Professor Peter Mumby
Professor

Peter Mumby

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 51686

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

Earth Sciences Ecology Environmental Sciences

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Liverpool
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sheffield

Research interests

  • 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.

  • 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

Search Professor Peter Mumby’s works on UQ eSpace

418 works between 1994 and 2025
All (418) Journal Article (383) Book Chapter (9) Conference Publication (12) Book (1) Other Outputs (13)

61 - 80 of 418 works

2021

Other Outputs

Integrative carbonate budget model of the Great Barrier Reef

Desbiens, Amelia, Roff, George, Razak, Tries B., Wolfe, Kennedy, Emslie, Michael J., Hoey, Andrew, Kennedy, Emma V., Thompson, Angus, Adams, Matthew P., Baird, Mark, Chaloupka, Milani, Diaz-Pulido, Guillermo, Mongin, Mathieu and Mumby, Peter J. (2021). Integrative carbonate budget model of the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns, QLD Australia: Reef and Rainforest Research Centre.

Integrative carbonate budget model of the Great Barrier Reef

2021

Journal Article

Evolution and connectivity influence the persistence and recovery of coral reefs under climate change in the Caribbean, Southwest Pacific, and Coral Triangle

McManus, Lisa C., Forrest, Daniel L., Tekwa, Edward W., Schindler, Daniel E., Colton, Madhavi A., Webster, Michael M., Essington, Timothy E., Palumbi, Stephen R., Mumby, Peter J. and Pinsky, Malin L. (2021). Evolution and connectivity influence the persistence and recovery of coral reefs under climate change in the Caribbean, Southwest Pacific, and Coral Triangle. Global Change Biology, 27 (18) gcb.15725, 1-15. doi: 10.1111/gcb.15725

Evolution and connectivity influence the persistence and recovery of coral reefs under climate change in the Caribbean, Southwest Pacific, and Coral Triangle

2021

Journal Article

Evolution reverses the effect of network structure on metapopulation persistence

McManus, Lisa C., Tekwa, Edward W., Schindler, Daniel E., Walsworth, Timothy E., Colton, Madhavi A., Webster, Michael M., Essington, Timothy E., Forrest, Daniel L., Palumbi, Stephen R., Mumby, Peter J. and Pinsky, Malin L. (2021). Evolution reverses the effect of network structure on metapopulation persistence. Ecology, 102 (7) e03381, e03381. doi: 10.1002/ecy.3381

Evolution reverses the effect of network structure on metapopulation persistence

2021

Journal Article

Important ecosystem function, low redundancy and high vulnerability: The trifecta argument for protecting the Great Barrier Reef's tabular Acropora

Ortiz, Juan C., Pears, Rachel J., Beeden, Roger, Dryden, Jen, Wolff, Nicholas H., Gomez Cabrera, Maria del C. and Mumby, Peter J. (2021). Important ecosystem function, low redundancy and high vulnerability: The trifecta argument for protecting the Great Barrier Reef's tabular Acropora. Conservation Letters, 14 (5) e12817, 1-18. doi: 10.1111/conl.12817

Important ecosystem function, low redundancy and high vulnerability: The trifecta argument for protecting the Great Barrier Reef's tabular Acropora

2021

Journal Article

Designing a blueprint for coral reef survival

Kleypas, Joan, Allemand, Denis, Anthony, Ken, Baker, Andrew C., Beck, Michael W., Hale, Lynne Zeitlin, Hilmi, Nathalie, Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove, Hughes, Terry, Kaufman, Les, Kayanne, Hajime, Magnan, Alexandre K., Mcleod, Elizabeth, Mumby, Peter, Palumbi, Stephen, Richmond, Robert H., Rinkevich, Baruch, Steneck, Robert S., Voolstra, Christian R., Wachenfeld, David and Gattuso, Jean-Pierre (2021). Designing a blueprint for coral reef survival. Biological Conservation, 257 109107, 109107. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109107

Designing a blueprint for coral reef survival

2021

Journal Article

Correction to: Coupled beta diversity patterns among coral reef benthic taxa (Oecologia, (2021), 195, 1, (225-234), 10.1007/s00442-020-04826-2)

McDevitt-Irwin, Jamie M., Kappel, Carrie, Harborne, Alastair R., Mumby, Peter J., Brumbaugh, Daniel R. and Micheli, Fiorenza (2021). Correction to: Coupled beta diversity patterns among coral reef benthic taxa (Oecologia, (2021), 195, 1, (225-234), 10.1007/s00442-020-04826-2). Oecologia, 196 (1), 303-303. doi: 10.1007/s00442-021-04886-y

