Job Title
Professor
Department
Life Sciences
Research Interests
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
Current PhD student: Syazara Ebil
Biography
I hold a half-time position of Professor in the School of Life Sciences. The remainder of my time I work for a range of UN , Governmental and aid agencies in tropical marine and coastal development issues.
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.
- 'Hays, Graeme C, 'Chivers, William J, 'Lalo?, Jacques-Olivier, 'Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 'Esteban, Nicole, 2021. 'Impact of marine heatwaves for sea turtle nest temperatures. Biology letters, 17 (5)
- Leupold, Maike, Pfeiffer, Miriam, Garbe-Schönberg, Dieter, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2019. Reef-Scale-Dependent Response of Massive Porites Corals From the Central Indian Ocean to Prolonged Thermal Stress: Evidence From Coral Sr/Ca Measurements. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 20 (3), pp. 1468-1484
- Ateweberhan, Mebrahtu, McClanahan, Tim R., Maina, Joseph, Sheppard, Charles, 2018. Thermal energy and stress properties as the main drivers of regional distribution of coral species richness in the Indian Ocean. Journal of Biogeography, 45 (6), pp. 1355-1366
- Sale, Peter F., Agardy, Tundi, Ainsworth, Cameron H., Feist, Blake E., Bell, Johann D., Christie, Patrick, Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove, Mumby, Peter J., Feary, David A., Saunders, Megan I., Daw, Tim M., Foale, Simon J., Levin, Phillip S., Lindeman, Kenyon C., Lorenzen, Kai, Pomeroy, Robert S., Allison, Edward H., Bradbury, R.H., Corrin, Jennifer, Edwards, Alasdair J. et al (Select to open full list), 2014. Transforming management of tropical coastal seas to cope with challenges of the 21st century. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 85 (1), pp. 8-23
- Wilhelm, T. ?Aulani, Sheppard, Charles, Sheppard, Anne L. S., Gaymer, Carlos F., Parks, John, Wagner, Daniel, Lewis, Nai'a, 2014. Large marine protected areas : advantages and challenges of going big. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 24 (Supplement 2), pp. 24-30
- Harris, Alasdair, Wilson, Shaun, Graham, Nicholas, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2014. Scleractinian coral communities of the inner Seychelles 10 years after the 1998 mortality event. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 24 (5), pp. 667-679
- Ebil, Syazana, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Wahab, Ranimah, Price, Andrew R. G., Bull, James C., 2013. Changes in community structure of finfish catches in Brunei Darussalam between 2000 and 2009. Ocean & Coastal Management, 76, pp. 45-51
- Toonen, Robert J., Wilhelm, T. ?Aulani, Maxwell, Sara M., Wagner, Daniel, Bowen, Brian W., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Taei, Sue M., Teroroko, Tukabu, Moffitt, Russell, Gaymer, Carlos F., Morgan, Lance, Lewis, Nai?a, Sheppard, Anne L. S., Parks, John, Friedlander, Alan M., 2013. One size does not fit all : the emerging frontier in large-scale marine conservation. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 77 (1-2), pp. 7-10
- Pratchett, M. S., Pisapia, C., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2013. Background mortality rates for recovering populations of Acropora cytherea in the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean. Marine environmental research, 86, pp. 29-34
- Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Yang, Sung-Yin, Alamaru, Ada, Chuang, Yao-Yang, Pichon, Michel, Obura, David O., Fontana, Silvia, De Palmas, Stephane, Stefani, Fabrizio, Benzoni, Francesca, MacDonald, Angus, Noreen, Annika M. E., Chen, Chienshun, Wallace, Carden C., Pillay, Ruby Moothein, Denis, Vianney, Amri, Affendi Yang, Reimer, J. D., Mezaki, Takuma, Sheppard, Charles et al (Select to open full list), 2013. DNA barcoding reveals the coral ?laboratory-rat?, Stylophora pistillata encompasses multiple identities. Scientific Reports, 3 (1520)
- Ateweberhan, Mebrahtu, Feary, David A., Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Chen, Allen, Schleyer, M. H., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2013. Climate change impacts on coral reefs : synergies with local effects, possibilities for acclimation, and management implications. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 74 (2), pp. 526-539
- Feary, David A., Burt, John A., Bauman, Andrew G., Al Hazeem, Shaker, Abdel-Moati, Mohamed A., Al-Khalifa, Khalifa A., Anderson, Donald M., Amos, Carl, Baker, Andrew, Bartholomew, Aaron, Bento, Rita, Cavalcante, Geórgenes H., Chen, Chaolun Allen, Coles, Steve L., Dab, Koosha, Fowler, Ashley M., George, David, Grandcourt, Edwin, Hill, Ross, John, David M. et al (Select to open full list), 2013. Critical research needs for identifying future changes in Gulf coral reef ecosystems. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 72 (2), pp. 406-416
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2012. Chagos corals : the debate continues. Ocean Challenge, 19 (1)
