Overview
Background
Dr Ben Mos obtained his BSc (Hons) in Marine Science and Management from the University of New England, Armidale and his PhD from Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour. Ben is an Aboriginal man of Turrbal descent. Ben completed a 3-year postdoctoral position at the National Marine Science Centre, Coffs Harbour, refining technologies he developed during his PhD to grow sea urchins as seafood, supporting Australia’s nascent export industry. He was appointed as a lecturer in marine sciences at Southern Cross University in 2019 where Ben worked in the School of Environmental Sciences for 3 years before continuing his academic career at The University of Queensland.
Currently in the School of the Environment, Ben teaches into the Marine Biology major and undertakes research to understand how we (humans) are altering waterways and oceans and impacting the organisms that live there through climate change, pollution, and catching too many fish, and figures out ways we can solve these problems using Indigenous and international science approaches. Ben is based at Moreton Bay Research Station (MBRS) on beautiful Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) where he leads a marine lab with custom seawater systems, located near a unique group of globally important marine and freshwater habitats, ranging from coral reefs, mangroves, and freshwater swamps, and collaborates with First Nations Peoples, industry, government, other researchers, and students from Australia and overseas.
Availability
- Dr Benjamin Mos is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Marine Biology, University of New England Australia
- Doctor of Philosophy of Marine Biology, Southern Cross University
Research interests
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Invertebrate Aquaculture
Developing technologies to supply seafood to a growing global human population
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Shellfish reef restoration
Understanding the best ways to bring back a key marine ecosystem
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Crown-of-thorns Starfish in Present-day and Future Oceans
Understanding the ecology and biology of a coral-eating sea star, with a particular focus on the crucial larval stage
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Human Impacts in Aquatic Ecosystems
Understanding how humans are altering oceans and rivers, and figuring out new ways to reduce or reverse the negative impacts on aquatic life
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Ecology and Taxonomy of Australian Caridina
Understanding what freshwater shrimp live in Australia and what they do
Works
Search Professor Benjamin Mos’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2024
Journal Article
Crown-of-thorns starfish complete their larval phase eating only nitrogen-fixing Trichodesmium cyanobacteria
Mos, Benjamin, Erler, Dirk, Lawson, Corinne and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2024). Crown-of-thorns starfish complete their larval phase eating only nitrogen-fixing Trichodesmium cyanobacteria. Science Advances, 10 (29) eado2682, 1-7. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado2682
Featured
2023
Journal Article
Variable food alters responses of larval crown-of-thorns starfish to ocean warming but not acidification
Mos, Benjamin, Mesic, Naomi and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2023). Variable food alters responses of larval crown-of-thorns starfish to ocean warming but not acidification. Communications Biology, 6 (1) 639, 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-05028-1
Featured
2021
Journal Article
Alkalinity of diverse water samples can be altered by mercury preservation and borosilicate vial storage
Mos, Benjamin, Holloway, Ceylena, Kelaher, Brendan P., Santos, Isaac R. and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2021). Alkalinity of diverse water samples can be altered by mercury preservation and borosilicate vial storage. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 9961 . doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-89110-w
Featured
2020
Journal Article
Effects of low and high pH on sea urchin settlement, implications for the use of alkali to counter the impacts of acidification
