Ruben van Hooidonk

Research Highlights

May 17, 2021

Heat Tolerant Corals May Be the Key to Improving Restoration Efforts

May 17, 2021

New Experimental Tool Has the Potential to Improve Restoration Efforts for Coral Reefs

November 16, 2020

UN Environment Programme 2020 Projections of Future Coral Bleaching Conditions

Research Interests

Projecting climate change impacts on coral reefs and other marine organisms and ecosystems using both satellite data and data from global climate models.

Using satellite and global climate model data to facilitate assisted migration of corals.

Projecting climate change impacts, both from ocean acidification and temperature change on marine disease outbreaks using satellite and global climate model data.

Ruben van Hooidonk, Ph.D.

Assistant Scientist (University of Miami/CIMAS), Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

305.361.4524

Ruben.van.Hooidonk@noaa.gov

4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, Florida 33149

“Using the latest climate models the projected year of annual severe bleaching is 2034; this is nine years earlier than was projected using the previous generation of climate models.”

About

Dr. Ruben van Hooidonk is an assistant scientist with the Cooperative Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School. He is interested in utilizing satellite data and data from global climate models to project risk and uncertainty for coral reefs under threat from climate change and ocean acidification. Van Hooidonk earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 2009 and previously attended Utrecht University in the Netherlands where he earned his B.Sc and M.Sc.

Current Work & CV

Current Work

Assistant Scientist, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Download Full CV

Education

2004, MSc Biology, Utrecht University, the Netherlands

2009, Ph.D. Biology, Earth and Atmospheric Department of Purdue University, West-Lafayette, Indiana

Publications

Cornwall, C.E., S. Comeau, S.D. Donner, C. Perry, J. Dunne, R. van Hooidonk, S. Ryan, and C.A. Logan. Coral adaptive capacity insufficient to halt global transition of coral reefs into net erosion under climate change. Global Change Biology, 29(11):3010-3018, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16647 2023
Ref. 4251
Gove, J.M., J.A. Maynard, J. Lecky, D.P. Tracey, M.E. Allen, G.P. Asner, E. Conklin, C. Couch, K. Hum, R.J. Ingram, T.L. Kindinger, K. Leong, K.L.L. Oleson, E.K. Towle, R. van Hooidonk, G.J. Williams, and J. Hospital. 2022 ecosystem status report for Hawaiʻi. PIFSC Special Publication, SP-23-01, 91 pp., https://doi.org/10.25923/r53p-fn97 2023
Ref. 4249
Johnson, J.E., D.J. Welch, R. van Hooidonk, D. Tracey, G. Chandrasa, B. Molinari, D. Triani, C. Tania, and H. Susanto. Climate change implications for the Arafura and Timor Seas region: Assessing vulnerability of marine systems to inform management and conservation. Climatic Change, 176:88, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-023-03554-9 2023
Ref. 4276

