Ocean Ecol Lab
@oceanecol.bsky.social
Oceanographic processes and the ecological structure and function of marine communities in a changing world, research by Alex S.J. Wyatt
@HKUST and colleagues
https://www.oceanecol.com/
@HKUST and colleagues
https://www.oceanecol.com/
RGC Postdoctoral Fellow @perez-rosales-g.bsky.social 🌊🌡️🪸 diving deep into mesophotic coral ecosystems at the Hong Kong Laureate Forum 2025. Packed room + great discussion — climate-refuge science resonating far beyond marine circles 🌍
www.hklaureateforum.org/en/the-forum...
www.hklaureateforum.org/en/the-forum...
November 14, 2025 at 7:16 AM
RGC Postdoctoral Fellow @perez-rosales-g.bsky.social 🌊🌡️🪸 diving deep into mesophotic coral ecosystems at the Hong Kong Laureate Forum 2025. Packed room + great discussion — climate-refuge science resonating far beyond marine circles 🌍
www.hklaureateforum.org/en/the-forum...
www.hklaureateforum.org/en/the-forum...
🎓 Proud moment at the HKUST Congregation 2025 – Dr Tim King (Ph.D.) and Ms Shiyue Wang (M.Phil.) graduating.
Their theses advanced understanding of coral metabolism and trophic ecology in changing reef environments.
Congrats to both and looking forward to more contributions to coral reef science.
Their theses advanced understanding of coral metabolism and trophic ecology in changing reef environments.
Congrats to both and looking forward to more contributions to coral reef science.
October 27, 2025 at 10:11 AM
🎓 Proud moment at the HKUST Congregation 2025 – Dr Tim King (Ph.D.) and Ms Shiyue Wang (M.Phil.) graduating.
Their theses advanced understanding of coral metabolism and trophic ecology in changing reef environments.
Congrats to both and looking forward to more contributions to coral reef science.
Their theses advanced understanding of coral metabolism and trophic ecology in changing reef environments.
Congrats to both and looking forward to more contributions to coral reef science.
🌊 New paper in Ecosphere!
Long-term community dynamics are heterogeneous between fringing- and fore-reef habitats on an Indo-Pacific coral reef
Edmunds et al. (2025)
🔗 doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70398
Long-term community dynamics are heterogeneous between fringing- and fore-reef habitats on an Indo-Pacific coral reef
Edmunds et al. (2025)
🔗 doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70398
Long‐term community dynamics are heterogeneous between fringing‐ and fore‐reef habitats on an Indo‐Pacific coral reef
Benthic community structure on present-day coral reefs is often described as rapidly degrading, yet such summative statements do not capture the effects of spatial heterogeneity in communities. We fo...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:03 AM
🌊 New paper in Ecosphere!
Long-term community dynamics are heterogeneous between fringing- and fore-reef habitats on an Indo-Pacific coral reef
Edmunds et al. (2025)
🔗 doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70398
Long-term community dynamics are heterogeneous between fringing- and fore-reef habitats on an Indo-Pacific coral reef
Edmunds et al. (2025)
🔗 doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70398
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
#NingalooReef "annual surveys of the northern section of the reef in May found up to 90 per cent of coral had been bleached down to 20 metres depth", the "lowest cover of live coral" observed since 2007
"up to 50 per cent of the examined coral was dead in May" but "more would be dead now"
"up to 50 per cent of the examined coral was dead in May" but "more would be dead now"
‘You realise your children are probably never going to see Ningaloo the way you saw it’
The west-coast reef has largely escaped the curse of coral bleaching that has blighted the Great Barrier Reef. This year, that’s changed.
www.smh.com.au
August 8, 2025 at 5:53 AM
#NingalooReef "annual surveys of the northern section of the reef in May found up to 90 per cent of coral had been bleached down to 20 metres depth", the "lowest cover of live coral" observed since 2007
"up to 50 per cent of the examined coral was dead in May" but "more would be dead now"
"up to 50 per cent of the examined coral was dead in May" but "more would be dead now"
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Feeling lucky to have seen Ningaloo in its prime. Devastated that my children will never have that chance.
