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)

121 - 140 of 418 works

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Coral reef applications of Sentinel-2: coverage, characteristics, bathymetry and benthic mapping with comparison to Landsat 8

Hedley, John D., Roelfsema, Chris, Brando, Vittorio, Giardino, Claudia, Kutser, Tiit, Phinn, Stuart, Mumby, Peter J., Barrilero, Omar, Laporte, Jean and Koetz, Benjamin (2018). Coral reef applications of Sentinel-2: coverage, characteristics, bathymetry and benthic mapping with comparison to Landsat 8. Remote Sensing of Environment, 216, 598-614. doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2018.07.014

Coral reef applications of Sentinel-2: coverage, characteristics, bathymetry and benthic mapping with comparison to Landsat 8

2018

Journal Article

Seagrass organic carbon stocks show minimal variation over short time scales in a heterogeneous subtropical seascape

Samper-Villarreal, Jimena, Mumby, Peter J., Saunders, Megan I., Roelfsema, Chris and Lovelock, Catherine E. (2018). Seagrass organic carbon stocks show minimal variation over short time scales in a heterogeneous subtropical seascape. Estuaries and Coasts, 41 (6), 1732-1743. doi: 10.1007/s12237-018-0381-z

Seagrass organic carbon stocks show minimal variation over short time scales in a heterogeneous subtropical seascape

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Seagrass ecosystem trajectory depends on the relative timescales of resistance, recovery and disturbance

O'Brien, Katherine R., Waycott, Michelle, Maxwell, Paul, Kendrick, Gary A., Udy, James W., Ferguson, Angus J. P., Kilminster, Kieryn, Scanes, Peter, McKenzie, Len J., McMahon, Kathryn, Adams, Matthew P., Samper-Villarreal, Jimena, Collier, Catherine, Lyons, Mitchell, Mumby, Peter J., Radke, Lynda, Christianen, Marjolijn J. A. and Dennison, William C. (2018). Seagrass ecosystem trajectory depends on the relative timescales of resistance, recovery and disturbance. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 134, 166-176. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.006

Seagrass ecosystem trajectory depends on the relative timescales of resistance, recovery and disturbance

2018

Journal Article

Response to Bode and colleagues: 'Resilient reefs may exist, but can larval dispersal models find them?'

Mumby, Peter J., Hock, Karlo, Condie, Scott A., Ortiz, Juan C., Wolff, Nicholas H., Anthony, Kenneth R. N. and Blackwell, Paul G. (2018). Response to Bode and colleagues: 'Resilient reefs may exist, but can larval dispersal models find them?'. PLoS Biology, 16 (8) e2007047, e2007047. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2007047

Response to Bode and colleagues: 'Resilient reefs may exist, but can larval dispersal models find them?'

2018

Journal Article

Communicating physics-based wave model predictions of coral reefs using Bayesian belief networks

Callaghan, David P., Baldock, Tom E., Shabani, Behnam and Mumby, Peter J. (2018). Communicating physics-based wave model predictions of coral reefs using Bayesian belief networks. Environmental Modelling & Software, 108, 123-132. doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.07.021

Communicating physics-based wave model predictions of coral reefs using Bayesian belief networks

2018

Journal Article

Contribution of individual rivers to Great Barrier Reef nitrogen exposure with implications for management prioritization

Wolff, Nicholas H., da Silva, Eduardo Teixeira, Devlin, Michelle, Anthony, Kenneth R. N., Lewis, Stephen, Tonin, Hemerson, Brinkman, Richard and Mumby, Peter J. (2018). Contribution of individual rivers to Great Barrier Reef nitrogen exposure with implications for management prioritization. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 133, 30-43. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.04.069

Contribution of individual rivers to Great Barrier Reef nitrogen exposure with implications for management prioritization

2018

Journal Article

Impaired recovery of the Great Barrier Reef under cumulative stress

Ortiz, Juan-Carlos, Wolff, Nicholas H., Anthony, Kenneth R. N., Devlin, Michelle, Lewis, Stephen and Mumby, Peter J. (2018). Impaired recovery of the Great Barrier Reef under cumulative stress. Science Advances, 4 (7) eaar6127, eaar6127. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aar6127

