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)
This seminar addresses what policy targets should be set to avoid severe impacts to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) from climate change. The evidence of climate change and current knowledge of likely impacts to the GBR are reviewed, particularly the major coral bleaching events in 1998 and 2002. Three key conclusions are drawn. First, setting policy targets of stabilising atmospheric greenhouse gases and aerosols at 450–550 ppm carbon dioxide equivalents to limit increases in mean global temperatures to 2–3°C over pre-industrial levels are likely to be too high to avoid severe impacts of coral bleaching to the GBR. Second, stabilising greenhouse gases and aerosols around year 2000 levels, of 370 ppm carbon dioxide equivalents, and allowing a rise in mean global temperature of 1°C, appear to be the highest targets that should be set if the GBR is to be protected from serious degradation. Third, current policies are far from achieving or even setting these objectives and, consequently, severe impacts to the GBR are likely in coming decades. This seminar is of particular importance in the context of the current national political debate on emissions trading and emissions reduction targets.
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
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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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