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
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au
Understanding how reefs grow and respond following environmental disturbances can provide us with an early warning system for predicting future reef health. Accretion of the reef framework primarily reflects the combined activities of calcifying organisms and destructive biophysical processes. However, we know very little about how these processes interact following environmental disturbances. Biological reef building process (e.g. calcification, bioerosion, coral recruitment) are being assessed in order to understand how terrestrial runoff and climate change events have influenced the development of modern day reefs. Findings suggest that: 1) in years following hurricanes and bleaching events coral recruitment is limited, and 2) calcification and net reef accretion can occur where environmental conditions approach or exceed perceived thresholds for coral survival.
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
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Partner Research Institutions
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au