Forum Speaker Spotlight #4
by Jillian Browning • June 1, 2017 • Announcements, Events, Research
In the lead up to our Annual Marine Science Forum on the 3rd and 4th of June, we will feature a post about each of the scientists presenting this year.
This week we would like to introduce you to:
Dr Maria Byrne
Forum presentation: Corals feel it hot, hot ,hot!
Bio
Dr. Maria Byrne is Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Sydney. Maria obtained her bachelors degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway and her doctorate from the University of Victoria, Canada. As a marine biologist Maria has conduct her work at marine research laboratories around the world. For 12 years Maria was the director of One Tree Island Research Station, the University’s facility on the Great Barrier Reef. Over the years this iconic, fully protected reef system has provided a major platform for her research on the biology and ecology of marine invertebrates. Being based in the Southern GBR the research station provided the opportunity for Maria and colleagues to monitor corals near the southern range of the GBR for the incidence of bleaching and effects of other global change stressors. In recent years Prof Byrne’s research on comparative evolutionary biology has involved the quantification of the impacts of climate change stressors, ocean warming and ocean acidification on fundamental biological processes including growth, physiology, development and calcification. This work investigates the responses of marine invertebrates across life stages to climate change and has involved species from the tropics to the poles. Her current research investigates potential for climate adaptation merging her two main areas of research, evolution of development and global change.