Dr Gareth Williams

Reader / Director of Impact and Engagement

Contact info

Room: 303 Craig Mair      Phone: +44(0)1248 382588

E-mail: g.j.williams@bangor.ac.uk      Twitter 

Google Scholar      Research Gate

 

I graduated in Marine Biology (University of Liverpool) in 2004 and completed an MSc in Marine Environmental Protection (Bangor University) in 2006. I began a PhD in Marine Biology (Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand) in 2007 in coral disease ecology, combining macroecology, experimental ecology, and histopathology to identify disease baselines and drivers of disease prevalence on Pacific coral reefs. A focus study site of mine was Palmyra Atoll, an uninhabited atoll in the Northern Line Islands. After obtaining my PhD in 2011, I was awarded a post-doctoral scholarship at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego (UCSD) where I continued to work on the macroecology of Pacific coral reefs. This role at Scripps transitioned into an Assistant Project Scientist position within the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation in 2013. I left Scripps in late 2015 to return to the UK and take up my full-time role within the School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University.  

I am a marine ecologist specialising in coral reef ecology. My work focuses on the interaction of organisms with their environment, often taking a macroecological approach. I am particularly interested in how human activities and natural biophysical gradients interact to drive community patterns across multiple trophic levels (microbes to sharks) and scales (individual reefs to entire ocean basins). Much of my work incorporates remote coral reefs free from direct human impact, providing key replication at the unimpacted end of an intact-to-degraded ecosystem spectrum. By surveying across extensive geographical areas we address broad questions pertaining to: 1. the human, climatic and oceanographic drivers of coral reef ecosystem structure and function, 2. climate change impacts to coral reef ecosystems, 3. the spatial ecology of coral reefs, and 4. disease dynamics on coral reefs.

 

Research Areas 

  1. Published

    A review of a decade of lessons from one of the world’s largest MPAs: conservation gains and key challenges

    Hays, G. C., Koldewey, H., Meeuwig, J. J., Attrill, M. J., Barley, S., Bayley, D., . Benkwitt, C. E., Block, B., Schallert, R. J., Carlisle, A. B., Carr, P., Chapple, T. K., Collins, C., Diaz, C., Dunn, N., Dunbar, R. B., Eager, D. S., Engel, J., Embling, C. B., Esteban, N., Ferretti, F., Foster, N. L., Freeman, R., Gollock, M., Graham, N. A. J., Harris, J. L., Head, C. E. I., Hosegood, P., Howell, K. L., Hussey, N. E., Jacoby, D. M. P., Jones, R., Lange, I. D., Letessier, T. B., Levey, E., Lindhart, M., McDevitt-Irwin, J. M., Meekan, M. G., Micheli, F., Mogg, A., Mortimer, J. A., Mucciarone, D., Nicoll, M. A., Nuno, A., Perry, C. T., Sannassy Pilly, J., Preston, S. G., Rattray, A. J., Robinson, E., Roche, R., Schiele, M., Sheehan, E. V., Sheppard, A., Sheppard, C., Smith, A. L., Soule, B., Spalding, M., Stevens, G. M. W., Steyaert, M., Stiffel, S., Taylor, B., Tickler, D. M., Trevail, A. M., Trueba, P., Turner, J., Votier, S., Wilson, B., Williams, G., Williamson, B. J., Williamson, M. J., Wood, H. & Curnick, D. J., 14 Oct 2020, In: Marine Biology. 167, 11, 159.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  2. Published

    A robust operational model for predicting where tropical cyclone waves damage coral reefs

    Puotinen, M., Maynard, J. A., Beeden, R., Radford, B. & Williams, G., May 2017, In: Scientific Reports. 6, 26009.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  3. Published

    Advancing the integration of spatial data to map human and natural drivers on coral reefs

    Wedding, L., Lecky, J., Gove, J., Walecka, H., Donovan, M., Williams, G., Jouffray, J-B., Crowder, L., Erickson, A., Falinski, K., Friedlander, A., Kappel, C., Kittinger, J., McCoy, K., Norstrom, A., Nystrom, M., Oleson, K., Stamoulis, K., White, C. & Selkoe, K., 1 Mar 2018, In: PLoS ONE. :e0189792.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  4. Published

