Bachelor Marine Science
Macquarie University Sydney (2003 - 2005).

Honours degree (Science) University of Queensland (2006)

Determining thermal threshold dynamics and variability in reef building corals

The ability of corals to adapt or acclimatize to increasing sea surface temperature extremes over the coming decades will greatly influence the ability of coral reefs to survive the effects of global warming. My research investigates the potential of reef building corals to acclimate to rising sea surface temperatures by exploring the role that thermal history plays in modulating the susceptibility of the coral symbiosis to major thermal stress. Key to this research is determining thermal threshold variability across species and reef scales as well as investigating the effect of local climatology on coral tolerance levels.

Selected Publications:

Middlebrook R and J.E. Williamson (2006). Social attitudes towards marine resource management in two Fijian villages. Ecological Management & Restoration 7 (2), 144–148.

Middlebrook, R.A., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Leggat, W. (2008). The effect of thermal history on the susceptibility of reef-building corals to thermal stress. Journal of Experimental Biology 211, 1050-1056.

Professional Associations:

Australian Coral Reef Society

Internation Society for Reef Studies

ARC Centre of Excellence Coral reef Studies