Historical evolution and future resilience of coral reef islands in the Pilbara Archipelago, Northwestern Australia

Research output: ThesisDoctoral Thesis

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Abstract

Reef islands are vulnerable to climate change. LiDAR was implemented to assess 2D and 3D features for 22 islands across the Pilbara, Western Australia, to create a novel Island SensitivityCharacteristics Index, to assess sensitivity to environmental changes (erosion). To validate in-situ, geological and ecological datasets were used to determine: (1) if coral reef habitats produce suitable sediment to sustain reef-island building under projected climate change impacts and (2) how this compares to historical island building over the past 6,000 years. This knowledge is fundamental for identifying modern sediment sources and lastly, predicting the future resilience of islands based on historical events.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
Awarding Institution
  • The University of Western Australia
Supervisors/Advisors
  • O'Leary, Mick, Supervisor
  • Browne, Nicola, Supervisor, External person
  • Cuttler, Mike, Supervisor
  • Lowe, Ryan, Supervisor
Thesis sponsors
Award date9 Jan 2024
DOIs
Publication statusUnpublished - 2024

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