Professor of Biology
Policy Leader of Ecology and Evolution Program
Research Associate, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Rice University
Advisor to Charles Darwin Foundation
Editorial Board Coral Reef

Gerard M. Wellington
Professor

Department of Biology and Biochemistry
University of Houston
Houston, TX 77204

Phone: (713) 743-2649
Fax: (713) 743-2636

wellington@uh.edu

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Wellington Curriculum Vitae

Earth Systems Program

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My research interests are focused in three general areas
1) photobiology - specifically the role of ultraviolet light in controlling patterns of depth distribution, and negative effects resulting from changes in water column transparency,
2) life-history patterns in larval and juvenile fishes - population dynamics of recruitment and determinants of early life history traits, such as planktonic larval length,
3) paleoclimate reconstruction - changes in marine climate in the tropical eastern Pacific over the past 400 years determined from stable isotope analysis and annual growth band patterns in reef corals skeletons.

1) Our research in photobiology began following the coral bleaching event in the Caribbean during 1987. While convention dogma held that organisms in the tropics had evolved protective mechanisms to avoid the biologically damaging effects of UV radiation, our investigations have shown that this is not the case. While marine organisms have evolved mechanisms to screen harmful UV radiation, the concentrations of sequestered pigments used to block UV vary along a depth gradient, becoming lower with increasing depth. The consequence of this is that large changes in water column transparency (resulting from extended doldrum conditions) can have profound differential affects on individuals living at depth. In controlled field experiments we have shown that realistic light levels (where seasonal maxima are extended for up to 2-4 weeks) can lead to coral bleaching (loss of endosymbiotic). This bleaching is synergistic with SST.

Further work in this area has shown that UV radiation can influence patterns of larval settlement and affect the growth rates of juveniles. We conducted a series of experiments show that broadcast spawn from deeper water corals (15 m vs 3 m depth) experience high mortality when exposed to surface-level ambient light. Broadcast spawn are obliged to spent two days at the surface incurring high exposure to UV light while metamorphosing into free-swimming planula larvae. The implication of these results is that deeper water corals may experience much lower fitness than those in shallow water and indicates that these populations may contribute little to the gene pool.

Current studies are addressing the ability of corals recover and acclimate to changing levels of light and temperature. Experiments conducted over a two-year period in the Bahamas indicate that recovery occurs if stress conditions are not extreme in duration. Corals transplanted from deeper water environments show an ability to acclimate to increased light levels following initial bleaching. These results indicate that corals may be able to adapt to future changes in climate. Our UV studies have been supported by the National Science Foundation since 1991, the National Undersea Research Center since 1989 and the Caribbean Marine Research Center since 1996.

2) My work on reef fishes has ranged from adult fish interaction with corals to patterns of early life history traits and biogeography. As a consequence of the 1983 ENSO I was able to show that damselfish populations were not limited by resources but rather recruitment. Large areas of bare space suitable for living sites increased dramatically when high SSTs killed large areas of living coral substrate. In later studies, aided by the fact that larvae fish accrete daily growth lines on their otoliths, Ben Victor and I determined the length of larval life in 100 species of damselfish world-wide and examined its relationship to patterns of biogeographic distribution. Unexpectedly we found a very loose relationship - some short - duration species had very wide distribution, others very narrow, and vice versa for long-duration species. More recently we examine this relationship in a large data set including nearly all eastern Pacific labrids and pomacentrids representing a combination of closely related species which have both long and short larval durations with broad and narrow geographic ranges. The results support our earlier finding that there is little if any relationship between distribution and lengthb of larval life. Presently we are looking at the interaction of between ENSO events and larval recruitment. We have two years worth of data from several sites in the eastern Pacific.

