Why do some corals survive rising ocean temperatures while others bleach and die? Join us on Zoom with Dr. Anya Brown, assistant professor in the Department of Evolution and Ecology at UC Davis, based at Bodega Marine Laboratory, to explore that question. Combining genetics and community ecology, Dr. Brown studies how relationships among corals, algae, and microbes may help reefs recover and even “rescue” more vulnerable corals. Her research brings new insight, and potential hope, for protecting coral ecosystems threatened by climate change.
Dr. Brown uses field surveys, experiments, and molecular analyses to understand how microbes shape their hosts’ interactions with other species. She is a lead scientist on the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expedition in the Cook Islands, where her work examines how diverse arrangements of corals can improve their success.