The development and launch of CARN has been made possible through a recent funding scheme from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC); http://www.nerc.ac.uk/ ‘Linking Innovation in NERC (LIN)’. Eight Knowledge Exchange Fellows from various academic institutes were appointed in the first round of this scheme in May 2009.

To find out more about LIN, follow this link;
http://www.nerc.ac.uk/using/schemes/lin/

CARN is steered by a select committee of key representatives covering a range of expertise and interests; you can find out more information about us all by following the links below.

Title: NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellow & CARN Project Manager, Coral Reef Research Unit, the University of Essex.

I am a conservation and marine biologist with a large amount of experience in management, logistics and coordinating tropical expeditions. I am very passionate about improving sustainability, increasing public conservation awareness, improving the quality of life for communities in developing countries and addressing all of these in a way that increases opportunities and quality of life for all whilst focusing on the key aspects of conservation and the effects of climate change. All of which are encompassed within CARN. CARN is novel, unique and innovative and by using knowledge exchange and engaging with various industrial partners, national aquaria, private hobbyists and academic institutes I hope for CARN to become an invaluable network.

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Title: Senior Lecturer, Director of the Coral Reef Research Unit, the University of Essex.

The Coral Reef Research Unit was founded in 2004 and although housed at the University of Essex with up to 10 Essex based academic staff being involved, it importantly acts as a hub of international collaborations and has around 40 advisors from all over the world including researchers, academics, conservation managers and government representatives. The CRRU undertakes trans-disciplinary which is strategized under a thematic programme and specifically investigates, both in the field and laboratory, the fundamental biology and complex ecology of coral species, the biodiversity of reef systems, environmental stress and coral reef ecosystem ecology and most importantly consequences for society, management and policy. Dave is co-editor of the journal Global Change Biology (GCB).

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Title: Lecturer in Marine and Freshwater Biogeochemistry and Assistant Director of the Coral Reef Research Unit, the University of Essex

My main coral research interests include characterization of the physiological mechanisms underlying the response of coral growth to environmental change (light, nutrients) as well as development of new bio-optical approaches for examining coral productivity. Much of this has been driven by the response of corals to stress, in particular the “coral bleaching” phenomenon induced by elevated water temperatures via laboratory experimentation and field observations (in the Seychelles and Brazil) of natural coral communities. Recent funding by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has now enabled me to also focus on how numerous variables, including seawater pH “ocean acidification”, temperature and light availability act together to modify coral growth and involved development of new technology to regulate seawater pH. Outputs have included publications in top international science journals such as Nature (Geosciences) and Global Change Biology

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Title: Coral Health & Disease Lab, School of Biology, University of Newcastle.

Large-scale coral bleaching episodes were unknown prior to 1979 but have become more frequent and culminated in 1998 with an event that caused mass mortality on coral reefs across much of the Indian Ocean. These events are linked to environmental stress, particularly temperature increases, and in addition to the local and regional loss of biodiversity, may represent the first case of the collapse of an ecosystem due to global climate change. Coral bleaching is consequently the focus of major initiatives supported by the World Bank and UNESCO. Concurrent with these mass bleaching events, there has been widespread concern over the emergence of coral diseases over the past 2-3 decades. Reef core data from Belize indicates that the mass mortality of two of the dominant coral species in the Caribbean is unprecedented in at least the last 3000 years, which suggests a link to anthropogenic activities. Unfortunately, identification and characterisation of the causal agents of most coral diseases remains unresolved or poorly characterised. My research group addresses these areas by applying molecular approaches to understanding microbial ecology of corals and coral reefs.

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Title: Dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science; the University of Bedfordshire.

My interests are in coral reefs and climate change as well as linking science to capacity building in developing countries.

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Title: Aquarium Curator, Horniman Museum, London

I manage the aquarium – overseeing all aspects of animal husbandry with a keen interest in supporting reef conservation programs. My research interests are sexual reproduction in corals and its potential as a tool for aquaculture for reef restoration and marine ornamental industry

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Title: Curator, SEALIFE London Aquarium.

I am responsible for the strategic development of the displays at the London Aquarium.

We strive to promote a better understanding of the underwater world and the conservation of it habitats and species through imaginative and engaging aquatic displays from around the world.