In addition to work on larvae and juveniles I have become interested in maintenance and stability of populations of insular fish species. I recently discovered hybridization occurring between a damselfish endemic to Galapagos with an invading mainland species. Genetic evidence indicates that these are sister species. The mainland species Stegastes acapulcoensis arrived in large number during the last ENSO of 1982/83. From aging studies recently completed we have found that these fish are very long lived (up to 30 years) and through hybridization could potentially affect the integrity of endemic populations. I have recently received support from NSF to document the recruitment of S. acapulcoensis during the current ENSO and assess the degree of out-crossing currently taking place. This may prove an ideal system to test the dogma that hybridization degenerates species integrity of genetic diversity. The work is being supported by a grant from the National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation.

3) The goal of climate reconstruction is to document patterns of climate change in the recent past that maybe useful in predicting future trends - possibly related to the proposed global warming phenomenon. In collaboration with Rob Dunbar at Stanford University, our isotopic coral studies in Galapagos revealed decadal shifts in mean SST temperatures on the order of 1- 2 degrees C , which are considered spectacular for a low latitude site. This record contains the same warming and cooling trends associated with Little Ice Age cooling and Medieval Warming periods, indicating that past climate events, generally thought to be unique high latitude phenomena, were in fact felt worldwide. The record also reveals decadal shifts in the recurrence interval of ENSO events. From 1650-1700 ENSO frequency was 5-6 years, then it dropped to 4.4 years between 1750-1820 and finally between 1820-1920 it centered around 3.2 yrs which it what the pattern has been until just recently. These results were independently corroborated by Quinn (1994) from monastery and public records made from the mid 1500's to present. To test the reliability of this record I conducted a 2 year long field experiment in Galapagos showing that tje stable isotopic record in contemporary coral skeleton faithfully recorded SSTs. I am currently examining the ENSO record in the Southern Ocean from coral cores (300 year long records) we recently collected at Rarotonga (Cooks Islands) and Fiji. The number of climate-related coral stress events (mainly bleaching) have increased dramatically over the past 15. The climatic reconstruction work described above may help us to determine whether or not current climate - related stress events are unprecedented or not. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Climate and Global Change Program at NOAA.

Education:

1971 B.A. (Biology) San Jose State University, San Jose
1981 Ph.D. (Biology) University of California, Santa Barbara

Professional positions:

1994/Present: Professor, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston.
1990/Present: Research Associate, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Rice University, Houston.
1988/1994: Associate Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, University of Houston, Houston.
1982/88: Assistant Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, University of Houston, Houston.

Fields of interest:

Population and community ecology of marine organisms. Biology and evolution of tropical organisms.
- Photobiology of reef corals.
- Community ecology of reef fishes; factors influencing plankton larval duration; habitat selection at settlement; dispersal and biogeographic patterns of distribution.

Climatic reconstruction of ENSO events in the tropical eastern Pacific.

Awards and Honors:

Smithsonian Pre-doctoral Fellowship 1978-1979
Antarctic Service Medal 1989
Best Paper Award (with R. Dunbar, Rice University), Coral Reefs, vol.14, 1996
Best paper Award (with Andrea Grottoli) Coral Reefs, vol.18, 1999
Charles Darwin Foundation Medal for Conservation 2000

Current and recent extramural funding:

NSF-NOAA, Climate Records from Corals in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre. (1999-2002).
NGS, Reef-building corals at Easter Island: Insular or west Pacific fauna. (1998-1999), $35,840.
NSF- OCE, Impact of severe El Niño events on insular endemic shorefish populations. (1998-1999), $19,642.
NOAA, Global Change Program, Climate Records from the eastern Pacific (1995-1999), $117,336.
NSF-ATM, Patterns of climate change in the central and eastern sectors of the South Pacific.(1997-1998). $37,216.
NOAA, Caribbean Marine Research Center, Differential effects of UV-A and UV-B on recovery and acclimation of reef corals stressed by UV radiation. (1997-1999), $25,482.

