Overview
Background
Peter began his career helping to design MPAs in Belize, Central America. On realising how little science was available to guide this he moved to the University of Sheffield to undertake a PhD on the use of remote sensing for mapping coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves. After his PhD, Peter won a NERC Post-doctoral Fellowship to study ecological processes on coral reefs and moved to the University of Newcastle to join the Centre for Tropical Coastal Management Studies. He was then awarded a Royal Society Fellowship to integrate empirical ecological data into models of coral reefs with a view to studying how changes in human activity can affect the health of reefs. At this point he moved to the University of Exeter where he was made Professor at the age of 34. In 2010, Peter moved closer to coral reefs when he moved to the University of Queensland to take up an ARC Laureate Fellowship. He loves living in Australia! Peter was awarded a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation in 2010, and is also winner of the Rosenstiel Award for excellence in marine biology and fisheries, and the Marsh Award for contributions to marine conservation.
Availability
- Professor Peter Mumby is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Liverpool
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sheffield
Research interests
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Overview
Our research focuses on delivering science to improve the management of coral reefs. We carry out empirical ecological studies at scales ranging from millimetres (algal patch dynamics) to thousands of kilometres (gene flow in Caribbean corals) in an effort to plug gaps in our understanding of reef processes. Empirical data are then used to develop ecosystem models from which we can investigate the effectiveness of conservation measures in mitigating disturbance on reefs including climate change. Lastly, we combine the ecological models with remotely-sensed data to allow spatial conservation planning such as marine reserve design.
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Where we work
Caribbean: Bahamas, Belize, Bonaire; Pacific: Palau, Great Barrier Reef, French Polynesia; Indian Ocean: Philippines, Indonesia
Research impacts
We study how changes in management policy, such as implementing no-take marine reserves, reducing pollution, and keeping healthy mangrove systems, can influence the health and future of coral reefs. This involves extensive collaborations with decision-makers and colleagues in many areas. Our research has influenced policy in the following areas:
- Helped foster a change in the Belize government's policy over the fishing of parrotfishes, which led to a ban of this practice as requested by fishermen
- Influenced decisions in Bonaire to protect herbivores and ban the use of fish traps
- Continues to assist the Bahamas National Trust with their conservation planning, including the designation of MPAs for a resilient future
- Provide advisory briefs on the impacts of fishing on coral reef ecosystems and practical ways of reducing impacts without necessitating a ban
- Provide compelling evidence that mangroves are an important nursery ground for reef fish and fisheries productivity benefits from their preservation
- Provide tools to operationalise the mapping of reef resilience to climate change and other stressors
- Provide practical information on the cost-effectiveness and realistic setting of expectations for habitat mapping in the tropical coastal zone
Works
Search Professor Peter Mumby’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
The spatial risk of cyclone wave damage across the Great Barrier Reef
Cheung, Mandy W.M., Chaloupka, Milani, Mumby, Peter J. and Callaghan, David P. (2025). The spatial risk of cyclone wave damage across the Great Barrier Reef. Ecological Informatics, 89 103175, 103175-89. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103175
2025
Journal Article
Impact of environmental gradients on juvenile coral demography across the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait
Doropoulos, Christopher, Alvarez-Noriega, Mariana, Fabricius, Katharina, Ferrari, Renata, Mumby, Peter J., Noonan, Sam H. C., Orr, Melanie and Salee, Kinam (2025). Impact of environmental gradients on juvenile coral demography across the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait. Coral Reefs, 1-17. doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02742-6
2025
Other Outputs
ReefMod-GBR Outputs from CoTS Control Scenario Modelling