    Antarctic sea-ice microbial communities show distinct patterns of zonation in response to algal-derived substrates

    Cowie, R. O., Williams, G. J., Maas, E. W., Voyles, K. M. & Ryan, K. G., 2 Oct 2014, In: Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 73, 2, p. 123-134

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  5. Published

    Artificial shorelines lack natural structural complexity across scales

    Lawrence, P., D'Urban Jackson, T., Jenkins, S., Williams, G. J. & Davies, A., 26 May 2021, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 288, 1951, p. 20210329 rspb.2021.0329.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  6. Published

    Assessing relative resilience potential of coral reefs to inform management

    Maynard, J. A., McKagan, S., Raymundo, L., Johnson, S., Ahmadia, G. N., Johnston, L., Houk, P., Williams, G., Kendall, M., Heron, S. F., van Hooidonk, R., Mcleod, E., Tracey, D. & Planes, S., 1 Dec 2015, In: Biological Conservation. 192, December, p. 109-119

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  7. Benthic communities at two remote Pacific coral reefs: effects of reef habitat, depth, and wave energy gradients on spatial patterns

    Williams, G. J., Smith, J. E., Conklin, E. J., Gove, J. M., Sala, E. & Sandin, S. A., 28 May 2013, In: PeerJ. 1, e81.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  8. Published

    Biophysical drivers of coral trophic depth zonation

    Williams, G., Sandin, S. A., Zgliczynski, B. J., Fox, M., Gove, J. M., Rogers, J. S., Furby, K., Hartmann, A., Caldwell, Z. R., Price, N. & Smith, J. E., Apr 2018, In: Marine Biology. 165, 60.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  9. Black reefs: iron-induced phase shifts on coral reefs

    Kelly, L. W., Barott, K. L., Dinsdale, E., Friedlander, A. M., Nosrat, B., Obura, D., Sala, E., Sandin, S. A., Smith, J. E., Vermeij, M. J. A., Williams, G. J., Willner, D. & Rohwer, F., Mar 2012, In: The ISME Journal. 6, 3, p. 638-649

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  10. Published

    Co-occurrence of herbivorous fish functional groups correlates with enhanced coral reef benthic state

    Sheppard, C., Williams, G. J., Exton, D. & Keith, S., Mar 2023, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 32, 3, p. 435-449 15 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  11. Published

    Combining fish and benthic communities into multiple regimes reveals complex reef dynamics

    Donovan, M. K., Friedlander, A. M., Lecky, J., Jouffray, J-B., Williams, G. J., Wedding, L. M., Crowder, L. B., Erickson, A. L., Graham, N. A. J., Gove, J. M., Kappel, C. V., Karr, K., Kittinger, J. N., Norström, A. V., Nyström, M., Oleson, K. L. L., Stamoulis, K. A., White, C., Williams, I. D. & Selkoe, K. A., 16 Nov 2018, In: Scientific Reports. 8, 16943.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  12. Published

    Contrasting recovery following removal of growth anomalies in the corals Acropora and Montipora

    Williams, G. J., 11 Oct 2013, In: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 106, 2, p. 181-185

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  13. Coral disease at Palmyra Atoll, a remote reef system in the Central Pacific

    Williams, G., Aeby, G. S. & Davy, S. K., Mar 2008, In: Coral Reefs. 27, 1, p. 207-207

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  14. Published

    Coral reef benthic regimes exhibit non-linear threshold responses to natural physical drivers

    Gove, J. M., Williams, G. J., McManus, M. A., Clark, S. J., Ehses, J. S. & Wedding, L. M., 2 Mar 2015, In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. 522, p. 33-48

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  15. Published

    Coral reef ecology in the Anthropocene

    Williams, G. J., Graham, N. A. J., Jouffray, J-B., Norstrom, A. V., Nystrom, M., Gove, J. M., Heenan, A. & Wedding, L. M., Jun 2019, In: Functional Ecology. 33, 6, p. 1014-1022

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  16. Published

    Coral reef ecosystem services in the Anthropocene

    Woodhead, A. J., Hicks, C. C., Norstrom, A. V., Williams, G. J. & Graham, N. A. J., Jun 2019, In: Functional Ecology. 33, 6, p. 1023-1034

