Marine Climate Impacts and Adaptation
Profile
: Jessica S. Stella
Phd Student
Threats to the biodiversity of coral infauna
via habitat loss and ocean acidification due to climate change.
The biodiversity of coral reefs is dominated
by invertebrates, yet relatively little is known about their
abundance, distribution, ecology and resilience to disturbance.
Many are obligate coral dwellers, forming a life long association
with specific coral hosts and providing the host with beneficial
ecological services. Climate change is likely to have significant
effects on the abundance and community composition of corals,
resulting in a loss of coral habitat. Little is known as to how
this may affect coral reef biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Jessica will assess the diversity of coral infauna from branching
corals as well as identify species which are highly specialised
to a particular coral host and therefore more sensitive to habitat
loss via coral bleaching. How tolerant coral associated invertebrates
are to temperature and pH changes will also be examined in order
to determine if some species have the potential to adapt or acclimate
to ocean warming and acidification. Long term responses of coral
associated invertebrates to host coral bleaching will be also
be examined via laboratory experiments. This work will provide
insight in regards to the potential loss of biodiversity on coral
reefs and identify which species are most vulnerable to extinction
due their high level of host specialisation as well as those
that are able to adapt to alternate habitats.
Supervisors:
- Prof. Geoffrey P.
Jones (James Cook University/ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral
Reef Studies)
- Dr. Morgan S. Pratchett (ARC Centre of Excellence
for Coral Reef Studies)
- Dr. Philip Munday (ARC
Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies/JCU)
- Dr. Pat
Hutchings (Australian Museum)
- Dr. Elvira Poloczanska (CSIRO)
Publications:
Stella JS, Munday PL, Jones GP (2011) Effects of coral bleaching on the obligate coral-dwelling crab Trapezia cymodoce. Coral Reefs, DOI 10.1007/s00338-011-0748-0
Stella JS, Pratchett MS, Hutchings PA, Jones GP (2011) Coral-associated invertebrates: diversity, ecological importance and vulnerability to disturbance. Oceanography and Marine Biology Annual Review 49, 43-104
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