I am a joint Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science; and holder of a prestigious Lizard Island Postdoctoral Fellowship. With a background in genetics, and behavioural, spatial and marine ecology, I worked extensively on the science-policy interface and in conservation management before completing a PhD at James Cook University in 2013. In my current research I use molecular techniques to study the pace and variability of genetic adaptation and transgenerational plasticity in coral species, and how these may translate into changes in assemblage composition with progressing climate change.

Interests

Professional

• R

Research

• coral reef ecology
• coral biology
• molecular ecology
• spatial analysis, GIS

Teaching

• coral reef ecology
• coral biology
• spatial analysis, GIS

Experience

• 2015 to 2018 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Townsville, Australia)
• 2009 to 2015 - Research Officer (p/t), James Cook University (Townsville, Australia)
• 2006 to 2008 - Executive Manager / Research Officer, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Vacratot, Hungary)

Research Disciplines

• Ecology (0602)
• Microbiology (0605)
• Evolutionary Biology (0603)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Climate and Climate Change (9603)
• Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)

Awards

• 2014 - Virginia Chadwick Award for Excellence in Scientific Publishing
• 2012 - Winner of the 3 Minute Thesis Competition at the Australian Institute of Marine Science
• 2012 - Best oral presentation – JCU School of Marine and Tropical Biology Symposium
• 2010 - Best Poster Award – JCU School of Marine and Tropical Biology Symposium
• 1999 - Prominent Student Award of the Hajdú Gusztáv Foundation

Fellowships

• 2017 - Lizard Island Postdoctoral Fellowship

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

• Epstein H, Smith H, Cantin N, Mocellin V, Torda G and van Oppen M (2019) Temporal variation in the microbiome of Acropora coral species does not reflect seasonality. Frontiers In Microbiology, 10.
• Epstein H, Smith H, Torda G and van Oppen M (2019) Microbiome engineering: enhancing climate resilience in corals. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17 (2). pp. 100-108
• Hughes T, Kerry J, Connolly S, Baird A, Eakin C, Heron S, Hoey A, Hoogenboom M, Jacobson M, Liu G, Pratchett M, Skirving W and Torda G (2019) Ecological memory modifies the cumulative impact of recurrent climate extremes. Nature Climate Change, 9 (1). pp. 40-44
• Smith H, Moya A, Cantin N, van Oppen M and Torda G (2019) Observations of simultaneous sperm release and larval planulation suggest reproductive assurance in the coral Pocillopora acuta. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6.
• 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
• Quigley K, Torda G and Bay L (2018) The use of larvae or recruits in coral restoration initiatives: Symbiodinium acquisition does not differ between coral life stages in the wild. Restoration Ecology, 26 (3). pp. 422-425
• Torda G, Sambrook K, Cross P, Sato Y, Bourne D, Lukoschek V, Hill T, Torras Jorda G, Moya A and Willis B (2018) Decadal erosion of coral assemblages by multiple disturbances in the Palm Islands, central Great Barrier Reef. Scientific Reports, 8. pp. 1-10
• 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
• Pollock F, Katz S, Van De Water J, Davies S, Hein M, Torda G, Matz M, Beltran V, Buerger P, Puill-Stephan E, Abrego D, Bourne D and Willis B (2017) Coral larvae for restoration and research: a large-scale method for rearing Acropora millepora larvae, inducing settlement, and establishing symbiosis. PeerJ, 5.
• Pollock F, Wada N, Torda G, Willis B and Bourne D (2017) White syndrome-affected corals have a distinct microbiome at disease lesion fronts. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 83 (2). pp. 1-15
• Smith H, Epstein H and Torda G (2017) The molecular basis of differential morphology and bleaching thresholds in two morphs of the coral Pocillopora acuta. Scientific Reports, 7 (1).

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 22+ research outputs authored by Dr Gergely Torda from 2010 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.

Completed

• Investigating the drivers of microbial community composition in reef-building corals (2018, 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
• Ainsworth, T. (2017) Coral metagenome: bacterial associates of corals. 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.