#NingalooReef "annual surveys of the northern section of the reef in May found up to 90 per cent of coral had been bleached down to 20 metres depth", the "lowest cover of live coral" observed since 2007
"up to 50 per cent of the examined coral was dead in May" but "more would be dead now"
"up to 50 per cent of the examined coral was dead in May" but "more would be dead now"
‘You realise your children are probably never going to see Ningaloo the way you saw it’
The west-coast reef has largely escaped the curse of coral bleaching that has blighted the Great Barrier Reef. This year, that’s changed.
www.smh.com.au
August 8, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Feeling lucky to have seen Ningaloo in its prime. Devastated that my children will never have that chance.
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Heard of "Darwin's paradox"? It refers to Charles Darwin's observation that coral reefs are wildly productive despite occurring in nutrient-poor tropical oceans. Reefs are, so the story goes, oases in marine deserts 🏝️...
Turns out that 2/3 of these assertions are very wrong...
🌐
🦑🧪
🧵⬇️
Turns out that 2/3 of these assertions are very wrong...
🌐
🦑🧪
🧵⬇️
June 6, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Heard of "Darwin's paradox"? It refers to Charles Darwin's observation that coral reefs are wildly productive despite occurring in nutrient-poor tropical oceans. Reefs are, so the story goes, oases in marine deserts 🏝️...
Turns out that 2/3 of these assertions are very wrong...
🌐
🦑🧪
🧵⬇️
Turns out that 2/3 of these assertions are very wrong...
🌐
🦑🧪
🧵⬇️
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
New research from @thesimslab.bsky.social in @ecol-evol.bsky.social - 🦈🌊
Unlocking the mystery of baby #whaleshark birthing grounds - Extreme environments like #OMZs provide safety from predators & a rich food supply, crucial for neonate survival.
doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
@thembauk.bsky.social
Unlocking the mystery of baby #whaleshark birthing grounds - Extreme environments like #OMZs provide safety from predators & a rich food supply, crucial for neonate survival.
doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
@thembauk.bsky.social
February 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
New research from @thesimslab.bsky.social in @ecol-evol.bsky.social - 🦈🌊
Unlocking the mystery of baby #whaleshark birthing grounds - Extreme environments like #OMZs provide safety from predators & a rich food supply, crucial for neonate survival.
doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
@thembauk.bsky.social
Unlocking the mystery of baby #whaleshark birthing grounds - Extreme environments like #OMZs provide safety from predators & a rich food supply, crucial for neonate survival.
doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
@thembauk.bsky.social
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Do Whale Sharks Select for Specific Environments to Give Birth? onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
February 17, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Do Whale Sharks Select for Specific Environments to Give Birth? onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
📢 First record of a living coelacanth from North Maluku, Indonesia - 👏 nice work Alexis and team 🤿
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🎦 The Return of the Coelacanth
youtu.be/Z1VSqIlokT8?...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🎦 The Return of the Coelacanth
youtu.be/Z1VSqIlokT8?...
The Return of the Coelacanth - UNSEEN Expeditions - Blancpain
YouTube video by Blancpain
youtu.be
April 28, 2025 at 7:32 AM
📢 First record of a living coelacanth from North Maluku, Indonesia - 👏 nice work Alexis and team 🤿
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🎦 The Return of the Coelacanth
youtu.be/Z1VSqIlokT8?...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🎦 The Return of the Coelacanth
youtu.be/Z1VSqIlokT8?...
