Dr Dave Abdo completed a BSc (Marine Science, Hons) at University of Western Australia in 2002, then worked as a benthic ecologist at Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) between 2002 and 2004.
In 2007, he finished his PhD on the population dynamics of two temperate marine sponges at the University of Western Australia.
Dr Abdo joined Fisheries and worked as a research scientist within the biodiversity branch until 2009 when he spent a year as senior marine consultant at Mscience Pty Ltd, undertaking environmental impact assessments for oil and gas developments in north-west Australia.
After a further year at AIMS within the biodiversity team, he returned to Fisheries in 2011 as a research scientist within the biodiversity branch, managing the temperate marine park research and monitoring program.
Dr Abdo’s expertise includes tropical and temperate marine ecology, specialising in community dynamics; benthic invertebrate ecology, specialising in reproduction, population dynamics and biotic interactions; and underwater photogrammetry, specialising in stereo photogrammetry.
His research focuses on marine communities, and the processes which influence their population dynamics spatially and temporally. He also has an interest in understanding the functional role of the benthos in the marine environment (e.g. benthic-pelagic coupling, habitat provision) and the effects of local (e.g. marine development such as port expansions) and global anthropogenic (climate change) influences on the marine environment.
Publications
Dave Abdo PhD
Senior Research Scientist, Biodiversity and Biosecurity
T: (08) 9203 0323