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  • Isabella Kaden_HDR_Student

    Isabella Kaden HDR Student at CMER, School of Science.

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    https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1332-8389
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Isabella Kaden

Overview of thesis

The focus of my masters will be to determine the habitat use of migratory shorebirds in the Exmouth Gulf, a significant shorebird region on the Pilbara coast and within the East Asia-Australasian Flyway. There is an estimated 50% population decline reported for some species over the past decade, led by a loss of major sites along the flyway. In coastal regions where the primary habitats of migratory species are located, human activities are a significant threat. These include coastal development resulting in the destruction of crucial habitats and hunting migratory shorebirds.

There is a rich variety of intertidal habitats in the Exmouth Gulf, ranging from sandflats, low and intertidal sandflats and mudflats, tidal channels, mangroves, and cyanobacterial mats. Exmouth Gulf is acknowledged internationally as a significant area for Grey-tailed Tattler (Tringa brevipes), Vulnerable species such as the Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), and Critically Endangered Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis). There is a significant lack of knowledge regarding shorebird ecology in the region, despite Exmouth Gulf being a crucial area for migratory shorebirds and the future proposal of the Exmouth Gulf as a Marine Park. By studying the habitats used by migratory shorebirds in the Exmouth Gulf contributions will be made to the little knowledge collected previously. Newly proposed industrial developments on the Pilbara coast highlights the urgency and importance to fill the current knowledge gap.

This project is part of the Mardie off-set program and is done in collaboration with the University of Western Australia (UWA), the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), BirdLife Australia and the Australasian Wader Study Group.

Project links: https://wamsi.org.au/news/waterbirds-travelling-thousands-of-kilometres-to-pilbara-on-aerial-highway/

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science ( Conservation and Wildlife Biology) at Edith Cowan University  2020 - 2025.

Research

Research Interests

  • Ornithology
  • Marine Science
  • Conservation biology
  • Shorebird ecology
  • Animal behaviour
  • Endangered bird studies
  • Australian birdlife and migratory species

Past Research employment history

  • January 2025- present, Science Ambassador (Edith Cowan University)
  • January 2025- May 2025, Rivers and Estuaries Department Internship (Edith Cowan University/ Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions)

Past Research employment history

  • Semester 2 2020, Kurongkurl Katitjin Academic Excellence Reward (Edith Cowan University)
  • Semester 2 2021, Kurongkurl Katitjin Academic Excellence Reward (Edith Cowan University)
  • Semester 1 2023, Kurongkurl Katitjin Academic Excellence Reward (Edith Cowan University)
  • Semester 2 2023, Kurongkurl Katitjin Academic Excellence Reward (Edith Cowan University)
  • Semester 1 2024, Kurongkurl Katitjin Academic Excellence Reward (Edith Cowan University)
  • Semester 1 2025, Kurongkurl Katitjin Academic Excellence Reward (Edith Cowan University)

Supervisors

  • Glenn Hyndes (Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research)
  • Sora Marin-Estrella (Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research)

Contact

Isabella Kaden
Master of Science by Research
Center for Marine Ecosystem Research
School of Science
Email: ikaden@our.ecu.edu.au

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