Researchers
Students
Alumni
ManagementChristopher Hemingson
PhD candidate
James Cook University
christopher.hemingson@my.jcu.edu.au
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)
Christopher grew up on the coast of Texas, in the United States. His love for the ocean blossomed at a very young age when he would frequently vacation to the beach during summer months. When Chris was a teenager, he and his family became certified to SCUBA dive. Following this were many trips to various locations around the Caribbean to dive on coral reef ecosystems. It was at this time that he realised he wanted to pursue a career involving the marine environment. He received a Bachelor’s of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University (gig ‘em!) but his love for coral reef ecosystems brought him to James Cook University. Upon completion of his Masters of Science under the supervision of Professor David Bellwood, he decided to further pursue research by embarking on a PhD. Chris and his advisers, David Bellwood and Peter Cowman, aim to investigate questions involving the vast diversity of colouration and patterns present in reef fish taxa. They are looking into both the evolutionary basis and the ecological role that colour and patterns serve on 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
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
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