Overview
Background
Tina is a quantitative marine and coral reef ecologist focused on understanding the drivers of reef community dynamics, from food-web structure and energy flow to habitat connectivity and population processes. She integrates field ecology, laboratory analyses, and big-data modelling to answer applied questions for conservation, with particular expertise in stable isotope ecology and ecosystem modelling.
Based at the University of Queensland and affiliated with the Centre for Marine Science and the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, she currently models Crown-of-Thorns Starfish outbreak dynamics on the Great Barrier Reef to identify strategies that maximise the effectiveness of limited manual control resources. This work contributes directly to management through the COTS Control Innovation Program with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and national partners.
She has over a decade of international experience leading cross-sector collaborations with governments, NGOs, research institutions, Indigenous peoples, and local communities across Australia, the Pacific, and the Caribbean, and is committed to translating complex biodiversity data into decisions that benefit both people and nature. She is also passionate about communicating science to diverse audiences and engaging the next generation in marine research.
Availability
- Dr Tina Skinner is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Works
Search Professor Tina Skinner’s works on UQ eSpace
2026
Journal Article
Marine heatwaves disrupt the culling of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish on the Great Barrier Reef
Cook, Kailash, Skinner, Christina, Bozec, Yves-Marie and Mumby, Peter J (2026). Marine heatwaves disrupt the culling of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish on the Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs, 1-16. doi: 10.1007/s00338-026-02824-z
2026
Journal Article
Evaluating MPA success for Caribbean reef fish: the role of design, habitat, and management
Skinner, Christina, Prince, Kaylee R. F., Polunin, Nicholas V. C., Mumby, Peter J., Williams, Stacey M., Sanchez-Godinez, Cristina, Dryden, Charlie S. and Newman, Steven P. (2026). Evaluating MPA success for Caribbean reef fish: the role of design, habitat, and management. Coral Reefs, 45 (2), 981-999. doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02812-9
2025
Other Outputs
National Marine Science Strategy White Paper on Modelling and Quantitative Science
Brown, Christopher, Bruce, Louise, Jones, Emlyn, Baird, Mark, Bode, Michael, Buchanan, Pearse, Derkani, Marzieh, Doubell, Mark, Hadley, Scott, Heneghan, Ryan, Janekovic, Ivica, Matear, Richard, O'Brien, Kate, Robson, Barbara, Trebilco, Rowan, Treml, Eric, Wang, Xia Hua, Williams, Joel, Adams, Matthew, Ani, Chinenye, Audzijonyte, Asta, Bairos-Novak, Kevin, Boschetti, Fabio, Bull, Christopher, Cabral, Reniel, Colberg, Frank, Cresswell, Katie, Dunstan, Piers, Grimaldi, Camille ... Stefan Zieger (2025). National Marine Science Strategy White Paper on Modelling and Quantitative Science. Australia: National Marine Science Committee.
2025
Other Outputs
ReefMod-GBR Outputs from CoTS Control Scenario Modelling
Skinner, Tina and Mumby, Peter (2025). ReefMod-GBR Outputs from CoTS Control Scenario Modelling. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/a15c7be
2025
Journal Article
Maximising the benefits of local management for coral reefs amidst near-term environmental change
Skinner, Christina, Bozec, Yves-Marie, Fletcher, Cameron S. and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Maximising the benefits of local management for coral reefs amidst near-term environmental change. Journal of Environmental Management, 392 126627, 126627. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126627
2025
Other Outputs
Bleaching implications for crown-of-thorns starfish control: workshop summary report
Skinner, Christina and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Bleaching implications for crown-of-thorns starfish control: workshop summary report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/2276dd2
2024
Journal Article
Advancing projections of crown-of-thorns starfish to support management interventions
Skinner, Christina, Bozec, Yves-Marie, Matthews, Samuel A., Williamson, David H., Beeden, Roger and Mumby, Peter J. (2024). Advancing projections of crown-of-thorns starfish to support management interventions. Science of the Total Environment, 950 175282, 175282. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175282
2024
Journal Article
Corresponding planktivore and predator spatial distributions in an oceanic coral reef system
Skinner, Christina, Gallimore, Samantha, Polunin, Nicholas V. C., Rushton, Stephen, Newman, Steven P., Desbiens, Amelia A. and Mill, Aileen C. (2024). Corresponding planktivore and predator spatial distributions in an oceanic coral reef system. Coral Reefs, 43 (4), 985-998. doi: 10.1007/s00338-024-02514-8
2024
Journal Article
Why aquatic scientists should use sulfur stable isotope ratios (ẟ34S) more often
Raoult, Vincent, Phillips, Alexandra A., Nelson, James, Niella, Yuri, Skinner, Christina, Tilcock, Miranda Bell, Burke, Patrick J., Szpak, Paul, James, W. Ryan and Harrod, Chris (2024). Why aquatic scientists should use sulfur stable isotope ratios (ẟ34S) more often. Chemosphere, 355 141816, 141816. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141816