Correction to: Coupled beta diversity patterns among coral reef benthic taxa (Oecologia, (2021), 195, 1, (225-234), 10.1007/s00442-020-04826-2)

2021

Journal Article

Marine reserves, fisheries ban, and 20 years of positive change in a coral reef ecosystem

Mumby, Peter J., Steneck, Robert S., Roff, George and Paul, Valerie J. (2021). Marine reserves, fisheries ban, and 20 years of positive change in a coral reef ecosystem. Conservation Biology, 35 (5) cobi.13738, 1-11. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13738

Marine reserves, fisheries ban, and 20 years of positive change in a coral reef ecosystem

2021

Other Outputs

Fine-tuning heat stress algorithms to optimise global predictions of mass coral bleaching

Lachs, Liam, Bythell, John C., East, Holly K., Edwards, Alastair J., Mumby, Peter J., Skirving, William J., Spady, Blake L. and Guest, James R. (2021). Fine-tuning heat stress algorithms to optimise global predictions of mass coral bleaching. doi: 10.1101/2021.04.14.439773

Fine-tuning heat stress algorithms to optimise global predictions of mass coral bleaching

2021

Journal Article

Ecology: returning Caribbean coral reefs to their former glory

Mumby, Peter J. (2021). Ecology: returning Caribbean coral reefs to their former glory. Current Biology, 31 (4), R188-R190. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.11.068

Ecology: returning Caribbean coral reefs to their former glory

2021

Journal Article

Revisiting the paradigm of shark‐driven trophic cascades in coral reef ecosystems

Desbiens, Amelia A., Roff, George, Robbins, William D., Taylor, Brett M., Castro‐Sanguino, Carolina, Dempsey, Alexandra and Mumby, Peter J. (2021). Revisiting the paradigm of shark‐driven trophic cascades in coral reef ecosystems. Ecology, 102 (4) e03303, e03303. doi: 10.1002/ecy.3303

Revisiting the paradigm of shark‐driven trophic cascades in coral reef ecosystems

2021

Other Outputs

Evolution and connectivity influence the persistence and recovery of coral reefs under climate change in the Caribbean, Southwest Pacific, and Coral Triangle

McManus, Lisa C., Forrest, Daniel L., Tekwa, Edward W., Schindler, Daniel E., Colton, Madhavi A., Webster, Michael M., Essington, Timothy E., Palumbi, Stephen R., Mumby, Peter J. and Pinsky, Malin L. (2021). Evolution and connectivity influence the persistence and recovery of coral reefs under climate change in the Caribbean, Southwest Pacific, and Coral Triangle. doi: 10.1101/2021.02.04.429453

Evolution and connectivity influence the persistence and recovery of coral reefs under climate change in the Caribbean, Southwest Pacific, and Coral Triangle

2021

Journal Article

Coupled beta diversity patterns among coral reef benthic taxa

McDevitt-Irwin, Jamie M., Kappel, Carrie, Harborne, Alastair R., Mumby, Peter J., Brumbaugh, Daniel R. and Micheli, Fiorenza (2021). Coupled beta diversity patterns among coral reef benthic taxa. Oecologia, 195 (1), 225-234. doi: 10.1007/s00442-020-04826-2

Coupled beta diversity patterns among coral reef benthic taxa

2020

Journal Article

Evaluating sustainable development policies in rural coastal economies

Lindsay, Amanda R., Sanchirico, James N., Gilliland, Ted E., Ambo-Rappe, Rohani, Taylor, J. Edward, Krueck, Nils C. and Mumby, Peter J. (2020). Evaluating sustainable development policies in rural coastal economies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117 (52), 33170-33176. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2017835117

Evaluating sustainable development policies in rural coastal economies

2020

Journal Article

Sedimentation and overfishing drive changes in early succession and coral recruitment

Wakwella, Ama, Mumby, Peter J. and Roff, George (2020). Sedimentation and overfishing drive changes in early succession and coral recruitment. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287 (1941) 20202575, 20202575. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2575

Sedimentation and overfishing drive changes in early succession and coral recruitment

2020

Other Outputs

Cumulative impacts across Australia’s Great Barrier Reef: A mechanistic evaluation

Bozec, Yves-Marie, Hock, Karlo, Mason, Robert A. B., Baird, Mark E., Castro-Sanguino, Carolina, Condie, Scott A., Puotinen, Marji, Thompson, Angus and Mumby, Peter J. (2020). Cumulative impacts across Australia’s Great Barrier Reef: A mechanistic evaluation. doi: 10.1101/2020.12.01.406413

Cumulative impacts across Australia’s Great Barrier Reef: A mechanistic evaluation

2020

Journal Article

Multi-decadal changes in structural complexity following mass coral mortality on a Caribbean reef

