Man wearing blue shirt, standing in front of green trees.

Dr David Wachenfeld

Research Program Director

Reef Ecology and Monitoring Program

Contact email
Townsville
Background
About

I have worked in the fields of marine park management, marine science, and tourism for 30 years. Since 2003 I have held senior leadership positions at the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Employment
2023 - Present
Research Program Director, Australian Institute of Marine Science
2017-2023
Chief Scientist, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
2014-2017
Director - Reef Recovery, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
2013-2014
Director - Ecosystem Conservation and Resilience, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
2012-2013
Director - Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Use, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
2009-2012
Director - Science Coordination and Chief Scientist, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Education
1989-1993
PhD - Aspects of the Behaviour and Ecology of Red Sea and Indian Ocean Triggerfishes, University of York
1985-1988
Bachelor of Science (Hons 1st class) - Marine and Freshwater Biology, University of London
Publications

McLeod et al (2022) Coral restoration and adaptation in Australia: The first five years. PLoS ONE 17(11): e0273325.

Shaver EC et al (2022) A roadmap to integrating resilience into the practice of coral reef restoration. Global Change Biology 28 (16), pp4751-4764.

Burrows DW et al (2019) Symposium report: Great Barrier Reef restoration symposium, 2018. Ecological Management and Restoration Vol 20 (2), pp175-178.

Anthony K et al (2017) New interventions are needed to save coral reefs. Nature Ecology and Evolution 1, pp1420–1422.

Hughes TP et al (2017) Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals. Nature 543, pp 373-377.

Van Oppen MJH et al (2017) Shifting paradigms in restoration of the world’s coral reefs. Global Change Biology 23 (9), pp3437-3448.

Clark TR et al (2016) Historical photographs revisited: A case study for dating and characterizing recent loss of coral cover on the inshore Great Barrier Reef. Sci. Rep. 6, 19285.

Dutra LXC et al (2016) How important is the coast? A survey of coastal objectives in an Australian regional city. Marine Policy 71, pp229–241.

Dichmont CM et al (2016) A generic method of engagement to elicit regional coastal management options. Ocean & Coastal Management 124, pp22-32.

Maynard JA et al (2015) Great Barrier Reef No-Take Areas Include a Range of Disturbance Regimes. Conservation Letters 9 (3), pp 191-199.

Anthony KRN et al (2014) Operationalizing resilience for adaptive coral reef management under global environmental change. Global Change Biology 21 (1), pp48-61.

Dobbs K et al (2011) Developing a long-term outlook for the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: a framework for adaptive management reporting underpinning an ecosystem-based management approach. Marine Policy 35, pp233-240.

Pratchett MS et al (2011) Contribution of climate change to degradation and loss of critical fish habitats in Australian Marine and Freshwater Environments. Marine and Freshwater Research 62, pp1062-1081.

McCook LJ et al (2010) Adaptive management of the Great Barrier Reef: A globally significant demonstration of the benefits of networks of marine reserves. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 107, pp18278-18285.

Wachenfeld D et al (2007) Introduction to the Great Barrier Reef and climate change. In: Climate change and the Great Barrier Reef: a vulnerability assessment (Edited by JE Johnson and PA Marshall). Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, 2007. p. 1-13.