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  17. Published

    Coral reef resilience differs among islands within the Gulf of Mannar, southeast India following successive coral bleaching events

    Diraviya Raj, K., Aeby, G., Mathews, G., Williams, G. J., Caldwell, J., Laju, R. L., Selva Bharath, M., Dinesh Kumar, P., Arasamuthu, A., Gladwin Gnana Asir, N., Wedding, L., Davies, A., Moritsch, M. & Patterson Edward, J. K., Aug 2021, In: Coral Reefs. 40, 4, p. 1029-1044

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  18. Published

    Coral reefs benefit from reduced land–sea impacts under ocean warming

    Gove, J. M., Williams, G. J., Lecky, J., Brown, E., Conklin, E., Counsell, C., Davis, G., Donovan, M., Falinski, K., Kramer, L., Kozar, K., Li, N., Maynard, J. A., McCutcheon, A., McKenna, S., Neilson, B., Safaie, A., Teague, C., Whittier, R. & Asner, G., 21 Sept 2023, In: Nature. 621, 7979, p. 536-542 7 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  19. Published

    Cryptic species obscure introduction pathway of the blue Caribbean sponge (Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea), (order: Haplosclerida) to Palmyra Atoll, Central Pacific

    Knapp, I. S., Forsman, Z. H., Williams, G. J., Toonen, R. J. & Bell, J. J., 6 Aug 2015, In: PeerJ. 3

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  20. Disease dynamics of Montipora white syndrome within Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii: distribution, seasonality, virulence, and transmissibility

    Aeby, G. S., Ross, M., Williams, G., Lewis, T. D. & Work, T. M., 26 Jul 2010, In: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 91, 1, p. 1-8

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  21. Published

    Disease dynamics of Porites bleaching with tissue loss: prevalence, virulence, transmission, and environmental drivers

    Sudek, M., Williams, G. J., Runyon, C., Aeby, G. S. & Davy, S. K., 10 Feb 2015, In: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 113, 1, p. 59-68

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  22. Environmental Factors Affecting Large-Bodied Coral Reef Fish Assemblages in the Mariana Archipelago

    Richards, B. L., Williams, I. D., Vetter, O. J. & Williams, G. J., 27 Feb 2012, In: PLoS ONE. 7, 2, e31374.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  23. Published

    Environmental and ecological controls of coral community metabolism on Palmyra Atoll

    Koweek, D., Dunbar, R. B., Rogers, J. S., Williams, G., Price, N., Mucciarone, D. & Teneva, L., Mar 2015, In: Coral Reefs. 34, 1, p. 339-351

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  24. Published

    First record of coralline fungal disease (CFD) in the Indian Ocean

    Williams, G., Roche, R. & Turner, J., 4 Jun 2018, In: Coral Reefs. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-018-1704-z , 1 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  25. Published

    Foraging consistency of coral reef fishes across environmental gradients in the central Pacific

    Zgliczynski, B. J., Williams, G., Hamilton, S., Cordner, E., Fox, M., Eynaud, Y., Michene, R., Kaufman, L. & Sandin, S. A., Oct 2019, In: Oecologia. 191, 2, p. 433-445

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  26. Published

    Gradients in primary production predict trophic strategies of mixotrophic corals across spatial scales

    Fox, M. D., Williams, G. J., Johnson, M. D., Radice, V. Z., Zgliczynski, B. J., Kelly, E. L. A., Rohwer, F. L., Sandin, S. A. & Smith, J. E., 5 Nov 2018, In: Current Biology. 28, 21, p. 3355-3363

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  27. Gross and microscopic morphology of lesions in Cnidaria from Palmyra Atoll, Central Pacific

    Williams, G. J., Work, T. M., Aeby, G. S., Knapp, I. S. & Davy, S. K., Feb 2011, In: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 106, 2, p. 165-173

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  28. Growth Anomalies on the Coral Genera Acropora and Porites Are Strongly Associated with Host Density and Human Population Size across the Indo-Pacific