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Ateweberhan, M., Bowen, B. W., Carr, P., Chen, C. A., Clubbe, C., Craig, M. T., Ebinghaus, R., Eble, J., Fitzsimmons, N., Gaither, M. R., Gan, C. -H., Gollock, M., Guzman, N., Graham, N. A. J., Harris, A., Jones, R., Keshavmurthy, S., Koldewey, H., Lundin, C. G. et al (Select to open full list), 2012. Reefs and islands of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean : why it is the world's largest no-take marine protected area. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 22 (2), pp. 232-2361
- Riegl, Bernhard M., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Purkis, Samuel J., 2012. Human impact on atolls leads to coral loss and community homogenisation : a modeling study. PLoS ONE, Vol.7 (No.6)
- Matz, Mikhail V., Yang, Sung-Yin, Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Obura, David, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Visram, Shakil, Chen, Chaolun Allen, 2012. Diversity and distribution of symbiodinium associated with seven common coral species in the Chagos Archipelago, Central Indian Ocean. PLoS One, Vol.7 (No.5)
- Bhagooli, R., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2012. Prediction of recurrences of mass coral bleaching / mortality and vulnerability of reef-building corals to climate change in Mauritian and Japanese waters. University of Mauritius research journal, 18A, pp. 105-121
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2012. Management through the looking glass. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 64 (12), pp. 2621-2622
- Rioja-Nieto, Rodolfo, Chiappa-Carrara, Xavier, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2012. Effects of hurricanes on the stability of reef-associated landscapes [Efectos de los huracanes sobre la estabilidad de paisajes asociados con arrecifes coralinos]. Ciencias Marinas, Vol.38 (No.1), pp. 47-55
- Vogler, Catherine, Benzie, John A. H., Barber, Paul H., Erdmann, Mark V., Ambariyanto,, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Tenggardjaja, Kimberly, Gérard, Karin, Wörheide, Gert, 2012. Phylogeography of the crown-of-thorns starfish in the Indian Ocean. PLoS One, Vol.7 (No.8)
- Price, A. R. G., Donlan, M. C., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Munawar, M., 2012. Environmental rejuvenation of the Gulf by compensation and restoration. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, Vol.15 (Supp.1), pp. 7-13
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2012. Sharks on the lawn : the reality of rising sea-level on Indian Ocean Islands. Ocean Challenge, 19
- Ateweberhan, Mebrahtu, McClanahan, T. R., Graham, N. A. J., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2011. Episodic heterogeneous decline and recovery of coral cover in the Indian Ocean. Coral Reefs, Vol.30 (No.3), pp. 739-752
- Price, A. R. G., Harris, A., Mcgowan, A., Venkatachalam, A. J. (Alicia Jane), Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2010. Chagos feels the pinch: assessment of holothurian (sea cucumber) abundance, illegal harvesting and conservation prospects in British Indian Ocean Territory. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, Vol.20 (No.1), pp. 117-126
- Elliott, Michael, Ducrotoy, Jean-Paul, Fernandes, Teresa F., Kingston, Paul F., McLusky, Donald S., Pearce, Jack B., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2010. Obituary: Prof Alasdair McIntyre CBE, BSc DSc (Glasgow), DUniv (Stirling, Edinburgh Napier), FRSE 1926-2010. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol.60 (No.7), pp. 941-942
- Pratchett, M. S., Graham, N. A. J., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Mayes, B., 2010. Are infestations of Cymomelanodactylus killing Acropora cytherea in the Chagos archipelago?. Coral Reefs, Vol.29 (No.4)
- Graham, Nicholas A. J., Spalding, Mark D., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2010. Reef shark declines in remote atolls highlight the need for multi-faceted conservation action. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, Vol.20 (No.5), pp. 543-548
- Harris, A., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Sheppard, A. L. S., Gough, C., 2010. Demise of Madagascar's once great barrier reef : change in coral reef condition over 40 years. Atoll Research Bulletin, Vol. 574, pp. 1-16
- Veron, J. E. N., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Lenton, T. M., Lough, J. M., Obura, D. O., Pearce-Kelly, P., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Spalding, M., Stafford-Smith, M. G., Rogers, A. D., 2009. The coral reef crisis : the critical importance of < 350 ppm CO2. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol.58 (No.10), pp. 1428-1436
- Gan, Chai-Hsia, Tee, See-Min, Tang, Pei-Ciao, Yang, Jay Ming-Che, Freire, Francis, McGowan, Andrew, Narriman, Jiddawi, Mohammed, Suleiman Mohammed, Hsieh, Hwey-Lian, Chen, Chang-Po, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Chen, Chaolun Allen, 2008. Isolation and characteristics of 10 microsatellite markers from the endangered coconut crab (Birgus latro). Molecular Ecology Resources, 8 (6), pp. 1448-1450