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
🚨 New #Shark Pub available #OpenAccess in @natureportfolio.nature.com journal #ScientificReports 🚨
Here we reveal the dynamic physical processes that drive suitable habitat for Tiger Sharks in a subtropical coastal embayment🦈
🔗link here: rdcu.be/eeZG5
🧵 Thread for more: (1/6)
🎥: @jakemasondiving
Here we reveal the dynamic physical processes that drive suitable habitat for Tiger Sharks in a subtropical coastal embayment🦈
🔗link here: rdcu.be/eeZG5
🧵 Thread for more: (1/6)
🎥: @jakemasondiving
March 26, 2025 at 12:17 AM
🚨 New #Shark Pub available #OpenAccess in @natureportfolio.nature.com journal #ScientificReports 🚨
Here we reveal the dynamic physical processes that drive suitable habitat for Tiger Sharks in a subtropical coastal embayment🦈
🔗link here: rdcu.be/eeZG5
🧵 Thread for more: (1/6)
🎥: @jakemasondiving
Here we reveal the dynamic physical processes that drive suitable habitat for Tiger Sharks in a subtropical coastal embayment🦈
🔗link here: rdcu.be/eeZG5
🧵 Thread for more: (1/6)
🎥: @jakemasondiving
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
In 2019, we showed that tiny, bottom-dwelling fish can fuel coral reef energy fluxes. In our new paper, we reveal a dramatic dichotomy in their functional role across coral reef habitats separated by a few 100 meters.
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@esajournals.bsky.social
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@esajournals.bsky.social
March 24, 2025 at 6:34 PM
In 2019, we showed that tiny, bottom-dwelling fish can fuel coral reef energy fluxes. In our new paper, we reveal a dramatic dichotomy in their functional role across coral reef habitats separated by a few 100 meters.
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@esajournals.bsky.social
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@esajournals.bsky.social
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Key takeaways from our study on the record-breaking global sea surface temperature jump in 2023-24:
• A rare 1-in-512-year event
• Only possible due to human-caused global warming
• Climate models capture it—no signs of unexpected climate change
More details below 👇
• A rare 1-in-512-year event
• Only possible due to human-caused global warming
• Climate models capture it—no signs of unexpected climate change
More details below 👇
Why have the sea surface temperature suddenly risen in 2023/24? 🌊
Is it true that climate models cannot simulate such SST jumps? What is common to such jumps? How will SSTs evolve over the next months and years? Are we in uncharted territory? More from our recent study in Nature is here👇
Is it true that climate models cannot simulate such SST jumps? What is common to such jumps? How will SSTs evolve over the next months and years? Are we in uncharted territory? More from our recent study in Nature is here👇
Record sea surface temperature jump in 2023–2024 unlikely but not unexpected - Nature
Observations and climate models suggest that the global sea surface temperature jump in 2023–2024 was not unexpected and would have been nearly impossible without anthropogenic warming.
www.nature.com
March 12, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Key takeaways from our study on the record-breaking global sea surface temperature jump in 2023-24:
• A rare 1-in-512-year event
• Only possible due to human-caused global warming
• Climate models capture it—no signs of unexpected climate change
More details below 👇
• A rare 1-in-512-year event
• Only possible due to human-caused global warming
• Climate models capture it—no signs of unexpected climate change
More details below 👇
"We can push back on the calamitous corporatization of our universities. It is a fundamental responsibility of intellectuals."
And other gold: 🔥
🔗 academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
And other gold: 🔥
🔗 academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
On the responsibilities of intellectuals and the rise of bullshit jobs in universities
You may never have considered yourself to be one. Why would you? But if you’re reading this, there is more than a likelihood that you are one. If you’re a
academic.oup.com
March 10, 2025 at 1:25 AM
"We can push back on the calamitous corporatization of our universities. It is a fundamental responsibility of intellectuals."
And other gold: 🔥
🔗 academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
And other gold: 🔥
🔗 academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
After record heat stress and mass bleaching for more than two years globally, Australia's largest fringing reef - Ningaloo Reef - is now also in the midst of a severe bleaching event 💔
Large areas of WA’s Ningaloo corals could die in ‘weeks ahead’ after widespread bleaching documented
Conservationists call for urgent government action as prolonged heatwave affects renowned reef, including Turquoise Bay, Tantabiddi and Bundegi
www.theguardian.com
February 18, 2025 at 6:28 AM
After record heat stress and mass bleaching for more than two years globally, Australia's largest fringing reef - Ningaloo Reef - is now also in the midst of a severe bleaching event 💔
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Ocean has been losing its SST damping capacity (see Figure) since 1982 due to increased stratification, allowing SST anomalies and the associated climate and extreme weather events to attain stronger amplitude and persist longer. 🌊🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
February 9, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Ocean has been losing its SST damping capacity (see Figure) since 1982 due to increased stratification, allowing SST anomalies and the associated climate and extreme weather events to attain stronger amplitude and persist longer. 🌊🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉 Widespread decline in fieldwork-based research and education is bad news for biodiversity, conservation, and future generations of scientists 😢.
