I completed a Bachelor of Science and gained an Honours degree in the field of Marine Biology and Zoology at James Cook University in 2003. I have since been conducting research on tropical marine habitats focussing on seagrass and benthic invertebrate communities most at risk from anthropogenic activities associated with coastal development. I have specifically been interested in relationships between seagrass and environmental factors, and implementing science based solutions to the management of these important marine habitats. In my current role as a senior member and project leader/manager of the team I am responsible for numerous state-wide seagrass habitat research, assessment and monitoring programs.

Research and monitoring programs that I am project leader and manager for include:

• Port of Abbot Point Research and Monitoring Program 2008 - ongoing
• Development of light thresholds for modelling impacts to seagrass from the Abbot Point Growth Gateway Project 2015
• Ports North long-term seagrass monitoring and research programs in the ports of Karumba, Cairns & Mourilyan Harbour 2009 - ongoing
• Ports North: Cairns Shipping Development project 2012 - ongoing
• Port of Weipa long-term seagrass monitoring and research program 2009 - ongoing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interests

Research

• Seagrass assessment & monitoring in Queensland Ports– industry partnerships in high risk areas (various Port Authorities)
• Investigating the drivers of tropical seagrass change
• Investigating and establishing methods of recovery and resilience of deepwater and shallow water seagrasses
• Developing seagrass light thresholds for implementation into models and environmental impact assessments

Teaching

• Indigenous community engagement and training in the Torres Strait
• Guest lecturing

Experience

• 2005 to 2012 - Project manager, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Cairns)
• 2003 to 2005 - Fisheries Technician, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Cairns)

Research Disciplines

• Environmental management (4104)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Coastal and estuarine systems and management (1802)
• Marine systems and management (1805)
• environmental management (1899)

Memberships

• 2003 to 2015 - Member of the Golden Key International Honours Society. Membership into Golden Key is by invitation only to the top 15% of college/university students in all fields of study, based solely on the criteria of their academic achievements.

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Carter A, McKenna S, Rasheed M, Taylor H, van de Wetering C, Chartrand K, Reason C, Collier C, Shepherd L, Mellors J, McKenzie L, Duke N, Roelofs A, Smit N, Groom R, Barrett D, Evans S, Pitcher R, Murphy N, Carlisle M, David M, Lui S, Torres Strait Indigenous Rangers and Coles R (in press) Seagrass spatial data synthesis from north-east Australia, Torres Strait and Gulf of Carpentaria, 1983 to 2022. Limnology and Oceanography Letters,
• Carter A, McKenna S, Rasheed M, Collier C, McKenzie L, Pitcher R and Coles R (2021) Synthesizing 35?years of seagrass spatial data from the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Queensland, Australia. Limnology and Oceanography Letters, 6 (4). pp. 216-226
• Jarvis J, McKenna S and Rasheed M (2021) Seagrass seed bank spatial structure and function following a large-scale decline. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 665. pp. 75-87
• York P, Smith T, Coles R, McKenna S, Connolly R, Irving A, Jackson E, McMahon K, Runcie J, Sherman C, Sullivan B, Trevathan-Tackett S, Brodersen K, Carter A, Ewers C, Lavery P, Roelfsema C, Sinclair E, Strydom S, Tanner J, van Dijk K, Warry F, Waycott M and Whitehead S (2017) Identifying knowledge gaps in seagrass research and management: an Australian perspective . Marine Environmental Research, 127. pp. 163-172
• Coles R, Rasheed M, McKenzie L, Grech A, York P, Sheaves M, McKenna S and Bryant C (2015) The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area seagrasses: managing this iconic Australian ecosystem resource for the future. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 153. pp. A1-A12
• McKenna S, Jarvis J, Sankey T, Reason C, Coles R and Rasheed M (2015) Declines of seagrasses in a tropical harbour, North Queensland, Australia, are not the result of a single event. Journal of Biosciences, 40 (2). pp. 389-398
• Petus C, Collier C, Devlin M, Rasheed M and McKenna S (2014) Using MODIS data for understanding changes in seagrass meadow health: a case study in the Great Barrier Reef (Australia). Marine Environmental Research, 98. pp. 68- 85
• Rasheed M, McKenna S, Carter A and Coles R (2014) Contrasting recovery of shallow and deep water seagrass communities following climate associated losses in tropical north Queensland, Australia. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 83. pp. 491-499
• McKenna S, Betts D, Pong W, Govedich F and Barton D (2005) A redescription of the Australian leech Placobdelloides bancrofti with new records of its distribution. Journal of Parasitology, 91 (1). pp. 117-121

Conference Papers

• Carter A, Coles R, McKenna S and Rasheed M (2017) Spatial management tools for coastal seagrasses in Queensland, Australia. Proceedings of the Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference. 21-23 June 2017, Cairns, QLD, Australia
• Rasheed M, McKenna S, Coles R and Carter A (2017) Protection of Great Barrier Reef seagrasses through innovative port industry and science research partnerships. Proceedings of the Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference. In: Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference: working with nature, 21-23 June 2017, Cairns, QLD, Australia
• Waltham N, York P, McKenna S, Petus C, Devlin M, Rasheed M, Campbell S, Whinney J and Kane K (2017) Long term ambient water quality monitoring to support port management in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Proceedings of the Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference. In: Australasian Coasts & Ports 2017 Conference: working with nature, 21-23 June 2017, Cairns, QLD, Australia

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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 119+ research outputs authored by Ms Skye McKenna from 2004 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.