We form partnerships with conservation organizations that share similar values and pursue relevant research that will benefit the creatures within our care and in their natural environments

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Title: Deputy Team Leader – Aquarium; Zoological Society of London

I am responsible for managing London Zoo’s aquarium with particular focus on our coral collection. I run 10 reef systems both on and off show, interpretation and education for visiting public etc. My research interests are; species in trade, disease, sexual reproduction. I undertake field work in Florida, Chagos and some work with native corals in UK.

I am also co-chair of EUAC Coral ASP and moderator of listserver. Co-editor of Coralzoo book of protocols. Chair of BIAZA AWG Coral group co-ordinating research and conservation work regarding coral and reef exhibits within UK zoos and aquariums

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Heather is Curator of the Aquarium Projects at the Zoological Society of London and is involved with a number of national and international initiatives that span a number of topics including those connecting aquariums to conservation of animals in their natural habitats.

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Title: Assistant curator, The Deep, Hull.

I work as part of a team which is responsible for husbandry and systems, future planning and development of The Deep. I specifically have developed, cared and designed the coral systems as well as participated in a number of research and conservation projects based on advancing coral husbandry.

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Title: Director and co-founder of Sustainable Sources Ltd

My interests include low energy captive reef systems, marine ornamental reproduction and the responses of corals to environmental changes.

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Charles works as both a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences as well as acting as adviser to a number of Government bodies and other working groups on issues relating to marine and coastal conservation.

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Title: Postdoctorate Research Assistant, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol

I am currently employed to look at UK fish assemblage and climate change. I also run projects and supervise students working on coral reef fish behaviour, ecology and management.

I have several collaborations with NGOs and other institutions to explore and develop the active management of coral reef organisms for both fisheries and conservation objectives.

I work on climate change, fish community structure, population dynamics, phylogenetic history, sensory and behavioural ecology, and demography.

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Title: Senior Lecturer, School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University.

Dr Turner is a marine biologist working as a Senior Lecturer in Marine Biology in the School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales Bangor with particular expertise in temperate and tropical marine environments and the interaction between land and the aquatic environment, with current emphasis on coral reef environments. He has over 20 years of experience in a range of projects, especially in the Western Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf, Central America and Asia, and expertise in reef biology, algal-invertebrate symbiosis, coastal survey, mapping, Geographical Information System, remote sensing, Environmental Impact Assessment and Integrated Coastal Zone and Watershed Management in a range of countries and contexts.

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Title: Managing Director, Tropical Marine Centre (TMC) MAC accredited Livestock wholesaler.

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Title: Senior Biologist, National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth

I have worked at the National Marine Aquarium since 1999. I am responsible for student liaison, project planning and system design, the aquariums largest exhibit a 10.5m deep Ocean Tank as well as a number of smaller exhibits. I also designed and run the NMA’s state of the art Quarantine facility. I am very interested in technology (and the way in which it can simplify and improve life for captive animals), Corals and the Coral Reefs and Elasmobranchs. I am passionate about pushing boundaries and am always looking for ways to improve what we do.

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Title: Director; The Coral Reef Laboratory, National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton.

The Coral Reef Laboratory propogates and studies more than 40 species of cnidarians in a multi-compartment aquarium system circulating more than 4200 litres of artificial seawater. The laboratory hosts representatives of actiniaria, ceriantharia, octocorallia, corallimorpharia and sclearactinia including 12 Acropora species.

The aquarium system allows experimentation under tightly controlled conditions. It also includes the Coral Reef Tank in the reception area of NOCS.

The laboratory's activities include:

• Applying genomic and proteomic approaches to understand the response of reef corals to environmental stress.
• Evolving fluorescent reef coral pigments into advanced imaging tools for biomedical research.
• Studying the role of coral pigments in the photobiology of hermatypic corals and their symbiotic algae.
• Exploring the function of fluorescent proteins in deep-water and azooxanthellate invertebrates.
• Field studies to complement the laboratory experimentation.

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Title: Coral Reef Conservation Officer; Marine Conservation Society

I have worked extensively on trade in marine ornamental and curio species at all levels from collection to retail sale and at national and international level. This has included writing a book called ‘The Responsible Marine Aquarist’ – available from MCS.

More widely, my interests are on conservation aspects of marine resource management, including environmental impact assessment, education, and the development and management of protected areas - particularly in relation to tourism and fisheries.