Impaired recovery of the Great Barrier Reef under cumulative stress

2018

Journal Article

Modelling and mapping regional-scale patterns of fishing impact and fish stocks to support coral-reef management in Micronesia

Harborne, Alastair R., Green, Alison L., Peterson, Nate A., Beger, Maria, Golbuu, Yimnang, Houk, Peter, Spalding, Mark D., Taylor, Brett M., Terk, Elizabeth, Treml, Eric A., Victor, Steven, Vigliola, Laurent, Williams, Ivor D., Wolff, Nicholas H., zu Ermgassen, Philine S.E. and Mumby, Peter J. (2018). Modelling and mapping regional-scale patterns of fishing impact and fish stocks to support coral-reef management in Micronesia. Diversity and Distributions, 24 (12), 1729-1743. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12814

Modelling and mapping regional-scale patterns of fishing impact and fish stocks to support coral-reef management in Micronesia

2018

Journal Article

Paradigm lost: dynamic nutrients and missing detritus on coral reefs

Mumby, Peter J. and Steneck, Robert S. (2018). Paradigm lost: dynamic nutrients and missing detritus on coral reefs. Bioscience, 68 (7), 487-495. doi: 10.1093/biosci/biy055

Paradigm lost: dynamic nutrients and missing detritus on coral reefs

2018

Journal Article

Revisiting "success" and "failure" of marine protected areas: a conservation scientist perspective

Giakoumi, Sylvaine, McGowan, Jennifer, Mills, Morena, Beger, Maria, Bustamante, Rodrigo H., Charles, Anthony, Christie, Patrick, Fox, Matthew, Garcia-Borboroglu, Pablo, Gelcich, Stefan, Guidetti, Paolo, Mackelworth, Peter, Maina, Joseph M., McCook, Laurence, Micheli, Fiorenza, Morgan, Lance E., Mumby, Peter J., Reyes, Laura M., White, Alan, Grorud-Colvert, Kirsten and Possingham, Hugh P. (2018). Revisiting "success" and "failure" of marine protected areas: a conservation scientist perspective. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5 (JUN) 223. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00223

Revisiting "success" and "failure" of marine protected areas: a conservation scientist perspective

2018

Journal Article

Transient grazing and the dynamics of an unanticipated coral–algal phase shift

Bozec, Yves-Marie, Doropoulos, Christopher, Roff, George and Mumby, Peter J. (2018). Transient grazing and the dynamics of an unanticipated coral–algal phase shift. Ecosystems, 22 (2), 296-311. doi: 10.1007/s10021-018-0271-z

Transient grazing and the dynamics of an unanticipated coral–algal phase shift

2018

Journal Article

Loss of coral reef growth capacity to track future increases in sea level

Perry, Chris T., Alvarez-Filip, Lorenzo, Graham, Nicholas A. J., Mumby, Peter J., Wilson, Shaun K., Kench, Paul S., Manzello, Derek P., Morgan, Kyle M., Slangen, Aimee B. A., Thomson, Damian P., Januchowski-Hartley, Fraser, Smithers, Scott G., Steneck, Robert S., Carlton, Renee, Edinger, Evan N., Enochs, Ian C., Estrada-Saldívar, Nuria, Haywood, Michael D. E., Kolodziej, Graham, Murphy, Gary N., Pérez-Cervantes, Esmeralda, Suchley, Adam, Valentino, Lauren, Boenish, Robert, Wilson, Margaret and Macdonald, Chancey (2018). Loss of coral reef growth capacity to track future increases in sea level. Nature, 558 (7710), 396-400. doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0194-z

Loss of coral reef growth capacity to track future increases in sea level

2018

Journal Article

Attenuating effects of ecosystem management on coral reefs

Steneck, Robert S, Mumby, Peter J, MacDonald, Chancey, Rasher, Douglas B and Stoyle, George (2018). Attenuating effects of ecosystem management on coral reefs. Science Advances, 4 (5) eaao5493, eaao5493. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aao5493