    Aeby, G. S., Williams, G. J., Franklin, E. C., Haapkyla, J., Harvell, C. D., Neale, S., Page, C. A., Raymundo, L., Vargas-Angel, B., Willis, B. L., Work, T. M. & Davy, S. K., 18 Feb 2011, In: PLoS ONE. 6, 2

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  29. Published

    Guiding coral reef futures in the Anthropocene

    Norstrom, A. V., Nystrom, M., Jouffray, J-B., Folke, C., Graham, N. A. J., Moberg, F., Olsson, P. & Williams, G., 1 Nov 2016, In: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  30. Published

    Hawaiʻi Coral Disease database (HICORDIS): species-specific coral health data from across the Hawaiian archipelago

    Caldwell, J. M., Burns, J. H. R., Couch, C., Ross, M., Runyon, C., Takabayashi, M., Vargas-Ángel, B., Walsh, W., Walton, M., White, D., Williams, G. & Heron, S. F., Sept 2016, In: Data in Brief. 8, p. 1054-1058

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  31. Published

    High frequency temperature variability reduces the risk of coral bleaching

    Safaie, A., Silbiger, N. J., McClanahan, T. R., Pawlak, G., Barshis, D. J., Hench, J. L., Rogers, J. S., Williams, G. & Davis, K. A., 2018, In: Nature Communications. 9, 1671.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  32. E-pub ahead of print

    Host density and anthropogenic stress are drivers of variability in dark spot disease in Siderastrea siderea across the Florida Reef Tract

    Aeby, G. S., Williams, G. J., Whitall, D., Davies, A., Fromuth, E. & Walker, B. K., 27 Jun 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Bulletin of Marine Science .

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  33. Published

    Identifying multiple coral reef regimes and their drivers across the Hawaiian archipelago

    Jouffray, J., Nystrom, M., Norstrom, A. V., Williams, I. D., Wedding, L. M., Kittinger, J. N. & Williams, G. J., 24 Nov 2014, In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 370, 1659

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  34. Published

    Impacts and Recovery from Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi on the Great Barrier Reef

    Beeden, R., Maynard, J., Puotinen, M., Marshall, P., Dryden, J., Goldberg, J. & Williams, G., 15 Apr 2015, In: PLoS ONE. 10, 4, p. e0121272

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  35. Published

    Improving marine disease surveillance through sea temperature monitoring, outlooks and projections

    Maynard, J., van Hooidonk, R., Harvell, C. D., Eakin, C. M., Liu, G., Willis, B. L., Williams, G., Groner, M. L., Dobson, A., Heron, S. F., Glenn, R., Reardon, K. & Shields, J. D., 5 Mar 2016, In: Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 371, 1689

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  36. Published

    Influence of local environmental variables on the viral consortia associated with the coral Montipora capitata from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, USA

    Lawrence, S. A., Wilkinson, S. P., Davy, J. E., Arlidge, W. N., Williams, G. J., Wilson, W. H., Aeby, G. S. & Davy, S. K., 24 Mar 2015, In: Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 74, p. 251-262

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  37. Published

    Influence of upwelling on coral reef benthic communities: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Spring, D. & Williams, G. J., 29 Mar 2023, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 290, 1995, p. 20230023 1 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  38. Published

    Large-area imaging reveals biologically driven non-random spatial patterns of corals at a remote reef

    Edwards, C., Eynaud, Y., Williams, G., Pedersen, N., Zgliczynski, B., Gleason, A., Smith, J. & Sandin, S., Dec 2017, In: Coral Reefs. 36, 4, p. 1291-1305

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  39. Published

    Linking variation in planktonic primary production to coral reef fish growth and condition

    Roche, R., Heenan, A., Taylor, B. M., Schwarz, J. N., Fox, M. D., Southworth, L., Williams, G. & Turner, J., 31 Aug 2022, In: Royal Society Open Science. 9, 8, p. 201012 201012.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  40. Published

    Local genomic adaptation of coral reef-associated microbiomes to gradients of natural variability and anthropogenic stressors

