AR 14 ARC CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR CORAL REEF STUDIES ANNUAL REPORT 2014 Contents 2 Vision 2 Aims 2 Overview 4 Director’s Report 6 2014 Highlights 7 Global Research Reach 8 Chief Investigator Profile: Associate Professor Sophie Dove 10 Graduate Profile: Georgina Gurney 11 Research Program 1: People and Ecosystems 17 Research Program 2: Ecosystem Dynamics: Past Present and Future 23 Research Program 3: Responding to a Changing World 29 Article: Single Species May be Key to Reef Health 30 Knowledge Transfer 32 Graduate and Early Career Training At the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies we acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present and future. Cover photo by Raphael Williams Photo by Stefano Montanari 41 National and International Linkages 44 Article: Effects of Changing Tastes in China Extend Abroad 46 Media and Public Outreach 49 National Research Priority Case Study: The Great Barrier Reef 51 Article: Plan to Protect Great Barrier Reef Under Fire 52 Publications 62 Recognition of Excellence by Centre Members 64 Governance 66 Leader Profile: Professor Katrina Brown 67 Membership 69 Financial Statement 70 Financial Outlook 71 Key Performance Indicators 75 Acknowledgements AR 14 Photo by Steve Lindfield Vision Aims Overview 2 CORAL REEF STUDIES Leading the global research effort in the provision of scientific knowledge necessary for sustaining the ecosystem goods and services of the world’s coral reefs during a period of unprecedented environmental change. The aims of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies are: 1. Research Produce research that is world-best, innovative, and highly relevant to coral reef management, adaptive governance and policy development. 2. Research Training and Professional Education Build human capacity and expertise in coral reef science worldwide. 3. National and International Linkages Create a global hub for integrated coral reef research collaborations. 4. Impacts and End-user Engagement Exchange and transfer knowledge, technologies and research outcomes with end-users and partners. 5. Governance Continuously evolve Centre management to ensure it is collaborative, co-operative, multi-institutional and communicative. The ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies commenced operations in 2014 following the award of $28 million from the Australian Research Council to fund the Centre for seven years. Headquartered at James Cook University, the ARC Centre partnership includes the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), the Australian National University (ANU), the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, Switzerland), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France), Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University (COS, USA), WorldFish (Malaysia), the University of Queensland (UQ), and the University of Western Australia (UWA). The major objective of the new Centre is to achieve a better understanding of the science, both social and natural, that underpins the dynamic changes currently occurring in coral reefs worldwide. This research is both multifaceted and transdisciplinary. It focuses not only on the responses of coral reef organisms to the rapidly changing local and global environments but also examines the dynamics of reefs through the integration of ecology, evolution, genetics, oceanography and palaeontology. Improving the governance and management of natural systems and enhancing our capacity to sustain both human and natural capital is an overarching goal of our research. ANNUAL REPORT 2014 3 Director’s Report 4 CORAL REEF STUDIES Photo by Ed Roberts Welcome to the 2014 annual report of the Australian Research we hosted 67 international visitors to the Centre’s nodes in Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, the Townsville, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. first in our new funding cycle. Our Centre was launched at the The uncertainty over the World Heritage status of the Great Australian Academy of Science in Canberra in July 2014, by Barrier Reef, the port dredging controversy in Australia, and the Chief Executive Officer of the ARC, Professor Aidan Byrne. concerns over coral bleaching in the Pacific, have placed coral Immediately following the opening, we presented two days of reefs in the spotlight in 2014. We provided many briefings, seminars, which were widely reported on TV and in other forms workshops and consultancies to governments, management of media, and are also available on YouTube (www.youtube.com/ agencies, non-government organisations (NGOs) and businesses. user/CoralCoE). Examples include Australian government departments, Deutsche An early task for the new Centre has been recruiting new Forschungsmeinschaft, Fisheries Research and Development researchers to bolster three areas: social science, mathematical Corporation, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, IUCN, modelling, and marine ecology. James Cook University provided National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a big boost to the development of the Centre, by funding six Solomon Island Ministries, The Nature Conservancy, and USAID. new tenured research positions. As well, we have hired six new During the year, I was appointed by Australia’s Environment Research Fellows since October, two each in the three current Minister, the Hon Greg Hunt, as one of the reviewers of the 2014 research programs. Some of this new blood will arrive from Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report. Our Centre also played a lead distant places – like Hawai’i, Norway and South Africa – in the role in crafting the submission to the Commonwealth from the first half of 2015. Australian Academy of Science, on the draft 2050 Great Barrier Reef Sustainability Plan. During the year the Centre has undertaken fieldwork in 21 tropical countries, particularly in Australia, the Coral Triangle (Philippines, Looking forward to 2015, we plan to take our Centre’s annual Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, Solomon symposium to Hobart, on 6th-7th October. Yes, it is cold in Islands), Fiji, French Polynesia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, the Maldives, Tasmania and there are very few corals! However, we look the Seychelles, Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean. forward to engaging more with our “cold-water” colleagues, many of whom are examining issues such as marine parks, ocean The Centre’s researchers produced more than 300 publications in acidification, and regime-shifts – research topics that resonate 2014, one for every working day of the year! Our co-authors this with many of our own projects. year come from 277 institutions in 53 countries, reflecting our expanding collaborative network around the world. The Centre’s Lastly, I’d like to thank our many friends around the world for their three research Program summaries on pp11–28 provide an contributions to an outstanding year, to the Centre’s Advisory overview of our activities throughout 2014. Board, and to our partners from many institutions in Australia and overseas. I am especially grateful to the Centre’s Assistant The Centre’s membership consists of 23 Chief Investigators Director, David Yellowlees, and to our fantastic administrative (including 12 Research Fellows), 30 Partner and Adjunct team, led by Chief Operations Officer, Jenny Lappin, for the key Researchers, 51 full-time Research Fellows and Asscoiates, 156 roles they play in keeping our researchers so productive. PhD students (from 41 countries). Membership of the Centre in 2014 has been further enhanced by the recruitment of 63 Terry Hughes new PhD, Masters and Honours students. In addition, in 2014, Director ANNUAL REPORT 2014 5 Photo by Giles Winstanely 2014 Highlights The new Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies commenced operation. Dr Brian Walker FAA was appointed Chair of the Centre’s Advisory Board. Brian works in the field of resilience and sustainability in social-ecological systems and was previously the Chief of what is now the CSIRO Division of Ecosystem Sciences. Professor Katrina Brown accepted our invitation to Centre members published more than 310 research Chair the Centre’s Scientific Management Committee articles (p52). (p66). Researchers in the Centre received significant new Three research Programs were established: funding from agencies including: • Program 1: People and Ecosystems. Leaders: Terry • ARC ($525k) (DECRA and LIEF) Hughes and Bob Pressey (p11) • Queensland Government Accelerate Fellowships ($1m) • Program 2: Ecosystem Dynamics: Past, Present and • Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Future. Leaders: Sean Connolly and John Pandolfi (p17) ($400k) • Program 3: Responding to a Changing World. Leaders: • The Great Barrier Reef Foundation ($365k). Malcolm McCulloch and Bette Willis (p23). 54 research students successfully completed their A fulltime Communications Manager, Eleanor studies, including 28 PhD students. Gregory, was appointed. 63 research students including 26 PhD students Awards (p62) for long term contributions to coral commenced. reef science: • Ove Hoegh-Guldberg received an award from Prince 70% of our postgraduate student population come Albert II of Monaco for his contributions to climate from overseas. change • Terry Hughes was awarded an Einstein Professorship 155 delegates attended