Introduction
People
Activites
More ‘fairness’ needed in conservation
New research shows what is often assumed to be ‘fair’ in conservation practice may not be considered so by the very people most affected by it—and a new approach is needed if protected areas are
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
Program Leaders: Professor Josh Cinner, Professor Tiffany Morrison and Professor Bob Pressey
This program expands the scope of contemporary coral reef research, from a predominantly biological focus to a broader understanding of the links between coral reef ecosystems, the goods and services they provide to people, and the wellbeing of human societies.
The key objective is to improve the governance and management of natural systems and to enhance our capacity to sustain both human and natural capital.
Our research examines the economic, social, historical and cultural aspects of resource use and governance, while recognising that there is no simple, single solution to the wicked problem of preserving reefs while promoting development.
This inter-disciplinary program is being conducted on a global scale with study areas spread over 25 countries across the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean.
Social Adaptation, Resilience and Transformation – Examines the resilience and adaptive capacity of coral reef dependent societies across the tropic to inevitable change, particularly climate change and overfishing.
Integrated Land-Sea Planning – A primary goal is developing a new conceptual framework for planning human activities in coastal areas and seascapes, particularly in Australia, the Coral Triangle, Fiji and India.
Fish, Fishers and Fisheries – Aims to develop theory and test new models for understanding the dynamics of coupled ecological and social systems, where one or both components exhibit threshold dynamics.
Joshua Cinner
Professorial Research Fellow, Chief Investigator and Program 1 Leader
James Cook University
Tiffany Morrison
Professor, Chief Investigator, Program 1 Leader and Social Science Research Leader
James Cook University
Bob Pressey
Professor; Chief Investigator and Program 1 Leader
James Cook University
Michele Barnes
Senior Research Fellow
James Cook University
David Bellwood
Professor and Chief Investigator
James Cook University
Philippa Cohen
Adjunct Research Fellow and Partner Investigator
James Cook University & WorldFish
Graeme S. Cumming
Professor; Coral Reef Research Leader; Program 2 Leader; Centre Director
James Cook University
Alana Grech
Associate Professor; Assistant Director; Program 2 Leader
James Cook University
Georgina Gurney
Senior Research Fellow: Environmental Social Science
James Cook University
Cindy Huchery
Senior Research Officer (On Maternity Leave)
James Cook University
Terry Hughes
Distinguished Professor and Chief Investigator
James Cook University
Geoff P. Jones
Professor and Chief Investigator
James Cook University
Jacqueline Lau
Social Science Research Fellow
James Cook University
Laurence McCook
Adjunct Principal Research Fellow; President's International Visiting Professorial Fellow
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; Chinese Academy of Sciences
John Pandolfi
Professor, Chief Investigator and Program 2 Leader
University of Queensland
Garry Russ
Professor and Chief Investigator
James Cook University
Members of this program work across a range of themes (see introduction). Some are also part of individual research groups (below).
The Conservation Planning Group, led by Bob Pressey:
We focus on spatial solutions to diverse resource management problems, involving the design of conservation areas and applications of a variety of conservation actions. In designing and conducting our research, we place a high value on engagement with managers and policy makers, from local communities to local, state and federal governments and non-government organizations. Our blog features regular updates about our research and collaborations.
The Bellwood Lab, led by David Bellwood:
Our lab focuses on reef fish ecology, ecosystem function and resilience. Our approach is eclectic, ranging from molecular phylogenetics and global biogeography to functional morphology and behavioural ecology. Yet we are all united by a single focus – to understand the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function and to find novel solutions to the problems faced by coral reefs. Our ultimate goal is to understand how coral reefs work, to identify the critical roles of fishes in coral reef ecosystems, and to develop new approaches to reef management that will include people as part of the solution.
Cinner Research Group, led by Josh Cinner:
Our research group focuses on the interface between social science and ecology to develop solutions for a wide range of issues facing coral reefs and the millions of people who depend on them. We integrate theories and methods from geography, economics, political science, ecology, and modeling to explore issues at the forefront of applied conservation. Our social science research is rigorous, quantitative, comparative in nature, and often conducted at extremely large scales.
Marine Palaeoecology Lab, led by John Pandolfi:
In the marine Palaeoecology Lab we conduct investigations into the effects of natural and anthropogenic climate change, as well as other anthropogenic stressors, on tropical and sub-tropical reefs in a historical context. Coral reefs are experiencing increasing degradations, but systematic studies of these amazing environments are only recent. To really know how these environments looked like before human influence we need to be creative in the use of tools that give us an insight into the recent past (hundreds to thousands of years) as well as the deep past (hundreds of thousands to millions of years). Historical ecology, along with fossil records and genetic studies allow us to establish appropriate baselines for the study and management of marine ecosystems.
Environmental Governance Group, led by Tiffany Morrison:
We focus on understanding and improving complex environmental governance regimes. We draw on the disciplines of political science, public administration, geography, and sociology to explore specific national cases and transnational trends across the US, Australia, Asia, and Europe. This systematic comparative approach is generating important contributions to governance theory and practice, particularly in relation to scale, power, and institutional change. We also work closely with a range of physical, natural, and social scientists and policymakers on inter-disciplinary and applied approaches to environmental governance problems.
New research shows what is often assumed to be ‘fair’ in conservation practice may not be considered so by the very people most affected by it—and a new approach is needed if protected areas are
New research on the growth rates of coral reefs shows there is still a window of opportunity to save the world’s coral reefs—but time is running out. The international study was initiated at th
A world first study within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has found limited fishing zones (yellow zones) are still important conservation and fisheries management tools when paired with no-fishing
Today, the British Ecological Society announced Dr Renato Morais from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University as the winner of this year’s Haldane Prize. The
Abstract: I will present some findings showing genetically-identified cryptic coral species within a functional group differing in their response to disturbance (bleaching), environmental gradients (
Abstract: This project aims to set some of the fundamentals necessary for the study of antipatharians (black corals) in the disciplines of ecology, phylogenomics, biology and conservation management.
Abstract: In 1990, Elinor Ostrom published Governing the Commons, a demonstration that communities could successfully manage common pool resources without resorting to individual private property ri
Abstract: Population irruptions of the crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster cf. solaris, are a perennial threat to coral reefs and may be initiated by fluctuations in reproductive or settlement
Abstract: Climate change is causing the distribution and abundance of many organisms to change. In particular, organisms typical of the tropics are increasing in abundance in many subtropical regions,
Abstract: Research from the Pacific Islands during the past decade has linked watershed modification to degradation in downstream freshwater and coral reef communities. However, even creative communic
Abstract: Earth´s climate has changed cyclically throughout history. What is stark and unequivocal is that since the industrial revolution, human activities have irreversibly altered the Earth´s cl
Abstract: When a coral reef is bleached, a temperate kelp forest is destroyed by an army of sea urchins, or when intense fishing pressure is removed through the establishment of a marine park, the ma
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