    Kelly, L. W., Williams, G. J., Barott, K. L., Carlson, C. A., Dinsdale, E. A., Edwards, R. A., Haas, A. F., Haynes, M., Lim, Y. W., McDole, T., Nelson, C. E., Sala, E., Sandin, S. A., Smith, J. E., Vermeij, M. J., Youle, M. & Rohwer, F., 30 Jun 2014, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 111, 28, p. 10227-10232

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  41. Published

    Local human impacts decouple natural biophysical relationships on Pacific coral reefs

    Williams, G. J., Gove, J. M., Eynaud, Y., Zgliczynski, B. J. & Sandin, S. A., 28 Feb 2015, In: Ecography. 38, 8, p. 751-761

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  42. Published

    Local human impacts disrupt depth-dependent zonation of tropical reef fish communities

    Richardson, L., Heenan, A., Delargy, A., Neubauer, P., Lecky, J., Gove, J. M., Green, M., Kindinger, T., Ingeman, K. & Williams, G. J., Nov 2023, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 7, 11, p. 1844-1855 12 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  43. Published

    Local human impacts disrupt relationships between benthic reef assemblages and environmental predictors

    Ford, A., Jouffray, J-B., Norstrom, A. V., Moore, B., Nugues, M., Williams, G. J., Bejarano, S., Magron, F., Wild, C. & Ferse, S., 21 Oct 2020, In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 7, 571115.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  44. Published

    Local-scale projections of coral reef futures and implications of the Paris Agreement

    van Hooidonk, R., Maynard, J. A., Tamelander, J., Gove, J. M., Ahmadia, G. N., Raymundo, L., Williams, G., Heron, S. F. & Planes, S., Dec 2016, In: Scientific Reports. 6, 39666.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  45. Published

    Localized outbreaks of coral disease on Arabian reefs are linked to extreme temperatures and environmental stressors

    Aeby, G., Howells, E., Work, T., Abrego, D., Williams, G. J., Wedding, L., Caldwell, J., Moritsch, M. & Burt, J., Jun 2020, In: Coral Reefs. 39, 3, p. 829-846 18 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  46. Published

    Macroalgae exhibit diverse responses to human disturbances on coral reefs

    Cannon, S., Donner, S., Liu, A., Gonzalez Espinosa, P., Baird, A., Baum, J., Bauman, A., Beger, M., Benkwitt, C., Birt, M., Chancerelle, Y., Cinner, J., Crane, N., Denis, V., Depczynski, M., Fadli, N., Fenner, D., Fulton, C., Golbuu, Y., Graham, N., Guest, J., Harrison, H., Hobbs, J-P., Hoey, A., Holmes, T., Houk, P., Januchowski-Hartley, F., Jompa, J., Kuo, C-Y., Valentino Limmon, G., Lin, Y., McClanahan, T., Muenzel, D., Paddack, M., Planes, S., Pratchett, M., Radford, B., Reimer, J., Richards, Z., Ross, C., Rulmal Jr., J., Sommer, B., Williams, G. J. & Wilson, S., 1 Jun 2023, In: Global Change Biology. 29, 12, p. 3318-3330

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  47. Published

    Meta-Mass Shift Chemical (MeMSChem) profiling of metabolomes from coral reefs

    Hartmann, A., Petras, D., Quinn, R., Protsyuk, I., Archer, F., Ransome, E., Williams, G., Bailey, B., Vermeij, M., Alexandrov, T., Dorrestein, P. & Rohwer, F., 31 Oct 2017, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 114, 44, p. 11685-11690

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  48. Published

    Metagenomic covariation along densely sampled environmental gradients in the Red Sea

    Thompson, L. R., Williams, G., Haroon, M. F., Shibl, A., Larsen, P., Shorenstein, J., Knight, R. & Stingl, U., Jan 2017, In: ISME Journal. 11, p. 138-151

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  49. Modeling patterns of coral bleaching at a remote Central Pacific atoll

    Williams, G. J., Knapp, I. S., Maragos, J. E. & Davy, S. K., Sept 2010, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 60, 9, p. 1467-1476

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  50. Published

    Modelling the linkage between coral assemblage structure and pattern of environmental forcing

    Sandin, S. A., Eynaud, Y., Williams, G. J., Edwards, C. & McNamara, D., 14 Oct 2020, In: Royal Society Open Science. 7, 10, 200565.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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