Mos, Benjamin, Byrne, Maria and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2020). Effects of low and high pH on sea urchin settlement, implications for the use of alkali to counter the impacts of acidification. Aquaculture, 528 735618, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735618
Featured
2020
Journal Article
The hidden army: corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastars can spend years as herbivorous juveniles
Deaker, Dione J., Aguera, Antonio, Lin, Huang-An, Lawson, Corinne, Budden, Claire, Dworjanyn, Symon A., Mos, Benjamin and Byrne, Maria (2020). The hidden army: corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastars can spend years as herbivorous juveniles. Biology Letters, 16 (4) 20190849, 1-5. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0849
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Building global change resilience: Concrete has the potential to ameliorate the negative effects of climate-driven ocean change on a newly-settled calcifying invertebrate
Mos, Benjamin, Dworjanyn, Symon A., Mamo, Lea T. and Kelaher, Brendan P. (2019). Building global change resilience: Concrete has the potential to ameliorate the negative effects of climate-driven ocean change on a newly-settled calcifying invertebrate. Science of the Total Environment, 646, 1349-1358. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.379
Featured
2014
Journal Article
Ingestion of microplastic has limited impact on a marine larva
Kaposi, Katrina L., Mos, Benjamin, Kelaher, Brendan P. and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2014). Ingestion of microplastic has limited impact on a marine larva. Environmental Science and Technology, 48 (3), 1638-1645. doi: 10.1021/es404295e
2024
Journal Article
Water temperature affects somatic growth, body condition and oxygen and carbon otolith isotopes of stout whiting (Sillago robusta)
Tan, Melissa, Hall, Karina C, Litchfield, Sebastian, Champion, Curtis, de Carvalho, Matheus Carvalho, Mos, Benjamin, Dworjanyn, Symon and Kelaher, Brendan P (2024). Water temperature affects somatic growth, body condition and oxygen and carbon otolith isotopes of stout whiting (Sillago robusta). Science of the Total Environment, 945 174058, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174058
2024
Journal Article
Residency and movement patterns of juvenile yellowfin bream Acanthopagrus australis, stocked on estuarine artificial reefs
Becker, Alistair, Dworjanyn, Symon A., Mos, Benjamin, Niella, Yuri V., Smith, James A., Lowry, Michael B. and Taylor, Matthew D. (2024). Residency and movement patterns of juvenile yellowfin bream Acanthopagrus australis, stocked on estuarine artificial reefs. Marine and Freshwater Research, 75 (15) MF24041. doi: 10.1071/mf24041
2024
Journal Article
Shipping live sea urchins: effects of temperature and exposure time on survival
Bennett, Joshua, Mos, Benjamin and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2024). Shipping live sea urchins: effects of temperature and exposure time on survival. Aquaculture, 586 740785, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2024.740785
2024
Journal Article
Size matters: microherbivores make a big impact in coral aquaculture
Neil, Rachel C., Barton, Jonathan A., Dougan, Winona, Dworjanyn, Symon, Heyward, Andrew, Mos, Benjamin, Bourne, David G. and Humphrey, Craig (2024). Size matters: microherbivores make a big impact in coral aquaculture. Aquaculture, 581 740402, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2023.740402
2024
Journal Article
Water temperature affects somatic growth, body condition and otolith isotopes of Stout Whiting (Sillago robusta)
Tan, Melissa, Hall, Karina, Litchfield, Sebastian, Champion, Curtis, Carvalho de Carvalho, Matheus, Mos, Benjamin, Dworjanyn, Symon and Kelaher, Brendan (2024). Water temperature affects somatic growth, body condition and otolith isotopes of Stout Whiting (Sillago robusta).
2024
Journal Article
Switching to bioplastics may exacerbate ingestion of lost and discarded fishing gear by marine invertebrates
Powell, Sandra and Mos, Benjamin (2024). Switching to bioplastics may exacerbate ingestion of lost and discarded fishing gear by marine invertebrates.
2023
Other Outputs
Quantifying clearance rates of restored oyster reefs using modular baskets
Andersson, Maja, Cheney, Karen L., Porter, Robbie, Gilby, Ben L. and Mos, Benjamin (2023). Quantifying clearance rates of restored oyster reefs using modular baskets.
