure [Note]. Coral Reefs, 38, 103-108. doi: 10.1007/s00338-018-01757-6
Journal - Research Other
Allan, B. J. M., McMahon, S., Parsons, D. M., Pether, S. M. J., Pope, S., & Munday, P. L. (2019). The effects of multiple stressors on the escape and routine swimming performance of the New Zealand snapper Chrysophyrs auratus. Proceedings of the 12th New Zealand Ocean Acidification Workshop. (pp. 20). Retrieved from http://nzoac.nz
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
McCormick, M. I., Allan, B. J. M., Harding, H., & Simpson, S. D. (2018). Boat noise impacts risk assessment in a coral reef fish but effects depend on engine type. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 3847. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22104-3
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., Fakan, E., & Allan, B. J. M. (2018). Behavioural measures determine survivorship within the hierarchy of whole-organism phenotypic traits. Functional Ecology, 32(4), 958-969. doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.13033
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., Watson, S.-A., Simpson, S. D., & Allan, B. J. M. (2018). Effect of elevated CO2 and small boat noise on the kinematics of predator-prey interactions. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285(1875), 20172650. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2650
Journal - Research Article
Watson, S.-A., Allan, B. J. M., McQueen, D. E., Nicol, S., Parsons, D. M., Pether, S. M. J., … Munday, P. L. (2018). Ocean warming has a greater effect than acidification on the early life history development and swimming performance of a large circumglobal pelagic fish. Global Change Biology, 24(9), 4368-4385. doi: 10.1111/gcb.14290
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. J. M., Domenici, P., Watson, S. A., Munday, P. L., & McCormick, M. I. (2017). Warming has a greater effect than elevated CO2 on predator-prey interactions in coral reef fish. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 284(1857), 20170784. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0784
Journal - Research Article
Chivers, D. P., McCormick, M. I., Warren, D. T., Allan, B. J. M., Ramasamy, R. A., Arvizu, B. K., … Ferrari, M. C. O. (2017). Competitive superiority versus predation savvy: The two sides of behavioural lateralization. Animal Behaviour, 130, 9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.05.006
Journal - Research Article
Ferrari, M. C. O., McCormick, M. I., Allan, B. J. M., & Chivers, D. P. (2017). Not equal in the face of habitat change: Closely related fishes differ in their ability to use predation-related information in degraded coral. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 284(1852), 20162758. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2758
Journal - Research Article
Ferrari, M. C. O., McCormick, M. I., Mitchell, M. D., Allan, B. J. M., Gonçalves, E. J., & Chivers, D. P. (2017). Daily variation in behavioural lateralization is linked to predation stress in a coral reef fish. Animal Behaviour, 133, 189-193. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.09.020
Journal - Research Article
Johansen, J. L., Allan, B. J. M., Rummer, J. L., & Esbaugh, A. J. (2017). Oil exposure disrupts early life-history stages of coral reef fishes via behavioural impairments. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1, 1146-1152. doi: 10.1038/s41559-017-0232-5
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., & Allan, B. J. M. (2017). Interspecific differences in how habitat degradation affects escape response. Scientific Reports, 7, 426. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-00521-0
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., Barry, R. P., & Allan, B. J. M. (2017). Algae associated with coral degradation affects risk assessment in coral reef fishes. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 16937. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-17197-1
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., Chivers, D. P., Allan, B. J. M., & Ferrari, M. C. O. (2017). Habitat degradation disrupts neophobia in juvenile coral reef fish. Global Change Biology, 23(2), 719-727. doi: 10.1111/gcb.13393
Journal - Research Article
Ramasamy, R. A., Allan, B. J. M., McCormick, M. I., Chivers, D. P., Mitchell, M. D., & Ferrari, M. C. O. (2017). Juvenile coral reef fish alter escape responses when exposed to changes in background and acute risk levels. Animal Behaviour, 134, 15-22. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.09.026