Skinner, Tina and Mumby, Peter (2025). ReefMod-GBR Outputs from CoTS Control Scenario Modelling. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/a15c7be
2025
Journal Article
Threshold velocities for coral rubble bind breakage across varying reef environments
Kenyon, Tania M., Eigeland, Karen, Richardson, Marina, Baldock, Tom E., Wolfe, Kennedy D., Sjahruddin, Fikri F. and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Threshold velocities for coral rubble bind breakage across varying reef environments. Marine Ecology Progress Series. doi: 10.3354/meps14982
2025
Journal Article
Critical thresholds of adult patch density and spacing during coral fertilization
Ricardo, Gerard, Doropoulos, Christopher, Babcock, Russell C., Buccheri, Elizabeth, Khalil, Andrew and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Critical thresholds of adult patch density and spacing during coral fertilization. Nature Ecology & Evolution. doi: 10.1038/s41559-025-02844-y
2025
Journal Article
Maximising the benefits of local management for coral reefs amidst near-term environmental change
Skinner, Christina, Bozec, Yves-Marie, Fletcher, Cameron S. and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Maximising the benefits of local management for coral reefs amidst near-term environmental change. Journal of Environmental Management, 392 126627, 126627. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126627
2025
Journal Article
Moving beyond temperature metrics in coral bleaching prediction using interpretable machine learning
Cheung, Mandy W. M., Chaloupka, Milani, Hock, Karlo and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Moving beyond temperature metrics in coral bleaching prediction using interpretable machine learning. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 34 (8) e70105. doi: 10.1111/geb.70105
2025
Journal Article
Broadscale reconnaissance of coral reefs from citizen science and deep learning
Lawson, Christopher L., Chartrand, Kathryn M., Roelfsema, Chris M., Kolluru, Aruna and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Broadscale reconnaissance of coral reefs from citizen science and deep learning. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 197 (7) 814, 1-21. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-14261-6
2025
Journal Article
Spawning Asynchrony and Mixed Reproductive Strategies in a Common Mass Spawning Coral
Ricardo, Gerard F., Doropoulos, Christopher, Babcock, Russell C., Adam, Arne A. S., Buccheri, Elizabeth, Robledo, Natalia, Uribe‐Palomino, Julian and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Spawning Asynchrony and Mixed Reproductive Strategies in a Common Mass Spawning Coral. Ecology and Evolution, 15 (7) e71654, 7. doi: 10.1002/ece3.71654
2025
Journal Article
Satellite-based analysis of an unverified mass coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef in 2021
Spady, Blake L., Skirving, William J., Geiger, Erick F., Cantin, Neal E., Liu, Gang, De La Cour, Jacqueline L., Mumby, Peter J., Norrie, Andrew and Manzello, Derek P. (2025). Satellite-based analysis of an unverified mass coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef in 2021. Coral Reefs, 44 (4), 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02690-1
2025
Journal Article
eDNA confirms lower trophic interactions help to modulate population outbreaks of the notorious crown-of-thorns sea star
Wolfe, Kennedy, Desbiens, Amelia A., Patel, Frances, Kwong, Sarah, Fisher, Eric, Mumby, Peter J. and Uthicke, Sven (2025). eDNA confirms lower trophic interactions help to modulate population outbreaks of the notorious crown-of-thorns sea star. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122 (11) e2424560122, e2424560122-11. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2424560122
2025
Journal Article
Morphologically driven sedimentation patterns on a coral reef
Sartori, Greta, Boles, Elisabeth L., Monismith, Stephen G., Mumby, Peter J., Dunbar, Robert B., Khrizman, Alexandra, Tatebe, Lyvonsky and Capozzi, Rossella (2025). Morphologically driven sedimentation patterns on a coral reef. Coral Reefs, 44 (2) 012001, 591-607. doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02629-6
2025
Journal Article
Trajectories and agents of binding in stabilized and unstabilized coral rubble across environmental gradients
Kenyon, Tania M., Mumby, Peter J., Webb, Gregory E., Dove, Sophie, Newman, Steven P. and Doropoulos, Christopher (2025). Trajectories and agents of binding in stabilized and unstabilized coral rubble across environmental gradients. Ecosphere, 16 (2) e70195. doi: 10.1002/ecs2.70195
2025
Journal Article
Coral bleaching and mortality overestimated in projections based on Degree Heating Months
