People

Research Interests

My present research is focused on understanding how climate forcing affects the growth and productivity of coral reef communities through changing ocean physics and chemistry; particularly within the context of increased ocean warming and acidification.  I conduct most of my research through a combination of field studies, numerical modelling, and flume/mesocosm experiments.

Select Publications

Cuttler M, Lowe R, Falter J, Buscombe D (2016) Estimating the Settling Velocity of Bioclastic Sediments Using Common Grain‐Size Analysis Techniques.  Sedimentology, DOI: 10.1111/sed.12338.

Falter J, Lowe R, Zhang Z (2016) Toward a Universal Mass‐Momentum Transfer Relationship for Predicting Nutrient Uptake and Metabolite Exchange in Benthic Reef Communities.  Geophysical Research Letters 43(18): 9764-9772.

Lowe R, Pivan X, Falter J, Symonds G, Gruber R (2016) Rising Sea Levels Will Reduce Extreme Temperature Variations in Tide-Dominated Reef Habitats.  Science Advances 2 (8), e1600825.

Zhang Z, Lowe R, Xu J, Falter J, Ivey G (2016). The Combined Effect of Transient Wind-Driven Upwelling and Eddies On Vertical Nutrient Fluxes and Phytoplankton Dynamics Along Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia.  Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, DOI: 10.1002/2016JC011791.

Foster T, Falter JL, Clode PL, McCulloch MM (2016). Ocean Acidification Causes Structural Deformities in Juvenile Coral Skeletons. Science Advances, 2(2): e1501130, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1501130.

Schoepf V, Stat M, Falter JL, McCulloch MT (2015).  Limits to the Thermal Tolerance of Corals Adapted to a Highly Fluctuating, Naturally Extreme Temperature Environment.  Scientific Reports, 5, 17639, DOI: 10.1038/srep17639.

Georgiou LK, Falter JL, Trotter J, Kline DI, Holcomb M, Dove SG, Hoegh-Guldberg O, and McCulloch MT (2015).  pH Homeostasis During Coral Calcification in a Free Ocean Co₂ Enrichment (Foce) Experiment, Heron Island Lagoon, Great Barrier Reef,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(43): 13219-13224, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1505586112.

Dandan S, Falter JL, McCulloch MM, and Lowe RJ (2015).  The Resilience of Coral Growth to  Extreme Temperature Variations Within the Macro-Intertidal Zone of the Kimberley, Western Australia. Coral Reefs, 34(4): 1151-1163, DOI: 10.1007/s00338-015-1335-6.

Long MH, Berg P, and Falter JL (2015).  Seagrass Metabolism across a Productivity Gradient Using the Eddy Covariance, Eulerian Control Volume, and Biomass Addition Techniques. Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 120(5): 3624-3639, DOI: 10.1002/2014JC010352.

Ross C, Falter JL, Schoepf V, and McCulloch MT (2015) Robust Perennial Growth of Hermatypic Coral at Rottnest Island, Western Australia (32°S). PeerJ 3: e781

Lowe RJ and Falter JL (2015) Oceanic Forcing of Coral Reefs.  Ann. Rev. Mar. Sci. 7:43-66.

Falter JL, Z Zhang, RJ Lowe, F McGregor, J Keesing, and MT McCulloch (2014) Assessing the Drivers of Spatial Variation in Thermal Forcing Across a Nearshore Reef System and Implications for Coral Bleaching. Limnology and Oceanography, 59: 1241–1255.

Zhang Z, Falter JL, Lowe RJ, Ivey G, and McCulloch (2013) Atmospheric Forcing Intensifies the Effects of Regional Ocean Warming on Reef-Scale Temperature Anomalies During a Bleaching Event. Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 118: 1-17 doi: 10.1002/jgrc.20338.

Falter JL, Lowe RJ, Zhang Z, and McCulloch M (2013) Physical and Biological Controls on the Carbonate Chemistry of Coral Reef Waters: Effects of Metabolism, Wave Forcing, Sea Level, and Geomorphology.  PLoS ONE, 8(1): e53303, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0053303.