"Extinction of experience among ecologists"
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
"Extinction of experience among ecologists"
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
February 8, 2025 at 3:51 AM
👉 Widespread decline in fieldwork-based research and education is bad news for biodiversity, conservation, and future generations of scientists 😢.
"Extinction of experience among ecologists"
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
"Extinction of experience among ecologists"
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
🐠🧪🎓 New position alert: I am looking for a full-time research technician to work on my NSF CAREER project. Perks:
✅ SCUBA-based fieldwork in Belize 🤿
✅ Chemistry labwork 🧪
✅ Lots of fish and fun(ctions) 🐠📈😀
Deadline: Feb 21st
utaustin.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UTstaff/job/...
Please share widely.
✅ SCUBA-based fieldwork in Belize 🤿
✅ Chemistry labwork 🧪
✅ Lots of fish and fun(ctions) 🐠📈😀
Deadline: Feb 21st
utaustin.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UTstaff/job/...
Please share widely.
January 31, 2025 at 7:11 PM
🐠🧪🎓 New position alert: I am looking for a full-time research technician to work on my NSF CAREER project. Perks:
✅ SCUBA-based fieldwork in Belize 🤿
✅ Chemistry labwork 🧪
✅ Lots of fish and fun(ctions) 🐠📈😀
Deadline: Feb 21st
utaustin.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UTstaff/job/...
Please share widely.
✅ SCUBA-based fieldwork in Belize 🤿
✅ Chemistry labwork 🧪
✅ Lots of fish and fun(ctions) 🐠📈😀
Deadline: Feb 21st
utaustin.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UTstaff/job/...
Please share widely.
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
January 30, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Marine heatwaves imperil emblematic reef fishes by altering the energetic landscape of coral reefs
New paper from @thecaseylab.bsky.social in @animalecology.bsky.social
#science
#ecology
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
New paper from @thecaseylab.bsky.social in @animalecology.bsky.social
#science
#ecology
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
January 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Marine heatwaves imperil emblematic reef fishes by altering the energetic landscape of coral reefs
New paper from @thecaseylab.bsky.social in @animalecology.bsky.social
#science
#ecology
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
New paper from @thecaseylab.bsky.social in @animalecology.bsky.social
#science
#ecology
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Our extensive review of the power and pitfalls of amino acid specific carbon stable isotope analysis is finally out in Ecological Monographs! Only 5 years in the making 😅
doi.org/10.1002/ecm....
doi.org/10.1002/ecm....
The power and pitfalls of amino acid carbon stable isotopes for tracing origin and use of basal resources in food webs
Natural and anthropogenic stressors alter the composition, biomass, and nutritional quality of primary producers and microorganisms, the basal organisms that synthesize the biomolecules essential for...
doi.org
January 23, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Our extensive review of the power and pitfalls of amino acid specific carbon stable isotope analysis is finally out in Ecological Monographs! Only 5 years in the making 😅
doi.org/10.1002/ecm....
doi.org/10.1002/ecm....
🍾Congratulations to #PhDCandidate Josh Bennett-Williams for passing his PhD Qualifying Exam at #HKUST today 🎉.
👀 Follow for more updates on Josh's work applying stable #isotopes to understand the trophic #ecology of #fishes 🐟🦈
👀 Follow for more updates on Josh's work applying stable #isotopes to understand the trophic #ecology of #fishes 🐟🦈
January 23, 2025 at 9:42 AM
🍾Congratulations to #PhDCandidate Josh Bennett-Williams for passing his PhD Qualifying Exam at #HKUST today 🎉.
