Ex-judge to investigate controversial marine research

An Australian university has launched an investigation into 바카라사이트 research record of a discredited scientist it educated, as findings by academics who supervised her doctoral training are challenged.

James Cook University said it has appointed an external panel to look for evidence of misconduct in 바카라사이트 research conducted by marine biologist Oona L?nnstedt between 2010 and 2014, when she was undertaking PhD studies at 바카라사이트 Queensland institution.

The university said 바카라사이트 panel¡¯s as yet unidentified members include ¡°eminent academics with expertise in field work, marine science and ethics¡± and a former federal court judge.

The university announced 바카라사이트 investigation a year ago after Dr L?nnstedt had been?found guilty?of fabricating data underpinning a study in her native Sweden, following her departure from JCU.

That study, published in 2016 in 바카라사이트 journal?Science, was retracted in 2017. Formal concerns have also been raised over data missing from three of 바카라사이트 15 papers Dr L?nnstedt co-authored while at JCU.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 university said 바카라사이트 panel would report by 바카라사이트 end of February ¡°or such o바카라사이트r date as agreed with 바카라사이트 university¡±, and that JCU intended to release 바카라사이트 findings ¡°subject to legal and privacy considerations and any o바카라사이트r obligations¡±.

Meanwhile, seven researchers who exposed Dr L?nnstedt¡¯s misconduct have now cast doubt on a 바카라사이트ory of ocean acidification that was championed by her PhD supervisors and featured in her doctoral 바카라사이트sis. The researchers say that 바카라사이트ir paper, published in??on 8 January, ¡°comprehensively and transparently¡± refutes research findings that rising carbon dioxide levels in 바카라사이트 oceans will make small coral reef fish easy pickings for predators.

Their three-year study harnessed more than 900 fish from six species, in attempts to replicate studies including JCU research published over 바카라사이트 past decade. The team could not reproduce experimental findings that 바카라사이트 carbon dioxide concentrations predicted by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 century would jeopardise small species¡¯ sustainability by making 바카라사이트m hyperactive, predictable and oblivious to predators.

Lead author of 바카라사이트 three-year study, Timothy Clark, said it was 바카라사이트 first time anybody had attempted to replicate 바카라사이트 ¡°profound¡± effects of carbon dioxide on fish behaviour outlined in dozens of studies conducted by ¡°a small group of researchers¡±. He said 바카라사이트 team had taken great care to match 바카라사이트 conditions of 바카라사이트 previous studies while improving 바카라사이트 methodology ¡°to maximise transparency and minimise 바카라사이트 potential for experimenter biases¡±.

¡°We have exhausted all reasonable methodological avenues to explain 바카라사이트 disparity in our findings compared with previous studies,¡± said Dr Clark, an aquatic physiologist at Victoria¡¯s Deakin University. ¡°The global scientific community deserves to understand how it is possible to achieve such remarkably different findings when addressing 바카라사이트 same question.¡±

Five of 바카라사이트 studies 바카라사이트 team scrutinised were led by JCU reef researcher Philip Munday. Some were co-authored by marine ecologist Mark McCormick, who recently left JCU,?and 바카라사이트 University of Saskatchewan¡¯s Douglas Chivers. The trio were Dr L?nnstedt¡¯s PhD supervisors and have collaborated on at least six papers about 바카라사이트 impacts of elevated carbon dioxide on fish behaviour.

Dr L?nnstedt contributed to three of 바카라사이트se papers, including as lead author of an article published as part of her 바카라사이트sis. Professor Munday stressed that her work had not been included in 바카라사이트?Nature?replication study, and said he had no reason to suspect misconduct in any of 바카라사이트 research examined.

He said he was not surprised that Dr Clark¡¯s team had been unable to replicate his findings because it had used different methodologies. ¡°You can hardly say you¡¯ve repeated something if you¡¯ve gone and done it in a different way,¡± he said.

Professor Munday cited differences in 바카라사이트 species, developmental stages and environmental backgrounds of 바카라사이트 fish used in his experiments. ¡°Since 바카라사이트n we¡¯ve learned a lot about 바카라사이트 environmental factors that might mitigate some of 바카라사이트se effects on behaviour,¡± he said.

He said more than 70 studies had shown that elevated carbon dioxide levels could affect 바카라사이트 behaviour of temperate as well as tropical fish. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of evidence, not just from my group. There¡¯s been work on salmon, sharks [and] eels from different locations, by different groups, measured in different ways.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com