The Coral Reef Research Hub

The Coral Reef Research Hub is dedicated to sharing coral news, job postings, research publications, academic opportunities, grant information and anything else related to coral reefs and their associated ecosystems. Our goal is to be a career development resource for a growing community of coral reef professionals, researchers and early career scientists. We are also building a dedicated networking community outside of regular social media channels that allows its members to network with each other, create niche research groups and facilitate collaboration. With up-to-date career postings (job openings, PhD positions, internships etc), researcher publication hosting, a small research grants program, mentorships and knowledge sharing masterclasses, The Coral Reef Research Hub is a unique initiative and set to become THE place for those wanting to get ahead in the highly competitive field of coral reef science. See our website for more details and join us today! https://lnkd.in/eW9QtDGe #coralreefs #jobpostings #jobs #jobopportunities #careerdevelopment #networking #internships #volunteering #research #grants #phd #postdoc #academia #marinescience #marineecology #marinebiology #coralresearch

Coral Restoration Internship Opportunities at MOTE (Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, USA) Upper Keys Coral Restoration Internship Coral reefs are vital to people and wildlife around the world. However, they are declining steeply due to climate change—including increasing temperatures and ocean acidification—along with coral disease, pollution, overfishing, and other stressors. Mote Marine Laboratory’s Coral Reef Restoration Research Program develops and applies science-based strategies with the goal of restoring depleted coral reefs in our lifetime. Specifically, Mote researchers are working to optimize restoration using diverse coral genotypes (genetic varieties), prioritizing native genetic variations that can resist SCTLD and other stressors such as increased water temperatures and ocean acidification. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eVg5AMdY #coralreefs #internships #careers #coralrestoration #careerdevelopment #reefrestoration #coral #coralreefecology #climatechange #sctld #marinebiology

CORAL REEF PERSPECTIVE: Cool water from the deep could protect pockets of the Great Barrier Reef into the 2080s For coral reefs, climate change is an existential threat. Australia's Great Barrier Reef has endured seven mass bleaching events over the past 25 years. Five have occurred in the past eight years. But amid the story of decline, something curious is happening. Surveys from the air and on water show a few reef groups, such as the Ribbon Reefs in the far north and the Swains and Pompey reefs in the south, are consistently escaping severe bleaching while their neighboring reefs suffer. But how? In our new research , we found their survival is due to cold water. That is, most of these reefs are periodically bathed in cooler water even as other parts of the reef bake in marine heatwaves. This stems from the phenomenon called upwelling, where cooler waters from the deep mix with warm surface waters. These reefs are likely to be buffered from the worst of climate change. Read full report here: https://lnkd.in/ePibpZiB #coralreefs #coralnews #climatechange #coralbleaching #marineecology #coralreefecology #marineheatwaves #upwellings #marinebiology

JOB OPPORTUNITY: General Manager - Chumbe Island Coral Park (Zanzibar) Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd. (CHICOP) is based in Zanzibar/Tanzania. Established since the early 1990’s CHICOP lobbied for, and went on to acquire management rights over, the Chumbe Island Marine Protected Area (MPA). This award-winning privately managed protected area is renowned as the first financially independent and self-sustaining MPA in the world (and is today one of only two existing). This is made viable through revenue generated by sustainable marine ecotourism (both day visitors and overnight guests staying in Chumbe’s eco-lodge). The tourism operations in the MPA utilize commercial principles with not-for-profit objectives to finance project operations, conservation, research and an extensive environmental education programme for local schools. The MPA includes a protected Coral Reef Sanctuary and Closed Forest Reserve. There is also a Visitors’ centre used for Chumbe’s education programs. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eTjjebyB #coralreefs #jobs #jobopportunity #zanzibar #mpa #management #coral #coralreefecology #marineecology #marinebiology #careers

CORAL REEF NEWS: Healthy coral transplants could revolutionise reef restoration Imagine a world where damaged ecosystems, specifically coral reefs teeming with vibrant marine life, could be revived and restored to their former glory. These vibrant underwater habitats, often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea,” are essential for marine biodiversity and coastal protection. That’s no longer just a dream, thanks to an innovative study that has just shed light on a technique with immense potential for reviving and restoring damaged coral reefs. By harnessing the power of healthy ecosystems, scientists have unlocked a sustainable and scalable method to breathe new life into these critical environments. Read full story here: https://lnkd.in/eRxsdrUP #coralreefs #coralrestoration #coralnews #reefrestoration #coralhealth #climatechange #coralreefecology #marineecology #marinebiology

