Coral Reef Ecology and Coral Biology
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The Great Barrier Reef provides unparalleled opportunities for investigating ecological and evolutionary questions concerning scleractinian corals. The School has expertise in the fields of coral demography and life history phenomena, the genetic structure of coral populations, the evolutionary implications of mass spawning and speciation processes in corals, especially with respect to hybridisation.
Recent research has focused on the impacts of bleaching, sedimentation and disease on aspects of coral life history and physiology. Work on coral demography has been particularly important in the development of population models for colonial organisms in general, and in understanding the mechanisms underlying the responses of coral reefs to disturbance.
On-going Research Programs:
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The resilience of coral reefs to climate change and over fishing: Professor David Bellwood and collaboration in the ARC Centre of Excellence.
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Reticulate evolution and biogeography in reef building corals: Professor Bette Willis.
Research Laboratories