- Graham, N. A. J., McClanahan, T. R., MacNeil, M. Aaron, Wilson, Shaun K., Polunin, Nicholas, Jennings, Simon, Ph. D., Chabanet, Pascale, Clark, Susan, Spalding, Mark, Letourneur, Yves, Bigot, Lionel, Galzin, René, Öhman, Marcus C., Garpe, Kajsa C., Edwards, Alasdair J., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2008. Climate warming, marine protected areas and the ocean-scale integrity of coral reef ecosystems. PLOS ONE, Vol.3 (No.8)
- Fukami, Hironobu, Chen, Chaolun Allen, Budd, Ann F., Collins, Allen, Wallace, Carden C., Chuang, Yao-Yang, Chen, Chienhsun, Dai, Chang-Feng, Iwao, Kenji, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Knowlton, Nancy, 2008. Mitochondrial and nuclear genes suggest that stony corals are monophyletic but most families of stony corals are not (Order Scleractinia, Class Anthozoa, Phylum Cnidaria). PL o S One, Vol.3 (No.9)
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Harris, A., Sheppard, A. L. S., 2008. Archipelago-wide coral recovery patterns since 1998 in the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean. Marine Ecology - Progress Series, Vol.362, pp. 109-117
- Rioja-Nieto, Rodolfo, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2008. Effects of management strategies on the landscape ecology of a Marine Protected Area. Ocean & Coastal Management, 51 (5), pp. 397-404
- Richardson, Bruce, Wu, Rudolf, Shin, P., Lam, Paul, Fleddum, Annelise, Elliott, M., Sheppard, Charles, 2008. A tribute to John Stuart Gray (1941-2007). Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol.56 (No.1), pp. 1-4
- Carpenter, Kent E., Abrar, Muhammad, Aeby, Greta, Aronson, Richard B., Banks, Stuart, Bruckner, Andrew W., Chiriboga, Angel, Cortés, Jorge, Delbeek, J. Charles, DeVantier, Lyndon, Edgar, Graham J., Edwards, Alasdair J., Fenner, Douglas, Guzman, Hector M., Hoeksema, Bert W., Hodgson, Gregor, Johan, Ofri, Licuanan, Wilfredo Y., Livingstone, Suzanne R., Lovell, Edward R. et al (Select to open full list), 2008. One-third of reef-building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts. Science, 321 (5888), pp. 560-563
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2021. Coral reefs : a natural history. Princeton New Jersey, Princeton University Press
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Davy, Simon K., Pilling, Graham M., Graham, Nicholas A. J., 2017. The Biology of Coral Reefs : Second Edition.
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2014. Coral reefs : a very short introduction.
- Carr, Peter, Hillman, Jesse C., Seaward, Mark R. D., Vogt, Scott, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2013. Coral Islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago). In Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.) (ed.), Coral Reefs of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories, Springer Netherlands, pp. 271-282
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Bowen, Brian W., Chen, Allen C., Craig, Matthew T., Eble, Jeff, Fitzsimmons, Nancy, Gan, Chai-hsia, Gaither, Michelle R., Gollock, Matthew, Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Koldewey, Heather, Mortimer, Jeanne A., Obura, David, Pfeiffer, Miriam, Rogers, Alex D., Sheppard, Anne L. S., Vogler, Catherine, Wörheide, Gert, Yang, Ming-Che, Yesson, Chris, 2013. British Indian ocean territory (the Chagos archipelago) : setting, connections and the marine protected area. In Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.) (ed.), Coral Reefs of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories, Springer Netherlands, pp. 223-240
- Readman, James W., DeLuna, Francis, Ebinghaus, Ralf, Guzman, AntenorNestor, Price, Andrew R. G., Readman, Emily E., Sheppard, Anne L. S., Sleight, Victoria A., Sturm, Renate, Thompson, Richard C., Tonkin, Andrew, Wolschke, Hendrik, Wright, Robyn J., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2013. Contaminants, pollution and potential anthropogenic impacts in chagos/BIOT. In Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.) (ed.), Coral Reefs of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories, Springer Netherlands, pp. 283-298
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Ateweberhan, Mebs, Chen, Allen C., Harris, Alasdair, Jones, Rachel, Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Lundin, Carl, Obura, David, Purkis, Sam, Raines , Peter, Riegl, Bernhard, Schleyer, Michael H., Sheppard, Anne L. S., Tamelander , Jerker, Turner, John R., Visram, Shakil, Yang, Sung-Yin, 2013. Coral reefs of the Chagos archipelago, Indian Ocean. In Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.) (ed.), Coral Reefs of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories, Springer Netherlands, pp. 241-252
- Riegl, Bernhard M., Benzoni, Francesca, Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2012. The Hermatypic Scleractinian (hard) coral fauna of the gulf. In Riegl, Bernhard M.; Purkis, Sam J. (eds.), Coral Reefs of the Gulf, Springer Netherlands, pp. 187-224
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Davy, Simon K., Pilling, Graham M., 2009. The Biology of Coral Reefs. Oxford, Oxford University Press
