Melita Pennifold
Senior Scientist
Melita is an aquatic biologist with over 25 years of research experience in aquatic ecology. Projects include surveying and monitoring of aquatic communities, with a focus on invertebrates. My research involves analyzing patterns in the distribution of biodiversity and understanding the reasons why those patterns exists, such as effects of natural and human factors.
Extensive experience in taxonomic identification of aquatic invertebrates to species level, from marine, estuarine and freshwater environments.
Major projects include:
• Long-term monitoring of the aquatic fauna in the south-west forest streams
• Biogeographic patterning of aquatic fauna using Generalised Dissimilarity Models
• Assessment of the ecological condition of the Muir-Unicup wetlands
• Identifying priority species within the south-western Australian aquatic invertebrate fauna
• The role of macrobenthos in the nutrient and particulate fluxes in the Swan River Estuary
• Relationship between nitrogen and primary production (epiphytes and seagrasses)
• Effects of an industrial effluent on benthic communities in Cockburn Sound