Professional activities: (past 6 years)

• Invited Participant, WWF-sponsored International workshop on Galapagos Biodiversity and Conservation.Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galapagos, May 25-29, 1999.
• Invited Participant, NOAA-Sponsored International workshop, Use of remote sensing tools for mapping and monitoring coral reefs. Oahu, Hawaii, June 7-10, 1999.
• Invited Participant for NASA –sponsored workshop, Use of NASA's remote sensing capabilities to map and monitor the health of coral reefs- present status and future needs. Feb. 7-8, 1999.
• Panel Member for EPA, May 9-10, 1995, May 6-7, 1997.
• Invited Participant, NSF-Sponsored Workshop on Annual Records of Tropical Systems, Kauai Oct. 1996.
• Editorial Board Member for: Coral Reefs (1995-present)
• Invited Participant, Reefish 95, Workshop on the Biology and Ecology of Coral Reef Fishes, Kuranda, Australia. December 1995.
• Panel Member for NSF, Ocean Sciences, Biological Oceanography, January 24-27, 1994
• Cruise Participant, Royal Star expedition to Clipperton Island, April 1994
• Ad Hoc Reviewer for: National Science Foundation (OCE, MGG), EPA, NOAA Sea Grant and GCP, Whitehall Foundation, National Geographic Society, Guggenheim Fellowship Program.
• Ad Hoc Reviewer for: The American Naturalist, Ecology and Ecological Monographs, Science, Biological Bulletin, Coral Reefs, Copeia, Limnology and Oceanography
• Bulletin of Marine Science, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology Progress Series, Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal of Marine Research, Paleoceanography, Marine Chemistry, Sarsia.
• Participant in Jason Projects for Education: Galapagos 1991, Belize 1994, Florida 1996

• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• The Ecological Society of America
• International Coral Reef Society
• Society for the Study of Evolution
• America Society of Naturalists
• American Geophysical Union

• E&E division leader 1998-present
• Policy Committee 1993-current
• Curriculum Committee 1998-2000
• Faculty Search Committee (Biology), 1985-86, 1993, 1997-2001
• Faculty Advisory Committee 1999-2000
• Associate Chair of Graduate Affairs, 1993-1997
• Advisor, Charles Darwin Foundation (Brussels), 1987- present
• Fund-raising Committee 1997-98
• Executive Committee (Department of Biology), 1988-89, 1993-94
• Assistant to Director of Marine Science Program, 1984-1990
• Chairman, Graduate Student Travel Award Committee (Biology), 1988-1994
• Internal Grant Review Committee (OSP), 1987-present
• Co-Chairman, Graduate Restructuring Committee (Biology/Biochemistry), 1993
• Developmental Leave Committee, 1993 (College Natural Sciences and Mathematics)
• JHU Brown Graduate Scholarship Committee (Biology), 1993
• Committee Member, 1993 - present
• Graduate Committee Member, NSM 1993-present

Undergraduate:

Graduate:

present:
Chris Caldow, Ph.D. student
Zac Forsman, Ph.D. student
Chad McNutt, Ph.D. student
Olga Abreu, Ph.D. student

Past:
Rachel Angel, M.S.
Leslie Williams, M.S.
Andrea Grotolli-Everett, Ph.D. graduated
Gutierrez, Ph.D., graduated
Malcolm Hill, Ph.D. graduated
Tom Wilcox, Ph.D. graduated
Daniel Gleason, M.S., Ph.D., graduated
Jeff Villinski, M.S. (graduated)
Tammy McGovern, M.S. (graduated)
John Schmerfeld, M.S. (graduated)
Ann McMillen, M.S. (graduated)
David Bushek, M.S. (graduated)
Sean Craig, M.S. (graduated)
Ken Meyer, M.S. (graduated)

Recent Invited Talks:

• Coral Reef Bleaching and Climate Change, Department of Ecology, University of Georgia, February 16, 2001.
  
• Climate Change and coral reef bleaching. University of Houston, Department of Geology, University of Houston. April 14, 2000
  
• Impact of UV radiation and climate change on reef corals. University of California, Davis, Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory. February 24, 2000.
  