Roff, George, Joseph, Jennifer and Mumby, Peter J. (2020). Multi-decadal changes in structural complexity following mass coral mortality on a Caribbean reef. Biogeosciences, 17 (23), 5909-5918. doi: 10.5194/bg-17-5909-2020

Multi-decadal changes in structural complexity following mass coral mortality on a Caribbean reef

2020

Other Outputs

Resilience-based management tools for the Great Barrier Reef: report to the National Environmental Science Program

Mason, Robert A. B. , de la Motte, Kimberley, Bozec, Yves-Marie, Adams, Matthew and Mumby, Peter J. (2020). Resilience-based management tools for the Great Barrier Reef: report to the National Environmental Science Program. Cairns, Qld, Australia: Reef and Rainforest Research Centre.

Resilience-based management tools for the Great Barrier Reef: report to the National Environmental Science Program

2020

Journal Article

The effects of rubble mobilisation on coral fragment survival, partial mortality and growth

Kenyon, Tania M., Doropoulos, Christopher, Dove, Sophie, Webb, Gregory E., Newman, Steven P., Sim, Clarence W. H., Arzan, Mohammed and Mumby, Peter J. (2020). The effects of rubble mobilisation on coral fragment survival, partial mortality and growth. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 533 151467, 151467. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2020.151467

The effects of rubble mobilisation on coral fragment survival, partial mortality and growth

2020

Journal Article

Cryptic diversity in the macroalgal genus Lobophora (Dictyotales) reveals environmental drivers of algal assemblages

Puk, Laura D., Vieira, Christophe, Roff, George, De Clerck, Olivier and Mumby, Peter J. (2020). Cryptic diversity in the macroalgal genus Lobophora (Dictyotales) reveals environmental drivers of algal assemblages. Marine Biology, 167 (12) 188. doi: 10.1007/s00227-020-03802-x

Cryptic diversity in the macroalgal genus Lobophora (Dictyotales) reveals environmental drivers of algal assemblages

2020

Journal Article

Response: Commentary: Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Steneck, Robert S., Arnold, Suzanne N., Boenish, Robert, de León, Ramón, Mumby, Peter J., Rasher, Douglas B. and Wilson, Margaret W. (2020). Response: Commentary: Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7 579060, 1-3. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.579060

