Climate Change Cluster

Who are you ?

I am Dr Jen Matthews, a marine biologist and coral reef conservationist and one of the researchers in the Future Reefs Group of the Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technology Sydney. My research aims to solve how coral nutrition and metabolism help reefs to thrive and survive, and then use this knowledge to create new tools for restoration or health diagnostics, to protect the future of our reefs.

What is the context of your project?

A coral colony can produce millions of baby corals, yet less than 1% ever survive. This represents a critical bottleneck for the recovery of degraded reefs and drastically limits the effectiveness of restoration projects using coral early life stages.  

But providing vital nourishment to baby corals could dramatically improve their survival, giving them a fighting chance to grow into adult corals and restore degraded reefs. And just like us a healthy diet helps us to fight off infections and stay healthy, feeding corals could also improve their resilience to changes in the environment and disease, meaning more adult corals to support future reef generations.

What are the specific objectives ?

Our project aims to find the best baby food for corals to enhance survival during their most vulnerable life stage. In partnership with the tourism industry and other local stakeholders, as well as global partners already applying coral larvae restoration activities, we are developing a large-scale, affordable and easily replicable feeding method. Ultimately if we have more young adult corals, we can help rebuild degraded reefs around the world and preserve species diversity, which is critical for the future of our reefs.

Do you have a message you'd wish to share with the public about ocean protection?

We are intimately connected with coral reefs, relying on them for coastal protection, food, habitat for a quarter of all marine life and even a source novel medicines. But without help, coral reefs may not survive this century. Every reef system on the planet is losing corals faster than they're naturally replenishing. Our project and other active interventions that enhance reef resilience will help buy time for reefs, but to protect our reefs futures, we must take bold action on climate change and ocean pollution now.

UTS Climate Change Cluster (C3) Facilities Tour

Algae Phenomics Facility.

Stackable Incubators (Eppendorf).

Stable Incubators (Eppendorf).

3L photobioreactor with turbidostat, C02 control; with florometer, optical density, pH, temperature and C02 sensors (PSI).

Multispectral Multicultivator MC MIX (PSI).

Automated Action Spectra Measuring Installation.

Automated Phenotyping Robot (PSI).

Mass Spec.

Opentrons Liquid Handling Robot (OT-2).

Phenoplate Installation (Eppendorf and PSI).

PhycoFlow.

800 L continual litre continuous algae system.

Thin Layer Cascade (TLC) PhotoBioreactor.

Algae Production Facility.

400L bag reactors for scaled growth of microalgae in controlled conditions.

Industry 4.0 Test Lab.

Next generation smart technologies linked to Industry 4.0 are key to enabling the rapid evolution of algae bioeconomy.

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