DNA reveals the past and future of coral reefs
New DNA techniques are being used to understand how coral reacted to the end of the last ice age in order to better predict how they will cope with current changes to the climate. James Cook Univer
From 2005 to 2022, the main node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies was headquartered at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland (Australia)
A primary focus of conservation efforts to date has been the establishment of protected areas to meet global commitments for both terrestrial and marine ecosystems through international mandates such as the Convention on Biological Diversity. The technical ability to establish effective conservation reserves and protected areas based on biological data is increasing. Yet, most research to date has neglected considerations other than biodiversity, despite the widespread agreement that social and economic factors ultimately impact the success of conservation efforts. Research has demonstrated that the explicit consideration of costs results in more cost-efficient conservation decisions that are more likely to result in real conservation outcomes. With this research there has been an increasing call for inclusion of cost data to aid in cost-efficient decision making, but little guidance has been given on how to do this effectively. For example, no research to date has provided strong guidelines on what costs to include, what data and analyses are needed to estimate these costs, and how best to integrate costs into existing decision-support tools. My thesis will provide clear guidance on how to define explicit socio-economic goals and what data best align with these goals for incorporation into decision support tools. Additionally, it will examine how including costs into the planning process impacts conservation outcomes across multiple stakeholder groups and multiple conservation actions and will consider the implications of information gaps and uncertainties in data.
New DNA techniques are being used to understand how coral reacted to the end of the last ice age in order to better predict how they will cope with current changes to the climate. James Cook Univer
A new study on the effects of climate change in five tropical countries has found fisheries are in more trouble than agriculture, and poor people are in the most danger. Distinguished Profess
James Cook University researchers have found brightly coloured fish are becoming increasingly rare as coral declines, with the phenomenon likely to get worse in the future. Christopher Hemingson, a
Researchers working with stakeholders in the Great Barrier Reef region have come up with ideas on how groups responsible for looking after the reef can operate more effectively when the next bleaching
Abstract: As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will likely be under strong selection. Individual variation in heat tolerance and its heritability underpin the potential fo
Abstract: The Reef Ecology Lab in KAUST’s Red Sea Research Center explores many aspects of movement ecology of marine organisms, ranging from adult migrations to intergenerational larval dispersal
Abstract: Macroalgal meadows are a prominent, yet often maligned component of the tropical seascape. Our work at Ningaloo reef in WA demonstrate that canopy forming macroalgae provide habitat for ad
Abstract: Sharks are generally perceived as strong and fearsome animals. With fossils dating back at least 420 million years, sharks are not only majestic top predators but they also outlived dinosa
Abstract: Connectivity plays a vital role in many ecosystems through its effects on fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes. Its consequences for populations and metapopulations have been
Abstract: Evolution of many eukaryotic organisms is affected by interactions with microbes. Microbial symbioses can ultimately reflect host’s diet, habitat range, and even body shape. However, how
Abstract: The past few years have seen unprecedented coral bleaching and mortality on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) but the consequences of this on biodiversity are not yet known. This talk will expl
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