Revisiting the 1928-29 Great Barrier Reef Expedition collection to digitally reconstruct a reef.

An ariel view of the Great Barrier Reef. — The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia. ©Edward Haylan/Shutterstock

Project Background

The upcoming centenary celebrations of the 1928-29 Great Barrier Reef Expedition makes this an ideal time to revisit the expedition’s exceptional coral collection in a study using the latest 21st century techniques. The Anglo-Australian Expedition team, led by marine zoologist C.M. Yonge, spent over a year on the Low Isles, Northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The many detailed quantitative experiments and surveys undertaken during the expedition created a long-term legacy in scientific understanding of coral reef ecosystems (Spencer et al., 2021). The seven volumes of the Scientific Reports of the Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928-29 laid the foundations of scientific study into modern coral reef biology and geology, including basic understanding of the growth of coral in research led by T.A. Stephenson. On returning to England, Yonge became the first Professor of Zoology at the University of Bristol and the hundreds of coral specimens collected, representing 174 species, were housed at the then British Museum (Natural History), now the National History Museum, London, for future study. In this PhD project you will extract previously unseen information stored within the curated skeletons using the latest micro-CT scanning tecniques.

Project Aims and Methods

For a coral reef to persist the ecosystem must maintain a positive balance over time between carbonate deposition and loss. Scleractinian coral are the dominant calcifying group on modern tropical shallow water reefs and their beautiful intricate skeletons contain a wealth of information on both carbonate deposition and loss.

The aim of this PhD project is to establish a historic baseline of coral skeletal growth and the activity of sponge, mollusc and worm endobiota from a reef in a near-pristine state 100 years ago. Our research group has been developing a high-throughput digital pipeline using non-destructive µCT scans to reconstruct internal coral growth features in 3D and quantify skeletal parameters such as calcification rate in populations of specimens. The datasets generated in this PhD will record what is ‘normal’ for a coral on an unperturbed reef for comparison with more recent population trends. Retrospective analysis of the skeletal records will also allow comparison of responses to the climate and environment of the early 1900s. For example, the 1918 Innisfail tropical cyclone, monsoonal-ENSO interactions, and the 1929 bleaching event observed by the GBR Expedition. There is also some scope for tailoring research directions (e.g. taphonomic significance of specific endoliths; or developing neutral networks to analyse 3D digital datasets).

Candidate requirements

This project would suit a highly quantitative candidate with a background in palaeoecology, earth and/or marine science. Well-developed IT skills, including coding (preferably Python), are essential. Excellent data management and a highly developed sense of curiosity are also critical. This is a cross-institutional project which requires strong networking and communication skills. We welcome and encourage student applications from under-represented groups. We value a diverse research environment.

Project partners

The student will be based at the University of Bristol, School of Earth Sciences, embedded in the highly active community of the Palaeobiology research group. The student will have access to the Natural History Museum’s irreplaceable collection and will need to spend extensive periods on site working with Dr Ken Johnson, Principle Researcher, who works on the historical ecology of coral reef ecosystems.

Training

At both Bristol and the NHM the student will work with highly-experienced research technicians who will provide insights on how to aquire high quality µCT scanning data, reconstruction techniques and digital data management. Your studies will enable you to learn best practice methods in data visualisation and quantitative analysis. You will be supported to publish your findings, present your work at national and international meetings and to apply for grants to fund additional museum visits overseas. You will be able to develop teaching experience through formal training and by demonstrating on fieldwork and in the classroom, including units supporting the BSc in Palaeontology and Evolution, and Palaeobiology MSc.