He Hono Moana Lead: Jonathan Gardner

Victoria University Professor Jonathan Gardner holds a unique position in Marine Biology, a self-proclaimed ‘applied scientist’ his work is heavily influenced by society. As lead of the Moana Project’s ‘He Hono Moana’ connectivity component, Jonathan is guiding the project's ocean connectivity research to better our understanding of how marine populations are inter-connected. 

Originally from Norwich, a city in Norfolk, eastern England, Jonathan grew up close to the coast in the 60’s and 70’s, a time to which can be attributed an awakening for environmental change. 

“I was part of the ‘Jacques Cousteau’ generation. Jacques was, amongst other things, a great conservationist, researcher and scientist and a great inspiration. We would watch Jacques and his crew on the Calypso, out on the water.”  

From early in his schooling Jonathan had a great appreciation for biology, which eventually evolved into an interest in marine biology, seeing him undertake an undergraduate degree at Newcastle University in northeastern England. Understanding marine environments and how their inhabitants move in the ocean is where his interest grew.  

Jonathan Gardner at Taputeranga Marine Reserve. Image supplied.

“I'm interested in where things come from and where they go within the sea. And this has been a major, major challenge for marine biologists really since we started thinking about it. Most of these organisms you can't track very easily - so that many of us use molecular markers-genetic markers”. 

Genetic markers such as locations of DNA on a chromosome help us to trace an individual or determine the genetic relationship between two individuals. Using genetic markers in marine biology can be the identification of parents and offspring of a specific individual - say, pāua to better understand where they travel. Jonathan completed his PhD on the ecological genetics of hybridising blue mussels - his favourite type of marine organism. 

“Every scientist has their own favourite model organism - mine happens to be mussels! So, if you ask me personally what the most important species is to study, I’d say mussels.”

Mussels are really important ecologically because they are a critical group of shellfish that links primary production in the sea to the generation of biomass (secondary production in the form of mussel flesh) on the shore. They are ecosystem engineers – their presence as large mussel beds on the shore makes it possible for many other species and types of organisms to live there as well.

New Zealand Green-lipped mussels. By Dmitry Naumov (CC)

Mussels are also hugely important as an aquaculture product. Their farming in many parts of the developing world provides food (in particular protein) to local communities, and in the developed world their farming provides employment, and for countries like New Zealand, their sale on world markets is a very important source of revenue.

It is this type of enthusiasm he brings to his teaching, supervising students through their studies, holding the door open and bringing forth the next generations of marine biologists – it’s one of Jonathan’s biggest rewards.

“One of the things that I enjoy most as an academic is the interaction with students, but I often feel like I don't have anything like enough time. It is always wonderful to see them go on to bigger and better things - when they get professional jobs in Universities, Crown Research Institutes or in government.

2011 saw Jonathan return to the UK as a visiting Professor at the University College London where he spoke at the Royal Society in London in the renowned Kohn Centre where science icons such as Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace had also given lectures. Presenting a talk on‘The importance of marine reserves and marine protected areas – the New Zealand experience’ the invited audience of 80 people included HRH Princess Anne as Chair and the UK’s Chief Science Advisor Professor Sir Bob Watson as Respondent. 

Travelling to some unique parts of the world is just another perk of Jonathan's research in marine biology. 

“I'm unbelievably fortunate, I've been to some absolutely breathtaking places, for example the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand’s subtropical island arc at 29 to 30 degrees South. It’s pretty much a pristine marine system.”

Jonathan's appreciation for these marine environments extends into their protection. Shortly after his arrival in New Zealand he became a member of the Taputeranga Marine Reserve Coalition and was involved for 14 years until the Reserve, (a legally protected area of sea and coast along the southern edge of Wellington) was created in August 2008. 

“To finally get the marine reserve felt like a really big achievement in a system that seems to do everything pretty much possible to stop marine reserves being formed. When I drive along Wellington’s South Coast I always think ‘I helped establish this!’ Along with a load of other people, of course. But it’s such an achievement because we have got something to show for it.” 

Taputeranga Marine Reserve from Southgate, Wellington. By Naomi Puketapu-Waite.

For a country that draws its wealth from the oceans, the conservation of marine environments with appropriate science regarding commercial endeavours is a pertinent reality for New Zealand and its blue economy. 

“We need to find a balance. Commercial operations in the ocean are going to happen because society demands that it happens and because we can't afford for it not to happen, so as a country we are trying to have the benefits of economic development whilst minimising the environmental impact.”

The Moana Project is drawing on Jonathan’s leadership and expertise in ocean connectivity.  He leads the project’s connectivity component, Te Hono Moana, which aims to better understand where mussel, pāua and crayfish larvae come from, through the utilisation of a novel combination of shell microchemistry, genetics and biophysical models.

By developing our understanding of population genetics and the patterns of movement of taonga species, we can help to protect the survival of these species as well as optimising their use in aquaculture and fisheries ventures. That is the impact this type of research will have – it will be both environmental and societal, with benefits for local communities. With this knowledge, New Zealand aquaculture and fisheries can fine tune their approaches to future-proof these important marine species. 

Jonathan is also supervising Moana Project PhD students Giulia Trauzzi’s research into pāua and the effects of the Kaikoura earthquake on their genetics and Calvin Quigley’s research into the connectivity of mussels, pāua and crayfish at a national scale. The team is awaiting the arrival of Mikel Mendiola whose PhD research will focus on mussel connectivity at the local scale (the Bay of Plenty and also Ninety Mile Beach).

Follow Jonathan and the rest of the Moana Project team members and their progress here