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)
Abstract: As coral abundances continue to decline on reefs around the world, scientists are increasingly tasked to study ecological phenomena at spatio-temporal scales, at which ecological data is notoriously scarce, particularly at the species-level. As a result, our knowledge of the underlying demographic processes and their implications is often limited. In my thesis, I examine whether declines in coral abundances are likely to culminate in mass extinctions over the next decades by estimating, for the first time, the total number of shallow-water coral colonies in the Pacific and the population sizes of more than 300 Indo-Pacific coral species. I further evaluate whether declines in coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef have been accompanied by shifts in colony size structure, an important indicator of population viability in corals, and the implications of those shifts for the reproductive output of coral populations. Lastly, I investigate whether coral mass bleaching events differ in their spatial footprints from severe cyclones and whether those differences may undermine reef connectivity and help us understand declines in coral recruitment rates.
Biography: Andreas has a bachelor’s degree in Ecology from the University of Goettingen and a Master’s of Environmental Science from Utrecht University. In his Master thesis he examined the importance of functional redundancy and response diversity in herbivores for regime shift dynamics on coral reefs. Before starting his PhD at JCU he also worked as a consultant for the Dutch government, gained experience in ecosystem restoration practices as a trainee at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and worked as a Divemaster on the Azores Archipelago.
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
Partner Research Institutions