• Coral Reefs in Peril? Global Studies Program, Southwest State University, Minnesota, April 7, 1998.
  
• El Niño and related coral evidence. Sigma Xi, Rice - Texas Medical Center Chapter. Rice University , Houston, Texas, January 29, 1998
  
• Effects of UV radiation on adult and juvenile corals. Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory. July 15, 1997.
  
• UV radiation effects on corals. Department of Marine Sciences. University of South Florida. March 7, 1997.
  
• UV radiation effects on adult and juvenile reef corals. Milton Harris Award Symposium, Oregon State University, Corvallis. May 15, 1996.
  
• Planktonic larval duration: an adaptation to pelagic or reef environments, or both. Reef-fish 95, Joint US-Australia NSF-funded Workshop on Recruitment and the Population Dynamics of Coral Reef Fishes. Kuranda, Australia, December 11-15, 1995.
  
• Coral bleaching and UV radiation. Division of Marine Resources and Marine Biology, Rosentiel School of Atmospheric and Marine Sciences, University of Miami. Miami, Florida. September 25, 1995.

Book:

Glynn, P.W. and G.M. Wellington. 1983. Corals and coral reefs of the Galápagos Islands. University of California Press. 331 pages.

Journal Articles

Wellington. G.M. and W.K. Fitt. (2001) Influence of UV radiation on the survival of larvae from broadcast-spawning reef corals.(in review: Limnology and Oceanography.)

Wellington, G.M. and D.R. Robertson. 2001.Variation in larval life-history traits among reef fishes across the Isthmus of Panamá. Marine Biology.(in press)

Wellington, G.M., A. Strong and G. Merlen. 2001. Monthly sea surface temperature variation in the Galápagos Archipelago: a comparison between AVHRR night-time satellite data and in-situ instrumentation 1982-1998. Bulletin of Marine Sciences. (in press).

Evans, M.N., M.A. Cane, D.P. Schrag, A Kaplan, B. Linsley R. Villalba and G.M. Wellington. 2001. Support for tropically driven Pacific variability based on paleoproxy evidence. Journal of Climate (in press).

Meekan, M., J.L. Ackerman and G.M. Wellington. 2001. The demography and age structure of coral reef damselfishes in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series. (in press)

Linsley, B.K. G.M. Wellington, D.P. Schrag. 2000. Decadal variability in the subtropical South Pacific from 1726 to 1997 A.D. Science 290:1145-1148.

Guilderson, T.P., D.S Schrag, E. Goddard, M. Kashgarian, G.M. Wellington and B.K Linsley.2000. Southwest subtropical Pacific surface water radiocarbon in a high resolution coral record. Radiocarbon. Radiocarbon 42:249-256.

Victor, B.C. and G.M. Wellington. 2000. A review of razorfishes (Perciformes:Labridae) of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Revista Biologia Tropical. (in press)

Victor, B.C. and G.M. Wellington. 2000. Endemism and the pelagic larval duration of reef fishes in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 205:241-248.

Wellington, G.M. 2000. Book Review: What is Natural? Coral Reef Crisis. By Jan Sapp; Oxford Press 1999. Bulletin of Marine Sciences 224: 307-309.

Meekan, M., G.M. Wellington and L. Axe, 1999. El Niño-Southern Oscillation events produce checkmarks in the otoliths of coral reef fishes in the Galápagos Archipelago. Bulletin of Marine Science, 64: 125-132.

Grottoli, A.G. and G.M. Wellington. 1998. Effect of light and zooplankton on skeletal del 13C values in the eastern Pacific coral Pavona clavus and P. gigantea. Coral Reefs 17: vol 3.

Booth, D. and G.M. Wellington. 1998. Settlement preferences in coral reef fishes: effects of patterns of adult and juvenile distributions, individual fitness and population structure. Australian Journal of Ecology 23, 274-279.