McCulloch M, Falter JL, Trotter J, Montagna P (2012) Coral Resilience to  Ocean Acidification and Global Warming Through pH Up-Regulation. Nature Climate Change, doi: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1473.

Falter JL, Lowe RJ, Atkinson M, Cuet P (2012) Seasonal Coupling and De-coupling of Calcification Rates From Coral Reef Metabolism and Carbonate Chemistry at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 117, C05003, doi:10.1029/2011JC007268.

Zhang Z, Falter JL, Lowe RJ, and Ivey G (2012) the Combined Influence of Hydrodynamic Forcing and Calcification on the Spatial Distribution of Alkalinity in a Coral Reef System.  Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 117, C04034, doi:10.1029/2011JC007603.

Wyatt ASJ, Falter JL, Lowe RJ, Humphries S, and Waite AM (2012) Oceanographic Forcing of Nutrient Uptake and Release Over a Fringing Coral Reef. Limnology and Oceanography, 57(2): 401-419.

McCulloch M, Trotter J, Montagna P, Falter J, Dunbar R, Freiwald A, Forsterra G, Lopez-Correa M, Maier C, Ruggeberg A, Taviani M (2012) Resilience of Cold-Water Scleractinian Corals to  Ocean Acidification: Boron Isotopic Systematics of pH and Saturation State Up-Regulation. Geochimica et Cosmochim Acta, 87: 21-34.

Falter JL, Atkinson MJ, Lowe RJ, Monismith SG, and Schar DW (2011) Short-Term Coherency Between Gross Primary Production and Community Respiration in an Algal-Dominated Reef Flat, Coral Reefs, doi: 10.1007/s00338-010-0671-9.

Lowe RJ, Falter JL, Atkinson MJ, and Monismith SG (2009) a Numerical Study of Circulation in a Coastal Reef-Lagoon System, Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 114, C06022, doi: 10.1029/2007JC004663.

Falter JL, Lowe RJ, Atkinson MJ, Monismith SG, and Schar DW (2008) Continuous Measurements of Net Production over a Shallow Reef Community using a Modified Eulerian Approach, Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 113, C07035, doi: 10.1029/2007JC004663.

Lowe RJ, Falter JL, Koseff JR, Monismith SG & Atkinson MJ (2007) Spectral Wave Flow Attenuation within Submerged Canopies: Implications for Wave Energy Dissipation, Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 112, C05018, doi: 10.1029/2006JC003605.

Falter JL, Atkinson MJ, and Coimbra CF-M (2005) Effects of Surface Roughness and Oscillatory Flow on Dissolution of Plaster Forms: Evidence for Nutrient Mass Transfer to Coral Reef Communities, Limnology and Oceanography, 50: 246-254.

Lowe RJ, Falter JL, Bandet MD, Pawlak G, Atkinson MJ, Monismith SG, and Koseff JR (2005) Spectral Wave Dissipation over a Barrier Reef, Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 100: C04001.

Falter JL, Atkinson MJ, and Merrifield Ma (2004) Mass Transfer Limitation of Nutrient Uptake by a Wave-Dominated Reef Flat Community, Limnology and Oceanography, 49: 1820-1831.

Atkinson MJ, Falter JL (2003) Biogeochemistry of Coral Reefs. In: Biogeochemistry of Marine Systems. Black KP, Shimmield GB [eds], CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, p 40-64.

Falter JL, Atkinson MJ, Langdon C (2001) Production-Respiration Relationships at Different Time-Scales Within the Biosphere 2 Coral Reef Biome, Limnology and Oceanography, 46: 1653-1660.

Falter JL, Sansone FJ (2000) Hydraulic Control of Pore Water Geochemistry Within the Oxic-Suboxic Zone of a Permeable Sediment, Limnology and Oceanography, 45:550-557.