Recent and current research
Nick has published over 200 peer reviewed journal articles, available through his Google Scholar page. This has included key papers assessing the long-term outcomes for reefs severely disturbed by climatic disturbances (nature 2015), identification of the worlds coral reefs that are outperforming given the conditions they are exposed to (nature 2016), an assessment of the spatial and temporal patterns of mass coral bleaching (science 2018), and determining how seabirds enhance coral reef productivity and functioning (nature 2018). Examples of ongoing, or recent projects include:
The Changing Ecology and Functioning of Coral Reefs. This Royal Society University Research Fellowship seeks to assess the changing ecology of coral reef ecosystems under climate change and human use, including alterations to productivity and functioning of the ecosystem. Specifically the project is quantifying the changing composition of coral reefs across the Indian Ocean in response to climate change and other anthropogenic impacts, assessing the top-down (i.e. fishing) versus bottom-up (i.e. habitat composition) influences on the productivity of coral reef fisheries, and assessing how ecosystem functions differ under alternate scenarios of direct human use and climate impacts.
Implications of nutrient flow and feedbacks across the seabird-island-reef system. This Bertarelli Foundation funded project assesses the role of seabird nutrient subsidies in driving island and coral reef processes, and the geo-ecological functions that support tropical island resilience. The project includes research groups at Lancaster University, the University of Oxford, and the University of Exeter, and works with partners across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. Nick was a Chief Investigator, and remains an Adjunct Professor, of this Australian Research Council funded Centre, which is organised under three programs: 1. People and Ecosystems, 2. Ecosystem Dynamics: Past, Present and Future, 3. Responding to a Changing World. Nick principally works under programs 1 and 2, with broad ecological and social-ecological research activities and collaborations.
Ecology of Novel Coral Reef Ecosystems. This Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award was an independent fellowship aimed at predicting future novel coral reef ecosystem configurations. Specifically, the project aimed to experimentally assess the response of fish to predicted changes in coral composition, determine how the ecological effects of marine protected areas may change in a novel ecosystem context, and build empirically‐based simulations of novel coral reef ecosystem configurations.
Roles
Associate Editor for Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Associate Editor for the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Senior Editor for Journal of Fish Biology
Faculty member for F1000
Councillor for International Society for Reef Studies 2011-2015
Australian Research Council Int Reader
Other affiliations:
Adjunct Professor
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University
Townsville
QLD 4811
Australia
Seminars online
Predicting climate-driven regime shifts versus rebound potential in coral reefs
Unfolding phase shifts and managing for change
Maintaining ecosystems and livelihoods in the face of climate change
Extinction vulnerability of coral reef fishes in response to climate change
Select Media
Video: Nature Video - of rats and reefs
Web: Scientific American – Coral reefs show remarkable ability to recover from near death
Print: The Guardian – Scientists reveal which coral reefs can survive global warming
TV: WIN News – a key to protecting coral reefs
Radio: ABC The World Today – Scientists name rock bottom rules for coral reefs
Select Commentary
Nature - How rats wreak havoc on coral reefs
Nature - Sea-level rise could overwhelm coral reefs
The Conversation – Obituaries for coral reefs may be premature, study finds
Nature – Older but less wise
Nature – Recovering the potential for coral reefs
Nature – Deep and complex ways to survive bleaching
Nature – Identifying reef fish at risk
Current Biology – Marine conservation: moving beyond Malthus
Research Fellows
Dr Casey Benkwitt, 'Reef fish ecology, and seabird nutrient subsidies in Chagos'
