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: Increasing exposure to sediment, nutrients and chemical pollutants are threatening an estimated 25% of the world’s coral reefs. In this talk, I will present the current state of knowledge on the direct and indirect effects of marine pollution on the behaviour, physiology, life histories and communities of coral reef fishes, and the potential consequences of altered fish abundances for the ecology of coral reefs. The documented effects of pollution on reef fishes suggest the potential for feed-back loops, with altered fish behaviour and abundances detrimentally affecting reef health. Given the rapid spread of coastal pollution, field studies on their multi-faceted effects on ecological processes in coral reefs deserve a high priority.
Biography: Amelia currently holds a postdoctoral research position with the ARC CoE for Coral Reef Studies. Amelia is involved in a large research project focused on prioritising islands in WA and the GBR for managements actions. Her broad research interests are in understanding how threatening processes affect vulnerable ecosystems. Prior to this appointment, she worked at TropWater with the Marine Monitoring Program, where she monitored the frequency of flood plumes and the pollutant loads they carried. Amelia earned a PhD from James Cook University in 2014 for her research on the effects of suspended sediment on coral reef fishes.
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
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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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