Mason, Robert A. B., Bozec, Yves-Marie and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Coral bleaching and mortality overestimated in projections based on Degree Heating Months. Nature Geoscience, 18 (2) e12587, 120-123+. doi: 10.1038/s41561-024-01635-7
2025
Journal Article
Stock-recruitment relationships in pocilloporid corals are likely disrupted by thermal stress
Sartori, Greta, Muller Karanassos, Christina, Olsudong, Dawnette, Mesengei, McQuinnley, Mereb, Geory and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Stock-recruitment relationships in pocilloporid corals are likely disrupted by thermal stress. Bulletin of Marine Science, 101 (1), 231-246. doi: 10.5343/bms.2023.0076
2025
Other Outputs
Bleaching implications for crown-of-thorns starfish control: workshop summary report
Skinner, Christina and Mumby, Peter J. (2025). Bleaching implications for crown-of-thorns starfish control: workshop summary report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/2276dd2
2024
Journal Article
Allee effects limit coral fertilization success
Mumby, Peter J., Sartori, Greta, Buccheri, Elizabeth, Alessi, Cinzia, Allan, Hannah, Doropoulos, Christopher, Rengiil, Geraldine and Ricardo, Gerard (2024). Allee effects limit coral fertilization success. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121 (52) e2418314121, 1-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2418314121
2024
Journal Article
Suspended sediment and reduced salinity decrease development success of early stages of Acropora tumida and Platygyra carnosa in a turbid coral habitat, Hong Kong
Chang, Taison Ka Tai, Cheung, Billy Chun Ting, Leong, Justin Chi Ho, Ricardo, Gerard F., Chan, Jenny Tsz Ching, Fang, James Kar Hei, Mumby, Peter J. and Chui, Apple Pui Yi (2024). Suspended sediment and reduced salinity decrease development success of early stages of Acropora tumida and Platygyra carnosa in a turbid coral habitat, Hong Kong. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 209 (Part B) 117255, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117255
2024
Journal Article
Natural selection could determine whether Acropora corals persist under expected climate change
Lachs, Liam, Bozec, Yves-Marie, Bythell, John C., Donner, Simon D., East, Holly K., Edwards, Alasdair J., Golbuu, Yimnang, Gouezo, Marine, Guest, James R., Humanes, Adriana, Riginos, Cynthia and Mumby, Peter J. (2024). Natural selection could determine whether Acropora corals persist under expected climate change. Science, 386 (6727), 1289-1294. doi: 10.1126/science.adl6480
2024
Journal Article
Material legacies on coral reefs: rubble length and bed thickness are key drivers of rubble bed recovery
Kenyon, Tania M., Eigeland, Karen, Wolfe, Kennedy, Paewai‐Huggins, Roima, Rowell, Devin, Dodgen, Tanya and Mumby, Peter J. (2024). Material legacies on coral reefs: rubble length and bed thickness are key drivers of rubble bed recovery. Global Change Biology, 30 (11) e17574, e17574. doi: 10.1111/gcb.17574
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Peter Mumby is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Marine Protected Area design for highly exploited fisheries on coral reefs
We've been developing theory and practical tools to design MPAs to protect biodiversity and help people rebuild their fisheries. There's considerable scope to advance these approaches so that they consider effects of climate change and more realistic scenarios of how reefs are fished. This kind of work combines computer models with the potential for some field work for verification purposes.
See also: Krueck, N., et al. (2017). "Incorporating larval dispersal into MPA design for both conservation and fisheries." Ecological Applications 27: 925-941.
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Design of resilience-based management in response to climate change on the Great Barrier Reef
We have developed sophisticated ecological models that can simulate the effects of disturbance and climate change throughout the entire Great Barrier Reef. The models also allow us to simulate an endless range of management responses. The question is, what sort of strategies have the greatest impacts? Where should we intervene, when, and with which tools? Answering these questions requires to apply ecological theory to a clear understanding of how different interventions achieve their benefit. This research involves close collaboration with industry and the Reef Authority.
See: Bozec, Y. M., et al. (2022). "Cumulative impacts across Australia's Great Barrier Reef: a mechanistic evaluation." Ecological Monographs 92(1): e01494.
