RESEARCH PROFILE

My research is on community ecology, particularly the effects of natural and anthropogenic stresses on ecosystems, especially (since 1998) on ecosystem responses to climate change.

- Biogeography and biodiversity of Indo Pacific coral reefs, including research on climate change effects on tropical systems which directly support people.

- Coastal Management and conservation projects in middle East and Chagos Archipelago, and Caribbean.

- Marine habitat research in numerous tropical countries, particularly inter-habitat interactions including human interactions with the marine system. GIS based coastal zone management development for lesser developed countries.

- Research on the recent episodes of massive reef mortality in the Indian Ocean.

- Marine biodiversity research, using remote sensing, in tropical marine ecosystems.

- Investigation of community changes along pollution and sedimentation gradients, including the development and use of new and powerful non-parametric methods of analysis.

- Research linking climate data to marine environmental changes.

See Marine and Coastal Ecosytems

BACKGROUND

I advise several governments on marine and coastal management and science, including the UK Government on its tropical Overseas Territories.

I have organised and led the scientific input to the 2010 creation of the world's largest fully protected marine researce, in the Chagos archipelago, Indian Ocean, where a lot of my research has been focussed.

The other main geographical area of research is the Arabian region.

PhD University of Durham 1976.

Fellow, Linnean Society
Conservation Fellow, Zoological Society London
Reviewing member of the IPCC
Editor of the Elsevier journal:Marine Pollution Bulletin
Author and/or editor 10 books at various levels, from lay, student text and academic.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

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SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Sheppard CRC and 40 others(2012) 'Reefs and islands of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean: Why it is the world?s largest no-take marine protected area.' Aquatic Conservation 22 232 - 261 (1052-7613)
• Sung-Yin Yang, Sashank Keshavmurthy, David Obura, Charles R C Sheppard, Shakil Visram, Chaolun Allen Chen(2012) 'Diversity and Distribution of Symbiodinium Associated with Seven Common Coral Species in the Chagos Archipelago, Central Indian Ocean' PLoS One 7 (5), (1932-6203)
• Ateweberhan M, McClanahan TR, Graham NAJ, Sheppard CRC(2011) 'Episodic heterogeneous decline and recovery of coral cover in the Indian Ocean' Coral Reefs 30 739 - 752 (0722-4028)
• Pratchett M. S.; Graham N. A. J.; Sheppard C. R. C.; et al.(2010) 'Are infestations of Cymo melanodactylus killing Acropora cytherea in the Chagos archipelago?' Coral Reefs 29 (4), 941 - 941 (0722-4028)
• Sheppard Charles(2010) 'Marine protected areas and pelagic fishing: The case of the Chagos Archipelago' Marine Pollution Bulletin 60 (11), 1899 - 1901 (0025-326X)

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