Dr Tim Lamont, 'Functions and services associated with reef restoration' Royal Commission 1851 Research Fellow
Dr Sarah Martin, 'Climate change an reef fisheries'
Dr Ruth Dunn, 'Energetics of seabird-coral reef connectivity'
Dr Rucha Karkarey, 'Socioecological dynamics of reef fish spawning aggregations' National Geographic Explorer
Dr Emmanuel Mbaru, 'Transboundary governance of marine social-ecological systems' AXA Research Fellow
Dr James Robinson*, 'Coral reef fisheries food security following successive climatic shocks' *Now a Royal Society University Research Fellow at Lancaster University
Dr Eva Maire*, 'Ecology of fish micronutrients on coral reefs' *Now a Research Scientist at IRD, MARBEC, Montpellier
Dr Kirsty Nash*, 'Using coral reef fisheries independent data for stock status and management advice'. *Now at University of Tasmania
Current research students
Hana Amir, 'How do coral energy strategies influence their survival?' PhD
Camilla Labonte, 'Do seabird nutrients enhance micronutrients in fish' Masters by Research
Laura-Li Jeannot, 'Effects of seabird nutrient input on the productivity of coral reef fish communities' PhD
Javier Gonzalez Barrios, ‘Confronting the changing diversity patterns of coral reefs’ PhD
Lisa Goberdhan, ‘Functional role of uncharted coral reef habitats in the Anthropocene’ PhD
Johnstone Omukoto, ‘Disentangling the Determinants of Food and Nutritional Security from Tropical Coastal Fisheries’ PhD
Mark Hamilton, 'Implications of coral reef degradation for fisheries' PhD
Completed research students
Samuel Healing, ‘Influence of seabird nutrient input for UK marine ecology’ Masters by Research
Emma Awuku-Sowah, 'Role of mangroves in mediating malaria risk and implications for wellbeing' PhD
Samantha Howlett, 'Climatic disruptions to ecosystem processes on coral reefs' PhD
Helen Ford, 'Widening our view of the reef: the landscape ecology of disturbance and recovery on Pacific coral reefs' PhD (based at Bangor)
Jeneen Hadj-Hammou, 'Functional changes in coral reef marine protected areas' PhD
Kyle Osborne, ‘Coral and fish community development on artificial reefs of different ages’, Masters by Research
Robert Semmler, 'Identifying critical thresholds for foraging strategies of coral reef fish' PhD (co-supervisor)
Anna Woodhead, 'Capturing ecosystem service delivery from coral reefs' PhD
Jan-Claas Dajka, 'Interrupting feedbacks to stimulate regeneration of degraded coral reefs' PhD
Ellie Vaughan, 'Nutrient impacts on coral reefs captured through macroalgal isotopes' PhD
Emmanuel Mbaru, ‘Using fisheries dependent data and socio-economic indicators to develop ecosystem based fisheries management tools’ PhD
Laura Richardson, ‘The influence of coral community composition on coral reef ecosystem function’ PhD
Tessa Hempson, 'Coral reef mesopredator trophodynamics in response to reef condition' PhD
Jan Robinson, ‘Vulnerability to fishing in reef fishes that aggregate’ PhD
Matthew Jankowski, ‘Effects of depth on distribution and habitat specialisation in coral reef fish communities’ PhD
Kirsty Nash, ‘Assessment of scale dependent function in reef fish, and its application to the evaluation of coral reef resilience’ PhD
Karen Chong-Seng, ‘Alternative states and the processes influencing differential recovery of coral reef habitats in the Seychelles’ PhD
Judith Kok, ‘The influence of changing coral compositions on reef fish competition’ MAppSc
Stephen Ban: ‘Spatial responses of coral reef ecosystems to climate change and associated stressors’ PhD
Fraser Hartley, ‘Fear of fishers: anti-predator behaviour of coral reef fishes and its relevance to fisheries management and conservation’ PhD
Darren Coker, ‘The importance of live coral habitat for reef fishes and its role in key ecological processes’ PhD
Diego Schapira, ‘Associations between coral reef macro-habitat attributes and damselfish communities’ MSc
George Stoyle, ‘Patch size and its effect on the abundance, biomass and feeding intensity of dominant coral reef herbivores’ MSc
Mary Ledlie, ‘Feeding Habits of Herbivorous Fishes and their Potential Role in Reef Recovery on Cousin Island, Seychelles’ MSc
Ed Bulmer, ‘The effects of coral bleaching on reef fish assemblages: a meso-scale study of Seychellois marine reserves’ Honours