Grottoli-Everett, A. and G.M. Wellington. 1997. Fish predation on the scleractinian coral, Madracis mirabilis controls its depth distribution in the Florida Keys, USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series.160:291-293.

Wellington, G.M. 1997. Field guide to the corals and coral reef of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Proceed. 8th International Coral Reef Symposium. Vol 1:185-202.

Wellington, G.M., R.B. Dunbar, G. Merlen. 1996. Calibration of stable oxygen isotope signatures in Galápagos corals. Paleoceanography 11:467-480.

Glynn, P.W., J.E.N. Veron and G.M. Wellington. 1996. Clipperton Atoll (eastern Pacific):oceanography, geomorphology, reef-building coral ecology and biogeography. Coral Reefs 15:71-99.

Lessios, H.A., B.D. Kessing, G.M. Wellington, and A. Graybeal. 1996. Indo-Pacific echinoids in the tropical eastern Pacific. Coral Reefs 15:133-142.

Wellington, G.M. and R.B. Dunbar. 1995. Stable isotope signature of ENSO events in the eastern tropical Pacific reef corals. Coral Reefs 14:5-25.

Gleason, D.F. and G.M. Wellington. 1995. Variation in UVB sensitivity of planula larvae of the coral Agaricia agaricites along a depth gradient. Marine Biology 123:693-703.

Lessios, H.A., G.R. Allen, G.M. Wellington and E. Bermingham. 1995. Genetic and morphological evidence that the Eastern Pacific Damselfish Abudefduf declivifrons is distinct from A. concolor (Pomacentridae) Copeia. 1995:277-288.

Dunbar, R.B., B.K. Linsley and G.M. Wellington. 1995. Eastern Pacific corals monitor El Niño/Southern Oscillation, precipitation, and sea surface temperature variability over the past three centuries. In: Jones, P.D., R.S. Bradley, and J. Jouzel (eds.), Climatic fluctuations and forcing mechanisms of the last 2000 years, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, p. 375-407.

Linsley, B.K., R.B. Dunbar, G.M. Wellington, D.A. Mucciarone. 1994. A coral based reconstruction of intertropical convergence zone variability over Central America since 1707. Journal of Geophysical Research 99:9977-9994.

Dunbar, R.B., G.M. Wellington, M. Colgan and P.W. Glynn. 1994. A 400-year record of sea surface temperatures and coral growth at Urvina Bay, Galapagos. Paleoceanography. 9:291-315.

Linsley, B.K., R.B. Dunbar, G.M. Wellington, D.A. Mucciarone. 1994. A coral based reconstruction of inter-tropical convergence zone variability over Central America since 1707. Journal of Geophysical Research 99:9977-9994.

Wellington, G.M., G.R. Allen and D.R. Robertson. 1994. Xyrichtys perlas (Labridae) a new species of razorfish from from the tropical eastern Pacific. Revue fr. Aquariol. 21:49-52.

Gleason, D.F. and G.M. Wellington. 1993. Ultraviolet radiation induces coral bleaching: evidence from field experiments. Nature, London 365:836-838.

Wellington, G.M. 1992. Xrichtys victori, a new species of razorfish from the Galápagos Islands (Teleostei: Labridae) Copeia 1992:1053-1059.

Wellington, G.M. 1992. Habitat selection and juvenile persistence control the distribution of two closely related Caribbean damselfishes. Oecologia 90:500-508.

Wellington, G.M. and B.C. Victor. 1992. Regional differences in the planktonic larval duration of reef fishes in the eastern Pacific. Marine Biology 113:491-498.

Dunbar, R.D., G.M. Wellington, M.W. Colgan and P.W. Glynn. 1991. Eastern tropical Pacific corals monitor low latitude climate of the past 400 years. In: J.L. Betancourt and V.L. Tharp (eds.), Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Pacific Climate (PACLIM) Workshop. California Department of Water Resources pp. 165-178.

