Achievement

IGERT students and faculty from our research cluster on marine conservation and health have been approaching the issue of coral reef restoration from a variety of disciplines and fields. Trainee Sean Macduff introduced his lab's research methods to programs of various NGOs and government agencies for current and future restoration work for locations in Hawaii, USA and the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Trainees Luc Rougee and Rebecca Prescott taking a molecular physiological approach. Trainee Rougee developed and implemented biomarkers of coral health to understand the effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Trainee Prescott is studying the bacterial biofilms that are responsible for coral larvae settlement, providing a better understanding of the processes of coral recruitment. The collection of these research efforts will help provide early detection of stress in corals and guide appropriate mitigation plans for restoration efforts.