2024
Journal Article
Quantifying energy and nutrient fluxes in coral reef food webs
Robinson, James P.W., Benkwitt, Cassandra E., Maire, Eva, Morais, Renato, Schiettekatte, Nina M.D., Skinner, Christina and Brandl, Simon J. (2024). Quantifying energy and nutrient fluxes in coral reef food webs. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 39 (5), 467-478. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.11.013
2022
Book Chapter
Progress and direction in the use of stable isotopes to understand complex coral reef ecosystems: A review
Skinner, C., Cobain, M. R. D., Zhu, Y., Wyatt, A. S. J. and Polunin, N. V. C. (2022). Progress and direction in the use of stable isotopes to understand complex coral reef ecosystems: A review. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review. (pp. 373-432) edited by S. J. Hawkins, A. L. Allcock, A. E. Bates, M. Byrne, A. J. Evans, L. B. Firth, A. J. Lemasson, C. Lucas, E. M. Marzinelli, P. J. Mumby, B. C. Russel, J. Sharples, I. P. Smith, S. E. Swearer and P. A. Todd. Boca Raton, FL, United States: CRC Press. doi: 10.1201/9781003288602-8
2022
Journal Article
Stable isotopes elucidate body-size and seasonal fluctuations in the feeding strategies of planktivorous fishes across a semi-enclosed tropical embayment
Skinner, Christina, Pei, Yu-De, Morimoto, Naoko, Miyajima, Toshihiro and Wyatt, Alex S. J. (2022). Stable isotopes elucidate body-size and seasonal fluctuations in the feeding strategies of planktivorous fishes across a semi-enclosed tropical embayment. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10 942968. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2022.942968
2022
Journal Article
Improving stable isotope assessments of inter- and intra-species variation in coral reef fish trophic strategies
Cybulski, Jonathan D., Skinner, Christina, Wan, Zhongyue, Wong, Carmen K. M., Toonen, Robert J., Gaither, Michelle R., Soong, Keryea, Wyatt, Alex S. J. and Baker, David M. (2022). Improving stable isotope assessments of inter- and intra-species variation in coral reef fish trophic strategies. Ecology and Evolution, 12 (9) e9221, e9221. doi: 10.1002/ece3.9221
2022
Journal Article
A multi-tissue, multi-species assessment of lipid and urea stable isotope biases in mesopredator elasmobranchs
Bennett-Williams, Joshua, Skinner, Christina, Wyatt, Alex S. J., McGill, Rona A. R. and Willis, Trevor J. (2022). A multi-tissue, multi-species assessment of lipid and urea stable isotope biases in mesopredator elasmobranchs. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9 82147. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.821478
2021
Journal Article
Offshore pelagic subsidies dominate carbon inputs to coral reef predators
Skinner, C., Mill, A. C., Fox, M. D., Newman, S. P., Zhu, Y., Kuhl, A. and Polunin, N. V. C. (2021). Offshore pelagic subsidies dominate carbon inputs to coral reef predators. Science Advances, 7 (8) eabf3792, 1-12. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abf3792
2020
Journal Article
The importance of oceanic atoll lagoons for coral reef predators
Skinner, Christina, Mill, Aileen C., Newman, Steven P., Alsagoff, S. Nadia and Polunin, Nicholas V. C. (2020). The importance of oceanic atoll lagoons for coral reef predators. Marine Biology, 167 (2) 19. doi: 10.1007/s00227-019-3634-x
2019
Journal Article
Novel tri-isotope ellipsoid approach reveals dietary variation in sympatric predators
Skinner, Christina, Mill, Aileen C., Newman, Steven P., Newton, Jason, Cobain, Matthew R. D. and Polunin, Nicholas V. C. (2019). Novel tri-isotope ellipsoid approach reveals dietary variation in sympatric predators. Ecology and Evolution, 9 (23), 13267-13277. doi: 10.1002/ece3.5779
2019
Journal Article
Prevalence of pelagic dependence among coral reef predators across an atoll seascape
Skinner, Christina, Newman, Steven P., Mill, Aileen C., Newton, Jason and Polunin, Nicholas V. C. (2019). Prevalence of pelagic dependence among coral reef predators across an atoll seascape. Journal of Animal Ecology, 88 (10), 1564-1574. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.13056
2019
Journal Article
Chronic spearfishing may indirectly affect reef health through reductions in parrotfish bite rates
Skinner, Christina, Newman, Steven P., Box, Stephen, Narozanski, Andrzej and Polunin, Nicholas V. C. (2019). Chronic spearfishing may indirectly affect reef health through reductions in parrotfish bite rates. Journal of Fish Biology, 94 (4), 585-594. doi: 10.1111/jfb.13939
2016
Journal Article
Evidence for water-mediated mechanisms in coral-algal interactions
Jorissen, Hendrikje, Skinner, Christina, Osinga, Ronald, de Beer, Dirk and Nugues, Maggy M. (2016). Evidence for water-mediated mechanisms in coral-algal interactions. Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences, 283 (1836) 20161137, 20161137. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1137
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Tina Skinner is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
MPA design to achieve synergistic, transboundary benefits in the Coral Triangle
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts, Dr Yves-Marie Bozec, Professor Peter Mumby
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Tina Skinner directly for media enquiries about:
- coral reefs
- Crown of Thorns starfish
- food webs
- marine
- reef fish
- reef predators
- stable isotopes
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