- Senior Principal Research Scientist
Role
Background
Prior to joining AIMS in 1986:
- Research Associate, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA (1982-1986)
- Senior Research Associate, Climate Research Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK (1980-1982)
Education
- 1982 PhD Climate Research Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich UK
- 1976 BSc (Hons) Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich UK
Current Research Activities
I undertake research in 2 main areas:
- extraction and interpretation of proxy climate and environmental information from records contained in long-lived annually-banded massive corals. Such records extend the short instrumental records the for tropical oceans & provide critical insights into the nature and causes of past climate and environmental changes;
- detecting and understanding the consequences of a rapidly changing global climate due to human activities for tropical coral reef ecosystems.
Expert Committees and Boards
- Adjunct Professorial Research Fellow and Partner Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence for Reef Studies, James Cook University
- Advisory Editor - Coral Reefs
Publications
Over 140 science and technical papers in international journals. The following are a selection of recent publications.
Bell, JD et al(2013) Mixed responses of tropical Pacific fisheries and aquaculture to climate change. Nature Climate Change doi:10.1038/NCLIMATE1838
Lough JM (2012) Small change, big difference: sea surface temperature distributions for tropical coral reef ecosystems, 1950-2011. J Geophys Res-Oceans 117 doi:10.1029/2012JC008199.
Cooper TF, O'Leary RA, Lough JM (2012) Growth of Western Australian corals in the Anthropocene. Science 335: 593-596.
Llewellyn LE, Everingham YL, Lough JM (2012) Pharmacokinetic modelling of multi-decadal luminescence time series in coral skeletons. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 83:263-271.
Lough JM, Cooper TF (2011) New insights from coral growth band studies in an era of rapid environmental change. Earth-Science Reviews 108:170-184
Lough JM, Hobday AJ (2011) Observed climate change in Australian marine and freshwater environments. Mar Freshwater Res 62:984-999
Hobday AJ, Lough JM (2011) Projected climate change in Australian marine and freshwater environments. Mar Freshwater Res 62:1000-1014
Lough JM, Meehl GA, Salinger MJ (2011) Observed and projected changes in surface climate of the tropical Pacific. In: Vulnerability of Tropical Pacific Fisheries and Aquaculture to Climate Change (JD Bell, JE Johnson & AJ Hobday eds). Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Noumea, New Caledonia, pp. 49-99
Lough JM (2011) Climate change and coral reefs. In: Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs - Structure, Form and Process, (DHopley, Ed.), Springer. Dordrecht, pp. 198-210.
Lough JM (2011) Great Barrier Reef coral luminescence reveals rainfall variability over northeastern Australia since the 17th century. Paleoceanography 26 doi:10.1029/2010PA002050
Lough JM (2011) Measured coral luminescence as a freshwater proxy: comparison with visual indices and a potential age artefact. Coral Reefs 30:169-182.
Lough JM (2010) Climate records from corals. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change 1:318-331
De'ath G, Lough JM, Fabricius KE (2009) Declining coral calcification on the Great Barrier Reef. Science 323:116-119
Eakin CM, Lough JM, Heron SF (2009) Climate variability and change: monitoring data and evidence for increased coral bleaching stress. In: van Oppen MJH & Lough JM (eds) Coral Bleaching: Patterns, Processes, Causes and Consequences. Springer, pp 41-67
van Oppen MJH, Lough JM (eds) (2009) Coral Bleaching: Patterns, Processes, Causes and Consequences. Springer. 178 p.