- Hubbard, D., Gischler, E., Davies, P., Montaggioni, L., Camoin, G., Dullo, W.-C., Storlazzi, C., Field, M., Fletcher, C., Grossman, E., Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Lescinsky, H., Fenner, D., McManus, J., Scheffers, S., 2014. Island outlook : warm and swampy. Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, pp. 1461-1461
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2014. Atoll rim expansion or erosion in Diego Garcia Atoll, Indian Ocean? : comment on Hamylton, S., East, H. A geospatial appraisal of ecological and geomorphic change on Diego Garcia Atoll, Chagos Islands (British Indian Ocean Territory). Remote Sens. 2012, 4, 3444?3461. Remote Sensing, M D P I AG, pp. 2463-2467
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2014. Famines, food insecurity and coral reef 'Ponzi' fisheries. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2010. Marine protected areas and pelagic fishing: the case of the Chagos Archipelago. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 1899-1901
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Al-Husiani, Mohsen, Al-Jamali, F., Al-Yamani, Faiza, Baldwin, Rob, Bishop, James, Benzoni, Francesca, Dutrieux, Eric, Dulvy, Nicholas K., Durvasula, Subba Rao V., Jones, David A., Loughland, Ron, Medio, David, Nithyanandan, M., Pilling, Graham M., Polikarpov, Igor, Price, Andrew R. G., Purkis, Sam, Riegl, Bernhard, Saburova, Maria et al (Select to open full list), 2010. The Gulf : a young sea in decline. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 13-38
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Turner, John, 2009. Eco-imperialism. New Scientist, Reed Business Information Ltd, pp. 22-22
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), Morris, Ted, 2009. Resources pressures and small island states. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 167-169
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2008. A marine nutcracker. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 799-800
- Harris, Alasdair, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2008. Status and recovery of the coral reefs of the Archipelago, British Indian Ocean Territory. CORDIO (Coastal Oceans Research and Development, Indian Ocean)
- Barranguet, Christiane, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2007. Marine Pollution Bulletin annual prize. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 369-369
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2007. Marine climate change and conservation priorities. Oryx, Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-2
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2007. Extinction muddles and swindles. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 1309-1310
- Occhipinti-Ambrogi, Anna, Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2007. Marine bioinvasions : a collection of reviews. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 299-301
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2007. Oceans and the 'wedge' model of CO2 stabilisation. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN, PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, pp. 117-118
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2006. Trawling the sea bed. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Elsevier Ltd, pp. 831-835
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2003. Predicted recurrences of mass coral mortality in the Indian Ocean. Nature, Nature Publishing, pp. 294-297
- Sheppard, Charles (Charles R. C.), 2000. Coral reefs : beyond mortality?. The Scientific World Journal, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, pp. 7-9
| Title | Funder | Award start | Award end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor led: Strengthening the worlds largest Marine Protected Area: Chagos Archipelago | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Apr 2012 | 31 Mar 2015 |
| Environmental monitoring for improved conservation management | Overseas Territories Environment Programme | 01 Jul 2009 | 30 Apr 2010 |
| Identification guide to the major caribbean reef species | Overseas Territories Environment Programme | 01 Apr 2007 | 31 Dec 2007 |
| Estimate of severity of big ship anchoring in Diego Garcia lagoon (BIO404) | Overseas Territories Environment Programme | 01 Feb 2007 | 31 Mar 2007 |
| Improved conservation management of BIOT using revised zone boundaries (BIO403) | Overseas Territories Environment Programme | 01 Feb 2007 | 31 Mar 2007 |
| Assessment and Improved Management of New and Existing Marine Protected Areas in the British Virgin Islands | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 01 Aug 2004 | 31 Jul 2006 |
| Contribution towards Chagos Scientific and Environmental Survey | Chagos Conservation Trust | 01 Aug 2004 | 31 Jul 2006 |
| Environmental Monitoring for Improved Conservation Management - Chagos | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 01 Apr 2004 | 31 Mar 2006 |
| Assessment of Climate Change in Seychelles | Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Seychelles | 01 Aug 2004 | 01 Dec 2004 |