Lizard Island Research Grant Funds Coral Taxonomy Study Led by James Cook University

The Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation has awarded its 2022 Critical Research Grant to Professor Andrew Baird from James Cook University's ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, along with collaborators from the Museum of Tropical Queensland and University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Their project focuses on classifying reef-building corals around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef. This research is significant because current coral identification methods based on physical appearance may overlook genetic diversity, which affects ecological understanding and conservation efforts. The team will collect samples for molecular analysis as part of a broader global initiative called Project Phoenix, aiming to revise coral taxonomy worldwide. The grant is funded by donations from Ian and Min Darling, and Sally White.