The past, present and future of the Great Barrier ReefThe past, present and: integrating sedimentology and ecology via modelling and machine learning.

Coral reefs are the marine biodiversity hotspots, occupying 0.1% of the world's ocean surface but hosting 38% of marine species. Reefs around the world are currently being destroyed by a number of factors. How will they react to predicted climate and anthropogenic change? We can use geological and biological knowledge, such as rock cores and changes in ecology through time, to predict the future. This project will create a numerical model of reef dynamics and incorporate both sedimentological and biological data using state-of-the-art technology. In turn, this will enable more accurate predictions of the impacts of future climate and anthropogenic change on reef dynamics. The model will be based on the current prototype of the Carst model.