HomeCollegesCollegesCollege of Natural and Health SciencesFaculty And StaffProfilesDr. David Abrego
Associate Professor and Co-Chair LES, AUH Campus

BSc. Aquatic Biology (University of California at Santa Barbara, USA)

MApp.Sci. Marine Biology (James Cook University, Australia)

PhD. Marine Biology (James Cook University, Australia)

Bio

I am a marine biologist with well over a decade of experience working with marine organisms (mainly reef-building corals). I completed my PhD and post doctoral training in Australia within some of the most productive institutions for coral reef studies in the world (JCU, AIMS, and ARC CoE for Coral Reef Research). My research investigates critical aspects in the early life history of corals, mechanisms of adaptation to warming oceans, and trade-offs to environmental stress tolerance. I use a combination of field studies, genetics, photo-physiology and chemistry tools to conduct my research.

Google Scholar Profile

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Zayed University:

Associate Professor (since 2016

Assistant Professor (2013-2016)

Australian Institute of Marine Science:

Post Doctoral Fellow (2010-2013)

James Cook University:

Adjuct Lecturer (2011-2014)

Various research roles (2003-2009)

 
Office

Abu Dhabi - Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi Campus, FF1-1-034

Phone:

+971-2-599 3368

Email:
Teaching Areas

General Biology (Bio201)

Ecology & Conservation Biology (Bio351)

Marine Biology & Ecology

Coral Biology & Ecology

Research and Professional Activities

  • Establishment and maintenance of coral-microalgal symbioses

  • Marine invertebrate settlement

  • Drivers of coral health and disease

  • Physiological tolerance to environmental stress

  • Mechanisms of adaptation to changing environments

CONSULTANCY & INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE:

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Australia (Coral Bleaching & Disease Prevalence)

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, UAE (Coral Restoration & Mitigation)

Institute of Aquaculture and Fisheries of Jalisco, Mexico (Rural Aquaculture & Fisheries)

 

MEMBERSHIP OF SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:

International Society for Reef Studies

Australian Coral Reef Society

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

 

  1. Abrego D, Ulstrup KE, Willis BL, van Oppen MJH. 2008. Species-specific interactions between algal endosymbionts and coral hosts define their bleaching response to heat and light stress. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 275:2273-2282.

  2. Abrego D, van Oppen MJH, Willis BL. 2009. Algal endosymbiont specificity varies among closely related species of Acropora corals. Molecular Ecology. 18:3532-3543.

  3. Abrego D, Willis BL, van Oppen MJH. 2012. Impact of light and temperature on the uptake of algal symbionts by Acropora coral juveniles. PLoS ONE 7(11):e50311.

  4. Dixson DL, Abrego D, Hay ME. 2014. Chemically mediated behavior of recruiting corals and fishes: A tipping point that may limit reef recovery. Science 345:892-897.

  5. Siboni N, Abrego D, Evenhuis C, Logan M, Motti CA. 2015. Adaptation to local thermal regimes by crustose coralline algae does not affect rates of recruitment in coral larvae. Coral Reefs 34:1243-1253.

  6. Howells EJ, Abrego D, Meyer E, Kirk NL, Burt JA. 2016. Host adaptation and unexpected symbiont partners enable reef-building corals to tolerate extreme temperatures. Global Change Biology 22:2702-2714.

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