Quantifying Risk to Tropical Reefs ('QUARTR')

Marine eden or underwater desert? As they fight for survival against rising temperature and acidifying oceans, the magnificent coral reefs of our oceans may not survive… Using a cutting-edge computer model of her making, Nancy Jones is trying to figure out if future generations will experience the pleasure of contemplating a coral reef, which has never been more uncertain. Throughout her PhD, Jones is looking at the way humans are directly and indirectly affecting reefs. Her aim is to ensure the conservation of coral reefs and to study the economic impact their disappearance might have. Tourism, biodiversity and fisheries are indeed deeply linked to coral reefs. Jones’s research will help to identify the reefs that are most at risk of collapse as well as reef sites which could be key to management strategies in the future.
My research focuses on the risk posed by climate change to tropical (coral) reefs worldwide. By creating a novel computer model, which will include functional types of coral and algae, I aim to identify reefs that are most at risk of collapse as well as identifying reef sites which could be key to management strategies in the future. The model will encompass interactions within and between both the ecosystem and physical environment and will be used to predict the affect of climate change by simulating increased temperature, ocean acidification and increased hurricane frequency.