RESEARCH
Coral reefs under environmental change
From coral physiology to reef-scale ecological change.
RESEARCH PROGRAM
How do corals persist in a rapidly changing ocean?
My research investigates how environmental conditions shape coral physiology, acclimation, resilience and reef community dynamics.
CORAL REEF ECOLOGY
Coral communities, bleaching and mortality
I investigate how coral communities respond to repeated environmental disturbances, with particular interest in bleaching, mortality, colony size and spatial variation in vulnerability.
Field surveys allow me to connect individual colony traits and physiological responses with changes in coral populations and reef communities.
THERMAL STRESS
Coral physiology and thermal tolerance
Marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense. I study how corals respond to acute and chronic thermal stress and why thermal tolerance differs among colonies, populations and environments.
My experimental work combines controlled temperature treatments with measurements of bleaching, survival, photosynthetic performance and tissue condition.
ENVIRONMENTAL MEMORY
Does a coral remember previous heat exposure?
Previous environmental exposure can alter the response of corals to future stress. I am particularly interested in the duration, strength and limits of this environmental memory.
This research asks whether thermal history provides lasting protection, when that protection disappears, and whether repeated heatwaves eventually overwhelm the benefits of previous exposure.
DEPTH & MESOPHOTIC REEFS
Acclimation across depth
Depth creates strong gradients in light, temperature and other environmental conditions. I investigate how corals acclimate when transplanted across depth and whether deeper environments can provide refugia from surface warming.
CORAL DISEASES & REEF HEALTH
Disease, stress and reef condition
Coral diseases provide another window into how environmental stress influences reef health. My work includes field-based assessments of coral disease and the spatial distribution of affected colonies.
FIELD & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
Connecting natural environments with controlled experiments
A central feature of my research is the combination of field observations and laboratory experiments. Natural reefs reveal ecological patterns, while controlled experiments help identify the mechanisms behind those patterns.
Field surveys
Coral cover, bleaching, mortality, disease and community structure.
Experiments
Thermal stress, acclimation, transplantation and recovery.
Physiology
Photosynthesis, survival, tissue condition and symbiosis.
Data analysis
Statistical modelling, environmental datasets and ecological synthesis.