Dr Andrew Heyward - CV - Australian Institute of Marine Science

Role

Principal Research Scientist in Exploring Marine Biodiversity Team based in Western Australia

Background

My initial research into the population dynamics of Australian reef-building corals, commenced in the early 1980s on the Great Barrier Reef and extended quickly to Japan, Micronesia and Hawaii.The focus on invertebrate reproduction subsequently included work on fish during a four year period studying advanced reproductive technologies as a QEII Fellow at Adelaide University's School of Medicine. Joining AIMS in late 1994,as the Officer-in-Charge and senior scientist responsible for establishing a new laboratory in NW Australia, I was involved in many aspects of multi-disciplinary marine research conducted by the Institute in all areas of tropical Western Australia. Personal research continued to focus on corals and other shallow reef benthos. Recent research has extended the use of towed video, observation class ROV, AUV and high resolution still cameras to areas of North West Australia that are not routinely surveyed by scientific divers.

Education

1987: PhD in Marine Biology, James Cook University.

Current Research Activities

Current research is divided between studies of coral reproduction and exploratory surveys to uncover little studied coastal and offshore habitats in northwest Australia. Expeditions to assess areas too deep or dangerous for divers has produced new insights into the near-shore environments of the northwest, especially the rich sponge gardens in offshore areas of the Ningaloo Marine Park and the highly diverse and complex fringing coral reefs of the Kimberley coast. This research is in its discovery phase and is expected to bring recognition to the globally significant diversity of benthic marine habitats in the northwest and Timor Sea.

Publications

Gilmour, J., Smith, L. Heyward, A., Baird, A., Pratchett, M. (2013).Recovery of an isolated reef system following severe disturbance. Science 340, 69.DOI: 10.1126/science.1232310

Heyward AJ, Negri AP (2012) Turbulence, cleavage and the naked embryo: a case for coral clones. Science 335 (6072): 1064

Heyward, A., Jones, R., Meeuwig, J., Burns, K., Radford, B., Colquhoun, J., Cappo, M., Case, M., O¿Leary, R.A., Fisher, R., Meekan, M., Stowar, M. (2012a). Monitoring Study S5. Montara: 2011 Offshore Banks Assessment Survey. Final Report prepared by the Australian Institute of Marine Science for PTTEP Australasia (Ashmore Cartier) Pty. Ltd. in accordance with Contract No. 000/2011/02-04. Perth, May 2012. 257p.

Heyward AJ, Negri AP (2010) Plasticity of larval pre-competency in response to temperature: observations on multiple broadcast spawning coral species. Coral Reefs 29: 631-636

Brooke B, Nichol S, Hughes M, McArthur M, Anderson TJ, Przeslawski R, Siwabessy J, Heyward AJ, Battershill CN, Colquhoun J, Doherty PJ (2009) Carnarvon Shelf Survey Post-Survey Report. 12 August - 15 September 2008. Geoscience Australia Record 2009/02. Geoscience Australia. 101 p.

Loya Y, Sakai K, Heyward AJ (2009) Reproductive patterns of fungiid corals in Okinawa, Japan. Galaxea 11: 1-11.

Fry G, Heyward AJ, Wassenberg T, Ellis N, Taranto T, Keesing JK, Irvine T, Stieglitz TC, Colquhoun J (2008) Benthic habitat surveys of potential LNG hub locations in the Kimberley region. A study commissioned by the Western Australian Marine Science Institution on behalf of the Northern Development Taskforce. Final Report. CSIRO National Research Flagships - Wealth from Oceans and Australian Institute of Marine Science. 131 p.

Guest JR, Baird AH, Clifton KE, Heyward AJ (2008) From molecules to moonbeams: Spawning synchrony in coral reef organisms. Invertebrate Reproduction and Development 51(3): 145-149.

Smith LD, Gilmour JP, Heyward AJ (2008) Resilience of coral communities on an isolated system of reefs following catastrophic mass-bleaching. Coral Reefs 27: 197-205.