Shen, G.T., R.B. Dunbar, G.M. Wellington, M.W. Colgan and P.W. Glynn. 1991. Paleochemistry of manganese in corals from the Galápagos Islands. Coral Reefs 10:91-100.

Druffel, E.R.M., R.B. Dunbar, G.M. Wellington and S.A. Minnis. 1990. Reef-building corals and identification of ENSO warming episodes. In: P.W. Glynn, ed., Some Ecological Consequences of the 1982-83 El Niño Event to Marine Life. Elsevier North/Holland Press.

Wellington, G.M. and B.C. Victor. 1989. Planktonic larval duration of one hundred species of Pacific and Atlantic damselfishes (Pomacentridae). Marine Biology 101:557-567.

Wellington, G.M. and B. Victor. 1988. Variation in components of reproductive success in an under saturated population of coral reef damselfish: a field perspective. American Naturalist 131:588-601.

Gleason, D.F. and G.M. Wellington. 1988. Food resources of post-larval brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) Marine Biology 97:329-337.

Alam, M., R. Sanduja and G.M. Wellington. 1988. Tubastraine: isolation and structure of a novel alkaloid from the stony coral, Tubastraea micrantha. Heterocycles 27:719-723.

Sanduja, R., M. Alam and G.M. Wellington. 1986. Secondary metabolites of the nonsymbiotic coral, Tubastraea micrantha (Ehrenberg). Journal of Chemical Research 12:450-451.

Wellington, G. M. and B.C. Victor. 1985. El Niño mass coral mortality: a test of resource limitation in a coral reef damselfish population. Oecologia (Berlin) 68:15-19.

Wellington, G.M. and R.K. Trench. 1985. Persistence and coexistence of a nonsymbiotic coral on open reef environments. Proceedings National Academy of Sciences 82:2432-2436.

Wellington, G.M. 1984. Marine environment and protection. Chapter 17 pages 247﷓263. In: Key environments: Galápagos Islands, J.E. Treherne (general editor) and R. Perry (volume editor). Pergamon Press, Oxford, England.

Wellington, G.M., and A. Kuris. 1983. Growth and variation in the tropical eastern Pacific intertidal gastropod genus Purpura: ecological and evolutionary implications. Biological Bulletin 164:518-535.

Wellington, G.M., and P.W. Glynn. 1983. Environmental influences on skeletal banding in Pacific (Panamá) reef corals. Coral Reefs 1:215-222.

Wellington, G.M. 1982. An experimental analysis of the effects of light and zooplankton on coral zonation. Oecologia (Berlin) 52:311-320.

Wellington, G.M. 1982. Depth zonation of corals in the Gulf of Panamá: control and facilitation by resident reef fishes. Ecological Monographs 52:223-241.

Dunbar, R. and G.M. Wellington. 1981. Stable isotopes in a branching coral monitor seasonal temperature variation. Nature (London) 293:453-455.

Wellington, G.M. 1980. Digestive reversal among Pacific reef corals: mediation by sweeper tentacles. Oecologia (Berlin) 47:340-343.

Glynn, P.W., G.M. Wellington and C. Birkeland. 1979. Coral reef growth in the Galápagos Islands: Limitation by grazing sea urchins. Science 207:47-49.

Wellington, G.M. and S. Anderson. 1978. Surface feeding by a juvenile gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus. Fishery Bulletin 76:290-293.

Downey M.E. and G.M. Wellington. 1978. Rediscovery of the giant seastar Luidia superba A.H. Clark in the Galápagos Islands. Bulletin Marine Science. 28:375-376.

Wellington, G. M. 1977. Suggestions for the management of a Galapagos marine park. Noticias de Galápagos 25:5-12.

Wellington, G.M. 1976. A prospectus: proposal for a Galapagos marine park. Noticias de Galápagos 24:9-13.

Wellington, G.M. and Tj. de Vries. 1976. The South American sea lion, Otaria byronia in the Galápagos Islands. Journal of Mammalogy 57:166-168.