2023
Journal Article
Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology
Elliot Gould, Hannah S. Fraser, Timothy H Parker, Shinichi Nakagawa, Simon C. Griffith, Peter A. Vesk, Fiona Fidler, Daniel G. Hamilton, Robin N. Abbey-Lee, Jessica K. Abbott, Luis A. Aguirre, Carles Alcaraz, Irith Aloni, Drew Altschul, Kunal Arekar, Jeff W. Atkins, Joe Atkinson, Christopher Baker, Meghan Barrett, Kristian Bell, Suleiman Kehinde Bello, Iván Beltrán, Bernd J. Berauer, Michael Grant Bertram, Peter D. Billman, Charlie K. Blake, Shannon Blake, Louis Bliard, Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati ... Rachel A. Zitomer (2023). Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology.
2023
Journal Article
Effects of substrate, water flow, and turbulence in raceway culture of the high-value agarophyte Pterocladiella capillacea
Mishina, Tomoki, Mos, Benjamin and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2023). Effects of substrate, water flow, and turbulence in raceway culture of the high-value agarophyte Pterocladiella capillacea. Aquaculture, 579 740206, 740206. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2023.740206
2022
Journal Article
Range expansion of a widespread Indo-Pacific haemulid, the barred javelin Pomadasys kaakan (Cuvier, 1830), in a climate change hotspot
Mos, Benjamin and Mos, Daniel (2022). Range expansion of a widespread Indo-Pacific haemulid, the barred javelin Pomadasys kaakan (Cuvier, 1830), in a climate change hotspot. Journal of Fish Biology, 101 (3), 736-740. doi: 10.1111/jfb.15125
2021
Journal Article
Echidnas of the sea: the defensive behavior of juvenile and adult crown-of-thorns sea stars
Deaker, Dione J., Balogh, Regina, Dworjanyn, Symon A., Mos, Benjamin and Byrne, Maria (2021). Echidnas of the sea: the defensive behavior of juvenile and adult crown-of-thorns sea stars. Biological Bulletin, 241 (3), 259-270. doi: 10.1086/716777
2021
Other Outputs
Boosting the productivity of sea urchin aquaculture using advanced culture protocols and dietary intervention
Mos, Benjamin and Dworjanyn, Symon A. (2021). Boosting the productivity of sea urchin aquaculture using advanced culture protocols and dietary intervention. Wagga Wagg, NSW Australia: AgriFutures Australia.
2021
Journal Article
Knowledge gaps in the biology, ecology, and management of the pacific crown-of-thorns sea star, Acanthaster sp., on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Pratchett, Morgan S., Caballes, Ciemon F., Cvitanovic, Christopher, Raymundo, Maia L., Babcock, Russell C., Bonin, Mary C., Bozec, Yves-Marie, Burn, Deborah, Byrne, Maria, Castro-Sanguino, Carolina, Chen, Carla C. M., Condie, Scott A., Cowan, Zara-Louise, Deaker, Dione J., Desbiens, Amelia, Devantier, Lyndon M., Doherty, Peter J., Doll, Peter C., Doyle, Jason R., Dworjanyn, Symon A., Fabricius, Katharina E., Haywood, Michael D. E., Hock, Karlo, Hoggett, Anne K., Høj, Lone, Keesing, John K., Kenchington, Richard A., Lang, Bethan J., Ling, Scott D. ... Wilson, Shaun K. (2021). Knowledge gaps in the biology, ecology, and management of the pacific crown-of-thorns sea star, Acanthaster sp., on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Biological Bulletin, 24 (3), 330-346. doi: 10.1086/717026
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Benjamin Mos is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The effects of bioplastic on marine invertebrates
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sandie Degnan
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Doctor Philosophy
Assessing the biology and connectivity of deep-water finfish on Australia's east coast and impacts on fleet dynamics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts
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Doctor Philosophy
Assessing the biology and connectivity of deep-water finfish on Australia's east coast and impacts on fleet dynamics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Benjamin Mos directly for media enquiries about:
- aquaculture particularly invertebrates
- climate change in the ocean
- crown-of-thorns starfish
- freshwater invertebrates
- marine life particularly invertebrates
- pollution in marine and freshwater ecosystems
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