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The sensitivity of coral reef ecosystems to degradation
The net outcome of coral bleaching events and other forms of disturbance is a gradual reduction in the number of colonies on the reef. In theory, low densities of coral can take much longer to recover than higher densities - partly because they become too far apart to reproduce successfully. We need to study these processes so that we can better identify critical thresholds that might slow down recovery and conversely to target restoration activities. This is a field-based PhD but with links to ecological models that connect the field experiments into scaled-up outcomes.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Master Philosophy
Incorporating realistic fisheries into the design of Marine Protected Areas
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts
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Doctor Philosophy
Foraging ecology of parrotfish and the impact on bioerosion
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris
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Doctor Philosophy
Impacts of climate change-induced large-scale disturbances on coral reef connectivity and recovery
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan
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Doctor Philosophy
Putting the pieces together: Coral recovery dynamics in Rubble beds
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris
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Doctor Philosophy
The importance of reef geomorphology in driving ecological dynamics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris
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Doctor Philosophy
Drivers of Juvenile Coral Mortality and Implications for Reef Recovery and Restoration
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing coral reef resilience in the face of climate change through sediment pollution management
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amelia Wenger, Dr Nicola Browne
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Doctor Philosophy
Resilience potential of coral reefs in Indonesia Resilience potential of coral reefs in Indonesia (a study case between MPA and non-MPA)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Simone Blomberg, Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts
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Doctor Philosophy
Multiscale Analysis of Coral Reef Benthic Assemblages
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris
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Doctor Philosophy
Connectivity of seagrasses for megaherbivores under environmental change
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Daniel Dunn
Completed supervision
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2025
Master Philosophy
The effects of Climate change on coral fecundity in the Great Barrier Reef
Principal Advisor
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Disentangling predator-prey dynamics of juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish
Principal Advisor
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Drivers and limitations of early recovery for spawning corals on the Great Barrier Reef
Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Optimising Fisheries Management to Sustain Tropical Reef Fisheries
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Russell Richards
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Coral reef futures under climate change and ocean acidification
Principal Advisor
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
From Rubble to Reef: The physical and biological dynamics of coral reef rubble beds
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gregory Webb, Dr Daniel Harris
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
The ecology of grouper spawning aggregations in Palau
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Cynthia Riginos
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Integrating coral reef ecosystem services into marine planning
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Ecological drivers of the brown macroalgal genus Lobophora on Pacific coral reefs
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr John Dwyer
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Bottlenecks of coral recruitment on degraded reefs
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Lovelock
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
The effect of temperature variability and life-history strategy in coral response to long-term increase in sea surface temperature
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jianxin Zhao
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Dynamics and Resilience of Coral Reefs
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Richard Fuller
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Dynamic vulnerability of the Great Barrier Reef: Impacts of local versus global stressors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Ecological drivers of Halimeda abundance and its implication for the carbonate production of coral reefs
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Lovelock
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Effect of Predators and Microhabitat Availability on the Behaviour of Juvenile Parrotfishes
Principal Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Dynamics of carbon storage in subtropical seagrass meadows
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Lovelock
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Algal dynamics on coral reefs: a study of macroalgal traits and growth strategies of Lobophora J. Agardh (Dictyotales, Phaephyceae)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Lovelock
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
The grazing impact of common surgeonfish on algal dynamics of the Great Barrier Reef
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Building resilience of Caribbean coral reefs to macroalgal phase shifts: identifying key habitat features
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Modelling the Role of Diversity in Ecosystem Responses to Warming
Principal Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
The ecological and functional roles of commercially important rabbitfish species in a marine environment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Patterns and drivers that determine the structure and composition of Caribbean seascapes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
Disturbance effects to coral recruitment dynamics on the Great Barrier Reef
Associate Advisor
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
A Reefscape Approach for Characterising the Dynamics of Macroalgal Cover in Shark Bay Reef Flat, Heron Reef, Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Peter Mumby directly for media enquiries about:
- Coasts
- Coral reefs ecology
- Ecology - reefs
- Marine conservation
- Marine reserves
- Oceans
- Reefs
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