Interests

Research

• I have broad research interests in many aspects of coral reef ecology ranging from organism biology to the biogeography and evolution of the Scleractinia. The main focus of my research has been coral larval ecology and reproductive biology. I have also made significant contributions to the field of coral bleaching and likely effects of climate change on coral reefs. My primary research interest at present is to understand and predicting range limits of corals under a changing climate. My research into coral larval ecology has been instrumental in establishing the role of pre-settlement process, in particular larval behaviour, in determining patterns of adult distribution at multiple scales. I demonstrated that the depth zonation of coral assemblages is influenced in part by choices made by larvae at settlement. Similarly, the large geographical range size of many coral species is caused, in part, by an extraordinary capacity for larvae to delay metamorphosis. This research also provided an explanation for the paradox of heterogeneous genetic population structure within the extensive geographical range of many coral species. When given the choice, larvae will settle rapidly, however, if transported away from their natal reefs they retain the ability to settle for many months. Furthermore, we recently provided a mechanism to explain this extraordinary capacity of coral larvae to stay alive in the plankton: hypometabolism, which essentially means coral larvae will “hibernate” in the absence of sensory stimulus. Currently, I am working with the postdoctoral fellows in my lab and my colleague, Prof Sean Connolly, to develop mechanistic models of larval dispersal that allow for patterns of dispersal to be predicted from a few simple and easily measured traits. In addition, we are using a combination of experimental biology and ecological modelling to explore the effects of climate change on patterns of coral larval connectivity.

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Álvarez Noriega M, Baird A, Dornelas M, Madin J and Connolly S (2018) Negligible effect of competition on coral colony growth. Ecology, 99 (6). pp. 1347-1356
• Hughes T, Anderson K, Connolly S, Heron S, Kerry J, Lough J, Baird A, Baum J, Berumen M, Bridge T, Claar D, Eakin C, Gilmour J, Graham N, Harrison H, Hobbs J, Hoey A, Hoogenboom M, Lowe R, McCulloch M, Pandolfi J, Pratchett M, Schoepf V, Torda G and Wilson S (2018) Spatial and temporal patterns of mass bleaching of corals in the Anthropocene. Science, 359 (6371). pp. 80-83
• Hughes T, Kerry J, Baird A, Connolly S, Dietzel A, Eakin C, Heron S, Hoey A, Hoogenboom M, Liu G, McWilliam M, Pears R, Pratchett M, Skirving W, Stella J and Torda G (2018) Global warming transforms coral reef assemblages. Nature, 556 (7702). pp. 492-496
• Swain T, Bold E, Osborn P, Baird A, Westneat M, Backman V and Marcelino L (2018) Physiological integration of coral colonies is correlated with bleaching resistance. Marine Ecology - Progress Series, 586. pp. 1-10
• Baird A, Hoogenboom M and Huang D (2017) Cyphastrea salae, a new species of hard coral from Lord Howe Island, Australia (Scleractinia, Merulinidae). ZooKeys, 662. pp. 49-66
• Casey J, Baird A, Brandl S, Hoogenboom M, Rizzari J, Frisch A, Mirbach C and Connolly S (2017) A test of trophic cascade theory: fish and benthic assembalges across a predator density gradient on coral reefs. Oecologia, 183 (1). pp. 161-175
• Dornelas M, Madin J, Baird A and Connolly S (2017) Allometric growth in reef-building corals. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences, 284 (1851).
• Graham E, Baird A, Connolly S, Sewell M and Willis B (2017) Uncoupling temperature-dependent mortality from lipid depletion for scleractinian coral larvae. Coral Reefs, 36 (1). pp. 97-104
• Hartmann A, Baird A, Knowlton N and Huang D (2017) The paradox of environmental symbiont acquisition in obligate mutualisms. Current Biology, 27 (23). pp. 3711-3716
• Hata T, Madin J, Cumbo V, Denny M, Figueiredo J, Harii S, Thomas C and Baird A (2017) Coral larvae are poor swimmers and require fine-scale reef structure to settle. Scientific Reports, 7 (1).
• Hughes T, Kerry J, Álvarez-Noriega M, Alvarez-Romero J, Anderson K, Baird A, Babcock R, Beger M, Bellwood D, Berkelmans R, Bridge T, Butler I, Byrne M, Cantin N, Comeau S, Connolly S, Cumming G, Dalton S, Diaz-Pulido G, Eakin C, Figueira W, Gilmour J, Harrison H, Heron S, Hoey A, Hobbs J, Hoogenboom M, Kennedy E, Kuo C, Lough J, Lowe R, Liu G, McCulloch M, Malcolm H, McWilliam M, Pandolfi J, Pears R, Pratchett M, Schoepf V, Simpson T, Skirving W, Sommer B, Torda G, Wachenfeld D, Willis B and Wilson S (2017) Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals. Nature, 543 (7645). pp. 373-377
• Pratchett M, Baird A, Bauman A and Burt J (2017) Abundance and composition of juvenile corals reveals divergent trajectories for coral assemblages across the United Arab Emirates. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 114 (2). pp. 1031-1035

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 161+ research outputs authored by Prof Andrew Baird from 1997 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• The Use of Novel Techniques to SolveTaxonomic Uncertainties in an Ecologically Important Coral Taxon (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)
• Coexistence-promoting mechanisms in reef-coral communities (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Effects of Ocean Warming on Coral Reproduction and Transgenerational Effect: Comparison of Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms of Resilience (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)

Completed

• Advancing conservation planning for persistence: design of a conservation strategy for Brazilian coral reefs (2016, PhD , Associate Advisor)
• Spatial and Temporal Variation in Demographic Traits in the Reef Coral, Acropora Millepora, on The Great Barrier Reef (2015, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Coral larval ecology and biogeography in a warming ocean (2014, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Inter- and intra- specific variation in bleaching susceptibility among scleractinian corals (2014, PhD , Associate Advisor)
• Variation in early post-settlement growth and mortality of scleractinian corals (2013, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The ecology and dynamics of coral reef communities in an extreme reef environment: the southern Persian Gulf (2013, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Adaptive Strategies in Reef-building Corals (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Ecological Determinates of Depth Zonation In Reef-Building Corals (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)
• Temporal and Spatial Variation in the Growth of Branching Corals (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit the JCU Research Data Catalogue.

• Hughes, T. (2018) Global warming transforms coral reef assemblages. James Cook University
• Figueiredo, J. (2017) Data from: Increased local retention of reef coral larvae as a result of ocean warming. James Cook University
• Baird, A. (2013) Acropora Reproduction and Biogeography. James Cook University

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.