PHD OPPORTUNITY: Predatory fish declines in coral reef ecosystems: understanding the socio-ecological implications (University of Liverpool, UK) Coral reefs are vibrant ecosystems that depend on a delicate balance of predator-prey interactions to maintain their health and structure. Unfortunately, predatory fish, particularly those at the top of the food chain like sharks and groupers, are experiencing significant declines in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Overfishing and inadequate protection measures threaten these crucial species, leading to a potential `functional extinction` that could disrupt the reef ecosystem and impact local communities. This project aims to explore the ecological role of reef fish predators, the threats they face, and the socio-economic implications of their decline. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/exfy2MtF #coralreefs #phd #reeffish #fish #predatory #phdopportunity #careers #careerdevelopment #coralreefecology #marineecology #marinebiology

FREE ONLINE COURSE: Introduction to Coral Reef Management (Reef Resilience Network) The Introduction to Coral Reef Management Online Course is designed to provide marine managers and practitioners with the foundational knowledge necessary to support coral reef resilience in the face of climate change. The course consists of four lessons that explore the ecology of coral reef ecosystems, threats to reefs, management strategies for addressing local and global threats, and guidance for assessing and monitoring reefs for resilience. This new course updates and builds on the Introduction to Coral Reef Resilience Course, which was launched in 2010 and updated in 2021. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gGVPyuQY #coralreefs #onlinecourse #freecourse #learning #coralreefecology #coral #coralreefmanagement #coralhealth #resilience #marinebiology

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Conservation Manager - Chumbe Island Coral Park (Zanzibar) Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd. (CHICOP) is based in Zanzibar/Tanzania. Established since the early 1990’s CHICOP lobbied for, and went on to acquire management rights over, the Chumbe Island Marine Protected Area (MPA). This award-winning privately managed protected area is renowned as the first financially independent and self-sustaining MPA in the world (and is today one of only two existing). This is made viable through revenue generated by sustainable marine ecotourism (both day visitors and overnight guests staying in Chumbe’s eco-lodge). The tourism operations in the MPA utilize commercial principles with not-for-profit objectives to finance project operations, conservation, research and an extensive environmental education programme for local schools. The MPA includes a protected Coral Reef Sanctuary and Closed Forest Reserve. There is also a Visitors’ centre used for Chumbe’s education programs. The Conservation Manager is the most senior conversation management lead at CHICOP, reporting to the General Manager and working in close collaboration with the Directors and Chief Science Advisor. Based at the CHICOP office near Zanzibar town the work schedule should be split between the office and island dependent on needs. Application deadline 9th December 2024 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eTjjebyB #coralreefs #jobs #jobopportunity #careers #careerdevelopment #coral #coralreefecology #marineecology #mpa #ecotourism #marinebiology

CORAL REEF NEWS: The Florida Aquarium collaborate to revitalize coral reefs, marine habitats Coral reefs serve as habitats for fish, increase tourism activities and reduce wave energy – among their many benefits. That’s why scientists with the University of Florida and The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation and Research Center collaborate to ensure coral reefs are healthy. To reach their goal, they bring most of their urchins and corals from the Florida Keys and spawn them at the center in Apollo Beach. Read full story here: https://lnkd.in/eQZWE6_h #coralreefs #coralnews #florida #habitatrestoration #coralhealth #coral #urchins #tourisum #coralreefecology #marineecology #marinebiology

PHD OPPORTUNITY: Thermal stress exposure and adaptive capacity of corals in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea over six centuries from coral geochemistry (University of Leicester) Recent evidence from short cores of massive reef building corals (Porites sp.) in the GBRMP & CSMP indicate some corals have learnt to better cope with these events by acclimating to higher temperatures (DeCarlo et al. 2019). Meanwhile, experimental studies in isolated reefs in the CSMP show that the higher frequency of mild marine heatwaves is selecting for colonies with higher temperature thresholds (Marzonie et al. 2022). However, accurate measures of mean and summer sea surface temperature (SST) over both ecological and evolutionary time scales are necessary to measure the potential for acclimation and adaptation to mitigate the effects of climate change on coral reefs. Most importantly, we lack an understanding of the multi-centennial historical thermal stress exposure at high enough temporal resolution (Hendy et al., 2002; Calvo et al., 2007; Zinke et al., 2023) across those vast reef systems at the reef-scale and at the living depth of the coral colonies (DeCarlo et al., 2019; DeCarlo, 2020). Full details here: https://lnkd.in/eudWUtjy #coralreefs #coralsea #phd #phdopportunity #thermalstress #coral #coralbleaching #climatechange #geochemistry #marinebiology