Björn Illing – ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies

1

People and ecosystems

Understanding of the links between coral reef ecosystems, the goods and services they provide to people, and the wellbeing of human societies.

2

Ecosystem dynamics: past, present and future

Examining the multi-scale dynamics of reefs, from population dynamics to macroevolution

3

Responding to a changing world

Advancing the fundamental understanding of the key processes underpinning reef resilience.

Coral Bleaching

Coral Bleaching

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)

Björn Illing

Björn Illing

Research Fellow

James Cook University

illing.bjoern@gmail.com

Björn completed his diploma (equiv. to M.Sc.) and doctoral studies at the University of Hamburg, Germany. During the latter, he investigated how biotic and abiotic factors determine important characteristics of the early life stages of the Atlantic herring. Moving from temperate to tropical waters, Björn visited Assoc. Prof. Jodie Rummer’s group at the Centre of Excellence in 2016 with a three-month travelling fellowship from the Journal of Experimental Biology, and returned in 2017 – now funded by a six-month scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). In December 2017, he got awarded a 2-year postdoctoral research fellowship from the German Research Foundation (DFG). At the Centre of Excellence, Björn’s research integrates physiological and behavioral observations of coral reef fish larvae to investigate how coral reef fish offspring will cope with more extreme conditions under the projected climate change conditions.

Selected publications:

Moyano, M., Illing, B. Christiansen, L. and M.A. Peck, “Linking rates of metabolism and growth in marine fish larvae”, Marine Biology, vol.165:5, 2018.

Illing, B. and J. Rummer, “Physiology can contribute to better understanding, management, and conservation of coral reef fishes”, Conservation Physiology, vol. 5, no. 1, cox005, 2017.

Moyano M., Illing, B., Peschutter P. and M.A. Peck, “Thermal impacts on growth, development and ontogeny of critical swimming speed in Atlantic herring larvae”, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A, vol. 197, no. 4, pp. 23–24, 2016.

Illing, B., Moyano M., Berg J., and M.A. Peck, “Behavioural and physiological responses to prey match-mismatch in larval herring”, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, in press.

Illing, B., Moyano M., Hufnagl M. and M.A. Peck, “Projected habitat loss for Atlantic herring in the Baltic Sea”, Marine Environmental Research, vol. 113, pp. 164–173, 2016.

Illing, B., Moyano M., Niemax J. and M.A. Peck, “Direct effects of microalgae and protists on herring (Clupea harengus) yolk sac larvae”, PLoS One, e0129344, 2015.

Silva, L., Moyano M., Illing, B., Faria, A.M., Garrido, S. and M.A. Peck, “Ontogeny of swimming capacity in plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) larvae”, Marine Biology, vol. 162, pp. 753–761, 2015.

Media Releases

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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

The double burden of climate change

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

Fade to grey – fish communities become duller as coral reefs die

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

New strategies for saving the Great Barrier Reef

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

Seminars

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The Centre closed on the 31st December, 2022

Exploring the heat tolerance of a common reef-building coral: variability, symbionts, and life history trade-offs

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

Why are there so many endemic species in the Red Sea?

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

Fish and fisheries associated with tropical macroalgal meadows

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

Does being different pay off? Sharks under anthropogenic pressure

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

Seascape connectivity, scale, and management

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

Population genomic approach to understanding microevolution of gutless-worm symbiosis

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

Coral symbioses are restructured by mass coral bleaching

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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