Thesis: Can upper-shelf reefs act as refugia for sessile communities under extreme climatic events?

My PhD research project is looking at the benthic communities of shelf-reefs in subtropical and temperate Western Australia. The main objective is to understand the potential of these deeper communities to be refuge for benthic species in shallow reefs. I am assessing this by analysing how similar these benthic communities are to their shallow and coastal counterparts and by evaluating their role as a source of reproductive propagules to shallow reefs. 

My general research interests are the ecology of benthic primary producers, spatial and landscape ecology and biophysical interactions in coastal and shelf regions.

Why my research is important

Coastal ecosystems continue to be degraded every day by multiple impacts including climate change. Understanding natural mechanisms of resilience of these ecosystems, such as areas that can provide refugia, is key to manage these natural systems and predict how they may change in the future.

Funding

Holsworth Endowment

Robson and Robertson Award