👀 Follow for more updates on Josh's work applying stable #isotopes to understand the trophic #ecology of #fishes 🐟🦈
👀 Follow for more updates on Josh's work applying stable #isotopes to understand the trophic #ecology of #fishes 🐟🦈
⏰ [Closing Soon] Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program
Want to study a Master's of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in ocean science under a generous scholarship❓ For young aspiring leaders from Asia to study in Hong Kong and obtain intercultural opportunities.
👉 Apply now: t.ly/JMdaQ [before 24 Jan 2025]
Want to study a Master's of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in ocean science under a generous scholarship❓ For young aspiring leaders from Asia to study in Hong Kong and obtain intercultural opportunities.
👉 Apply now: t.ly/JMdaQ [before 24 Jan 2025]
Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program | HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School
t.ly
January 22, 2025 at 2:57 AM
⏰ [Closing Soon] Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program
Want to study a Master's of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in ocean science under a generous scholarship❓ For young aspiring leaders from Asia to study in Hong Kong and obtain intercultural opportunities.
👉 Apply now: t.ly/JMdaQ [before 24 Jan 2025]
Want to study a Master's of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in ocean science under a generous scholarship❓ For young aspiring leaders from Asia to study in Hong Kong and obtain intercultural opportunities.
👉 Apply now: t.ly/JMdaQ [before 24 Jan 2025]
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
Check our new publication on mesophotic reefs fishes in Cabo Verde!!
Environmental and geographical drivers of reef fish beta diversity across the depth gradient doi.org/10.3354/meps...
@cnrs.bsky.social @sorbonne-universite.fr @coralreeffish.bsky.social @underthepole.bsky.social
Environmental and geographical drivers of reef fish beta diversity across the depth gradient doi.org/10.3354/meps...
@cnrs.bsky.social @sorbonne-universite.fr @coralreeffish.bsky.social @underthepole.bsky.social
January 20, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Check our new publication on mesophotic reefs fishes in Cabo Verde!!
Environmental and geographical drivers of reef fish beta diversity across the depth gradient doi.org/10.3354/meps...
@cnrs.bsky.social @sorbonne-universite.fr @coralreeffish.bsky.social @underthepole.bsky.social
Environmental and geographical drivers of reef fish beta diversity across the depth gradient doi.org/10.3354/meps...
@cnrs.bsky.social @sorbonne-universite.fr @coralreeffish.bsky.social @underthepole.bsky.social
Reposted by Ocean Ecol Lab
🪩 Excited to share our paper in #BiologyLetters about recent trends & biases in #mesophotic research! Huge effort by our volunteer community worldwide @pimbongaerts @AlelimonHA @perez-rosales-g.bsky.social & entire @mesophotic team!
▶️ doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
#ForCoral @rsocpublishing.bsky.social
▶️ doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
#ForCoral @rsocpublishing.bsky.social
December 18, 2024 at 2:25 AM
🪩 Excited to share our paper in #BiologyLetters about recent trends & biases in #mesophotic research! Huge effort by our volunteer community worldwide @pimbongaerts @AlelimonHA @perez-rosales-g.bsky.social & entire @mesophotic team!
▶️ doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
#ForCoral @rsocpublishing.bsky.social
▶️ doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
#ForCoral @rsocpublishing.bsky.social
🚨 New paper 🚨 on coastal reef fish diversity 🐠 across an estuarine-urbanisation gradient around #HongKong. Visual and #eDNA surveys revealed distinct shifts in biodiversity, previously unreported species, and a need to enhance marine protected area #MPA coverage.
👉 Read more: t.ly/EOGmh
👉 Read more: t.ly/EOGmh
Characterisation of coastal reef fish assemblages across an estuarine-urbanisation gradient using underwater visual census and environmental DNA metabarcoding
The ongoing urbanisation of coastlines around the globe greatly impacts biodiversity, including coastal marine fishes. In many places, baseline data o…
t.ly
December 19, 2024 at 4:36 AM
🚨 New paper 🚨 on coastal reef fish diversity 🐠 across an estuarine-urbanisation gradient around #HongKong. Visual and #eDNA surveys revealed distinct shifts in biodiversity, previously unreported species, and a need to enhance marine protected area #MPA coverage.
👉 Read more: t.ly/EOGmh
👉 Read more: t.ly/EOGmh