Journal - Research Article
Chivers, D. P., McCormick, M. I., Allan, B. J. M., & Ferrari, M. C. O. (2016). Risk assessment and predator learning in a changing world: Understanding the impacts of coral reef degradation. Scientific Reports, 6, 32542. doi: 10.1038/srep32542
Journal - Research Article
Chivers, D. P., McCormick, M. I., Allan, B. J. M., Mitchell, M. D., Gonçalves, E. J., Bryshun, R., & Ferrari, M. C. O. (2016). At odds with the group: Changes in lateralization and escape performance reveal conformity and conflict in fish schools. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 283(1841), 20161127. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1127
Journal - Research Article
McCormick, M. I., & Allan, B. J. M. (2016). Lionfish misidentification circumvents an optimized escape response by prey. Conservation Physiology, 4(1), cow064. doi: 10.1093/conphys/cow064
Journal - Research Article
Munday, P. L., Watson, S.-A., Parsons, D. M., King, A., Barr, N. G., Mcleod, I. M., Allan, B. J. M., & Pether, S. M. J. (2016). Effects of elevated CO2 on early life history development of the yellowtail kingfish, Seriola lalandi, a large pelagic fish. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 73(3), 641-649. doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsv210
Journal - Research Article
Munday, P. L., Welch, M. J., Allan, B. J. M., Watson, S.-A., McMahon, S. J., & McCormick, M. I. (2016). Effects of elevated CO2 on predator avoidance behaviour by reef fishes is not altered by experimental test water. PeerJ, 4, e2501. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2501
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. J. M., Domenici, P., Munday, P. L., & McCormick, M. I. (2015). Feeling the heat: The effect of acute temperature changes on predator-prey interactions in coral reef fish. Conservation Physiology, 3(1), cov011. doi: 10.1093/conphys/cov011
Journal - Research Article
Ferrari, M. C. O., McCormick, M. I., Allan, B. J. M., Choi, R. B., Ramasamy, R. A., & Chivers, D. P. (2015). The effects of background risk on behavioural lateralization in a coral reef fish. Functional Ecology, 29(12), 1553-1559. doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.12483
Journal - Research Article
Ferrari, M. C. O., McCormick, M. I., Allan, B. J. M., Choi, R., Ramasamy, R. A., Johansen, J. L., … Chivers, D. P. (2015). Living in a risky world: The onset and ontogeny of an integrated antipredator phenotype in a coral reef fish. Scientific Reports, 5, 15537. doi: 10.1038/srep15537
Journal - Research Article
Ferrari, M. C. O., Munday, P. L., Rummer, J. L., McCormick, M. I., Corkill, K., Watson, S.-A., Allan, B. J. M., … Chivers, D. P. (2015). Interactive effects of ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures alter predation rate and predator selectivity in reef fish communities. Global Change Biology, 21(5), 1848-1855. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12818
Journal - Research Article
Ramasamy, R. A., Allan, B. J. M., & McCormick, M. I. (2015). Plasticity of escape responses: Prior predator experience enhances escape performance in a coral reef fish. PLoS ONE, 10(8), e0132790. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132790
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. J. M., Miller, G. M., McCormick, M. I., Domenici, P., & Munday, P. L. (2014). Parental effects improve escape performance of juvenile reef fish in a high-CO2 world. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 281(1777), 20132179. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2179
Journal - Research Article
Domenici, P., Allan, B. J. M., Watson, S.-A., McCormick, M. I., & Munday, P. L. (2014). Shifting from right to left: The combined effect of elevated CO2and temperature on behavioural lateralization in a coral reef fish. PLoS ONE, 9(1), e87969. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087969
Journal - Research Article
Allan, B. J. M., Domenici, P., McCormick, M. I., Watson, S.-A., & Munday, P. L. (2013). Elevated CO2 affects predator-prey interactions through altered performance. PLoS ONE, 8(3), e58520. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058520
Journal - Research Article
Domenici, P., Allan, B., McCormick, M. I., & Munday, P. L. (2012). Elevated carbon dioxide affects behavioural lateralization in a coral reef fish. Biology Letters, 8(1), 78-81. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0591
Journal - Research Article