Attenuating effects of ecosystem management on coral reefs

2018

Journal Article

Reserve sizes needed to protect coral reef fishes

Krueck, Nils C., Legrand, Christelle, Ahmadia, Gabby N., Estradivari,, Green, Alison, Jones, Geoffrey P., Riginos, Cynthia, Treml, Eric A. and Mumby, Peter J. (2018). Reserve sizes needed to protect coral reef fishes. Conservation Letters, 11 (3) e12415, e12415. doi: 10.1111/conl.12415

Reserve sizes needed to protect coral reef fishes

2018

Journal Article

Vulnerability of the Great Barrier Reef to climate change and local pressures

Wolff, Nicholas H., Mumby, Peter J., Devlin, Michelle and Anthony, Kenneth R. N. (2018). Vulnerability of the Great Barrier Reef to climate change and local pressures. Global Change Biology, 24 (5), 1978-1991. doi: 10.1111/gcb.14043

Vulnerability of the Great Barrier Reef to climate change and local pressures

2018

Journal Article

Coral reef habitat mapping: a combination of object-based image analysis and ecological modelling

Roelfsema, Chris, Kovacs, Eva, Ortiz, Juan Carlos, Wolff, Nicholas H., Callaghan, David, Wettle, Magnus, Ronan, Mike, Hamylton, Sarah M, Mumby, Peter J. and Phinn, Stuart (2018). Coral reef habitat mapping: a combination of object-based image analysis and ecological modelling. Remote Sensing of Environment, 208 (2018), 27-41. doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2018.02.005

Coral reef habitat mapping: a combination of object-based image analysis and ecological modelling

2018

Journal Article

Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands

Wenger, Amelia S., Atkinson, Scott, Santini, Talitha, Falinski, Kim, Hutley, Nicholas, Albert, Simon, Horning, Ned, Watson, James E. M., Mumby, Peter J. and Jupiter, Stacy D. (2018). Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands. Environmental Research Letters, 13 (4) 044035, 1-12. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/aab9eb

Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands

2018

Journal Article

Microherbivores are significant grazers on Palau’s forereefs

Altman-Kurosaki, Noam T., Priest, Mark A., Golbuu, Yimnang, Mumby, Peter J. and Marshell, Alyssa (2018). Microherbivores are significant grazers on Palau’s forereefs. Marine Biology, 165 (4) 74, 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s00227-018-3327-x

Microherbivores are significant grazers on Palau’s forereefs

2018

Journal Article

On the prevalence and dynamics of inverted trophic pyramids and otherwise top-heavy communities

McCauley, Douglas J., Gellner, Gabriel, Martinez, Neo D., Williams, Richard J., Sandin, Stuart A., Micheli, Fiorenza, Mumby, Peter J. and McCann, Kevin S. (2018). On the prevalence and dynamics of inverted trophic pyramids and otherwise top-heavy communities. Ecology Letters, 21 (3), 439-454. doi: 10.1111/ele.12900

On the prevalence and dynamics of inverted trophic pyramids and otherwise top-heavy communities

2018

Journal Article

The future of coral reefs subject to rapid climate change: lessons from natural extreme environments

Camp, Emma F., Schoepf, Verena, Mumby, Peter J., Hardtke, Leonardo A., Rodolfo-Metalpa, Riccardo, Smith, David J. and Suggett, David J. (2018). The future of coral reefs subject to rapid climate change: lessons from natural extreme environments. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5 (FEB) 4. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00004

The future of coral reefs subject to rapid climate change: lessons from natural extreme environments

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

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor David Callaghan

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate change undermines connectivity of the Great Barrier Reef

    Principal Advisor

  • Master Philosophy

    The effects of Climate change on coral fecundity in the GBR

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The ecology and restoration of coral rubble

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris

  • 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

    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

    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

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

    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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communications@uq.edu.au