Researchers
Students
Alumni
ManagementBen Mason
Former Research Fellow
James Cook University
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
Former Research Fellow
James Cook University
Ben is originally from Slippery Rock (USA). He completed a BS in Biology/Environmental Science in 2000 at Allegheny College, a MS in Marine Biology in 2004 at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and earned his PhD in Marine Biology in 2011 from the University of Miami. His research has evolved around coral reproduction and larval biology/ecology, including investigations of the effects of ocean acidification on the early life history stages of corals and the influence of light on larval settlement. Ben joined the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in 2012 as an NSF International Postdoctoral Fellow. His research investigates the sensory biology of corals with a focus on the molecular mechanisms underpinning photo- and chemoreception in coral larvae.
Scientists have developed a new genetic tool that can help them better understand and ultimately work to save coral reefs. “Surprisingly, we still don’t know how many coral species live on the
A new study suggests ‘dead’ coral rubble can still sustain life, with a large number of tiny animals hidden and living amongst the ruins. While the study does not suggest dead coral has the sam
A new study on coral evolution has found climates similar to what we’re seeing today have previously devastated hard-bodied corals—the architects of coral reefs—while making way for their softer
Researchers have discovered a new way to measure the complexity of the world’s habitats—a crucial factor as environments across the globe face extraordinary change. The study was led by Damaris T
Abstract: There is often a mismatch between the scales at which ecosystems are threatened by human impacts and those at which management and policy are implemented. Better understanding the scales ov
Abstract: Ocean warming and acidification are challenging the tolerance limits of scleractinian corals. However, beneficial acclimation and stress-hardening via phenotypic plasticity may be pathw
Abstract: Globally, coral reefs are under threat. Unfortunately, the rate of ecosystem degradation often surpasses the rate of generation of knowledge required to support management. Despite the consi
Abstract: Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing threatens resource sustainability and equity. A major challenge with such activity is that most fishing vessels do not broadcast their positions
Abstract: Coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive ecosystem's worldwide, but their future is threatened by a host of anthropogenic disturbances. To protect reefs and their services to hu
Abstract: Differentiating the relative contribution of host genetic background and surrounding environment on microbiome structure is critical to assess how microbial associations are determined and t
Abstract: The Torres Strait is an asset for the world’s life support system. But the region’s people are facing a number of serious challenges including rising sea levels, extreme weather and poo
Abstract: Sponges underpin the productivity of coral reefs, yet few of their microbial symbionts have been functionally characterized. Here we present an analysis of ~1200 metagenome-assembled genome
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