Response: Commentary: Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Quantifying and operationalising genetic adaptation for successful coral restoration (CORALADAPT) - CORDAP funded project led by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne
    University of Newcastle upon Tyne
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2027
    Reef Regeneration in Palau
    The McCusker Charitable Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Robust citizen science for reef habitat assessment in support of management
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Control Innovation Program
    Great Barrier Reef Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    RRAP-ECO-02-V1 Limits to early recovery: EcoRRAP
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    RRAP-ECO-03-V1 Ecological and genetic adaptation: EcoRRAP (GBRF Funding Administered by AIMS)
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    RRAP-M&DS-01-V1: Modelling and Decision Support-Management and Operations
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    RRAP-M&DS-04-V1: Modelling and Decision Support (M&DS)-ReefMod R&D
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    RRAP-RS-01-V1 Rubble location, prediction and sub-program management (GBRF funding administered by AIMS)
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    RRAP-RS-02-V1 Approaches to stabilisation
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    RRAP-RS-03-V1 Synthesis and Tools Rubble Stabilisation
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    TA-6742 REG: Building Coastal Resilience through Nature-Based and Integrated Solutions - Risk Financing and Insurance Solutions for Coastal Resilience
    Landell Mills Ltd - UK
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Indicator framework for assessing the condition and recovery capacity of coral reef habitats in the Great Barrier Reef (GBRF project administered by AIMS)
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2020
    Baseline mapping to support resilience-based management and restoration in the Whitsundays
    Great Barrier Reef Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2020
    6.1 Innovations in COTS Control on the Great Barrier Reef (NESP - Tropical Water Quality Hub administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2020
    6.5 Improving Coral Reef Ecosystem Condition through better informed Resilience-based Management (NESP - Tropical Water Quality Hub administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2024
    Quantifying the role of coral reef invertebrates in current and future marine food webs
    Estate of Winifred V. Scott
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Unlocking the secrets of mangrove conservation success
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    5.1 Matching the Crown of Thorns Starfish Integrated Pest Management to the scale of the new Control Program (NESP - Tropical Water Quality Hub administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Climate change trajectories for the Reef
    Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Research to action for climate-change-resilient reefs, fisheries, and food security across the Coral Triangle region
    Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    4.2.5 Guidance System for Resilience-Based Management of the Great Barrier Reef (NESP - Tropical Water Quality Hub project administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    4.2.6 Recommendations to maintain functioning of the Great Barrier Reef (NESP - Tropical Water Quality Hub project administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program Design Phase (Commonwealth Department of Innovation, Industry and Science grant administered by Australian Institute of Marine Science)
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2021
    Tipping points and early warning signals in complex ecosystems
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Centre for Geoanalytical Mass Spectrometry (CGMS) - Achieving excellence in isotope geochemistry and geochronology
    UQ Research Facilities Infrastructure Grants
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Integrated Pest Management of Crown of Thorns Starfish (Phase 3) (NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub Project)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Research project for the resilient reefs successfully adapting to climate change
    Great Barrier Reef Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2022
    Operationalizing marine reserve design for rebuilding tropical fisheries
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Delivering a reef resilience plan for the Cairns management area through an integrated spatial decision support environment
    Great Barrier Reef Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Analysis of Great Barrier Reef Expedition
    Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Planning for the impacts of land-uses on coral reef fisheries
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    2.1.1 Integrated Pest Management of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (NESP - Tropical Water Quality Hub project administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre)
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Next-generation multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) with laser-ablation capability for in situ high-throughput and high resolution isotope dating and characterizat
    UQ Major Research Facility Fund
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2020
    National Environment Science Programme (NESP) - Tropical Water Quality Hub (administered by Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Ltd) _Parent Record
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Great Barrier Reef common 'live' habitat maps: Capricorn pilot
    Great Barrier Reef Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Spatially-realistic system model for the Great Barrier Reef: Capricorn Bunker group pilot project
    Great Barrier Reef Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Managing human dependence on resilient coral reefs
    Vice-Chancellor's Research and Teaching Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Mapping Ocean Wealth: Livelihoods, Economies and Integrated Management
    The Nature Conservancy - Indo Pacific Region
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Solving CoTs on the GBR (Accelerate Partnerships grant administered by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS))
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2021
    ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies (ARC COE administered by James Cook University)
    James Cook University
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2017
    Wetland Conservation and Coral Reef Monitoring for Adaptation to Climate Change
    Ministry of Environment and Energy, Republic of Maldives
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Capturing Coral Reef and Related Ecosystem Services (CCRES) Project
    World Bank Group
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Reconciling competing objectives for the design of marine reserve networks: biodiversity, food security, and local equity in benefits
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Seagrass as an ecological indicator: resolving challenges of scale and complexity
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Ecological competition between corals and algae in a high carbon dioxide world (ARC Discovery Project administered by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2015
    RRRC-NERP Hub 9.1 Decision support tools to identify (and map) bleaching resistant areas within the GBRMP
    Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2014
    Treading water in a changing climate: The vulnerability of Australia's tropical islands to sea level rise
    ARC Super Science Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    REsTeach 2011 0.1 FTE School of Biological Sciences
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation
    Pew Charitable Trusts
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2015
    Adapting the sustainable exploitation of coral reef resources to provide for climate change
    ARC Australian Laureate Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    Building a Sustainable National Marine Protected Area Network - The Bahamas
    The Nature Conservancy
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2014
    Future of Reefs in a Changing Environment (FORCE): An ecosystem approach to managing Caribbean coral reefs in the face of climate change
    European Commission 7th Framework Programme (FP7)
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Peter Mumby is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The ecology and restoration of coral rubble

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris

  • Master Philosophy

    The effects of Climate change on coral fecundity in the GBR

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Drivers of Juvenile Coral Mortality and Implications for Reef Restoration and Recovery

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Critical density thresholds for coral reproduction

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Gerard Ricardo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Drivers of Juvenile Coral Mortality and Implications for Reef Restoration and Recovery

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Drivers of Juvenile Coral Mortality and Implications for Reef Restoration and Recovery

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The importance of reef geomorphology in driving ecological dynamics

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris, Dr Gerard Ricardo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Superstars and Outbreaks: consequences of juvenile ecology to the boom and bust of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster sp.)

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Drivers and limitations of early recovery for spawning corals on the Great Barrier Reef

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Gerard Ricardo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Creating a carbonate budget for the Great Barrier Reef

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Creating a carbonate budget for the Great Barrier Reef

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The importance of reef geomorphology in driving ecological dynamics

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris, Dr Gerard Ricardo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Superstars and Outbreaks: consequences of juvenile predation to the boom-bust of crown-of-thorns starfish

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Impacts of climate change-induced large-scale disturbances on coral reef connectivity and recovery

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Drivers of Juvenile Coral Mortality and Implications for Reef Restoration and Recovery

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate change undermines connectivity of the Great Barrier Reef

    Principal Advisor

  • 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

  • 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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Connectivity of seagrasses for megaherbivores under environmental change

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Daniel Dunn

Completed supervision

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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