View all Related Publications

Cornwall, C.E., S. Comeau, S.D. Donner, C. Perry, J. Dunne, R. van Hooidonk, S. Ryan, and C.A. Logan. Coral adaptive capacity insufficient to halt global transition of coral reefs into net erosion under climate change. Global Change Biology, 29(11):3010-3018, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16647 2023
Ref. 4251
Gove, J.M., J.A. Maynard, J. Lecky, D.P. Tracey, M.E. Allen, G.P. Asner, E. Conklin, C. Couch, K. Hum, R.J. Ingram, T.L. Kindinger, K. Leong, K.L.L. Oleson, E.K. Towle, R. van Hooidonk, G.J. Williams, and J. Hospital. 2022 ecosystem status report for Hawaiʻi. PIFSC Special Publication, SP-23-01, 91 pp., https://doi.org/10.25923/r53p-fn97 2023
Ref. 4249
Johnson, J.E., D.J. Welch, R. van Hooidonk, D. Tracey, G. Chandrasa, B. Molinari, D. Triani, C. Tania, and H. Susanto. Climate change implications for the Arafura and Timor Seas region: Assessing vulnerability of marine systems to inform management and conservation. Climatic Change, 176:88, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-023-03554-9 2023
Ref. 4276
Palacio-Castro, A.M., T.B. Smith, G.A. Snyder, V. Brandtneris, R. van Hooidonk, J.L. Maté, D. Manzello, P.W. Glynn, P. Fong, and A.C. Baker. Increased dominance of heat-tolerant symbionts create resilient coral reefs in near-term ocean warming. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 120(8):e2202388120, https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2202388120 2023
Ref. 4232
Webb, A.E., I.C. Enochs, R. van Hooidonk, R.M. van Westen, N. Besemer, G. Kolodziej, T.S. Viehman, and D. Manzello. Restoration and coral adaptation delay, but do not prevent, climate-driven reef framework erosion of an inshore site in the Florida Keys. Scientific Reports, 13:258, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26930-4 2023
Ref. 4212
Holstein, D.M., T.B. Smith, R. van Hooidonk, and C.B. Paris. Predicting coral metapopulation decline in a changing thermal environment. Coral Reefs, 41(4):961-972, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-022-02252-9 2022
Ref. 4161
Humanes, A., L. Lachs, E.A. Beauchamp, J.C. Bythell, A.J. Edwards, Y. Golbuu, H.M. Martinez, P. Palmowski, A. Treumann, E. van der Steeg, R. van Hooidonk, and J.R. Guest. Within-population variability in coral heat tolerance indicates climate adaptation potential. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1981):20220872, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0872 2022
Ref. 4162
Obura, D., M. Gudka, M. Samoilys, K. Osuka, J. Mbugua, D.A. Keith, S. Porter, R. Roche, R. van Hooidonk, S. Ahamada, A. Araman, J. Karisa, J. Komakoma, M. Madi, I. Ravinia, H. Razafindrainibe, S. Yahya, and F. Zivane. Vulnerability to collapse of coral reef ecosystems in the western Indian Ocean. Nature Sustainability, 5(2):104-113, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00817-0 2022
Ref. 4043
Cornwall, C.E., S. Comeau, N.A. Kornder, C.T. Perry, R. van Hooidonk, T. DeCarlo, M.S. Pratchett, K. Anderson, N. Browne, R.C. Carpenter, G. Diaz-Pulido, J.P. D’Olivo, S.S. Doo, J. Figueiredo, S.A.V. Fortunato, E. Kennedy, C.A. Lantz, M. McCulloch, M. Gonzalez-Rivero, V. Schoepf, S. Smithers, and R.J. Lowe. Global declines in coral reef calcium carbonate production under ocean acidification and warming. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 118(21):e2015265118, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2015265118 2021
Ref. 3972
Cunning, R., K.E. Parker, K. Johnson-Sapp, R.F. Karp, A.D. Wen, O.M. Williamson, E. Bartels, M. D’Alessandro, D.S. Gilliam, G. Hanson, J. Levy, D. Lirman, K. Maxwell, W.C. Million, A.L. Moulding, A. Moura, E.M. Muller, K. Nedimyer, B. Reckenbeil, R. van Hooidonk, C. Dahlgren, C. Kenkel, J.E. Parkinson, and A.C. Baker. Census of heat tolerance among Florida’s threatened staghorn corals finds resilient individuals throughout existing nursery populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1961):20211613, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.1613 2021
Ref. 4030
Kaufman, M.L., E. Watkins, R. van Hooidonk, A.C. Baker, and D. Lirman. Thermal history influences lesion recovery of the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis under heat stress. Coral Reefs, 40(2):289-293, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-020-02025-2 2021
Ref. 3917
Storlazzi, C.D., O.M. Cheriton, R. van Hooidonk, Z. Zhao, and R. Brainard. Internal tides can provide thermal refugia that will buffer some coral reefs from future global warming. Scientific Reports, 10:13435, https://doi.org/ 10.1038/s41598-020-70372-9 2020
Ref. 3843
van Hooidonk, R., J. Maynard, G. Grimsditch, G. Williams, J. Tamelander, J. Gove, H. Koldewey, G. Ahmadia, D. Tracey, K. Hum, E. Conklin, and M. Berumen. Projections of future coral bleaching conditions using IPCC CMIP6 models: Climate policy implications, management applications, and regional seas summaries. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya, 104 pp., 2020
Ref. 3871
van, Hooidonk, R.J. Decision support tool to promote long-term survival of Acropora cervicornis on the Florida reef tract. NOAA Technical Report, OAR-AOML-53, 6 pp., https://doi.org/10.25923/cnz0-wp70 2020
Ref. 3784
Asaad, I., C.J. Lundquist, M.V. Erdmann, R. van Hooidonk, and M.J. Costello. Designating spatial priorities for marine biodiversity conservation in the Coral Triangle. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5:400, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2018.00400 2018
Ref. 3609
Bruno, J.F., A.E. Bates, C. Cacciapaglia, E.P. Pike, S.C. Amstrup, R. van Hooidonk, S.A. Henson, and R.B. Aronson. Climate change threatens the world’s marine protected areas. Nature Climate Change, 8(6):499-503, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0149-2 2018
Ref. 3527
Heron, S.F., R. van Hooidonk, J. Maynard, K. Anderson, J.C. Day, E. Geiger, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, T. Hughes, P. Marshall, D. Obura, and C.M. Eakin. Impacts of climate change on world heritage coral reefs: Update to the First Global Scientific Assessment. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Paris, 5 pp., 2018
Ref. 3602
Heron, S.F., C.M. Eakin, F. Douvere, K. Anderson, J.C. Day, E. Geiger, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, R. van Hooidonk, T. Hughes, P. Marshall, and D. Obura. Impacts of climate change on world heritage coral reefs: A first global scientific assessment. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 12 pp., 2017
Ref. 3455
Maynard, J.A., P.A. Marshall, B. Parker, E. Mcleod, G. Ahmadia, R. van Hooidonk, S. Planes, G.J. Williams, L. Raymundo, R. Beeden, and J. Tamelander. A guide to assessing coral reef resilience for decision support. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya, 44 pp., 2017
Ref. 3465
Okazaki, R.R., E.K. Towle, R. van Hooidonk, C. Mor, R.N. Winter, A.M. Piggot, R. Cunning, A.C. Baker, J.S. Klaus, P.K. Swart, and C. Langdon. Species-specific responses to climate change and community composition determine future calcification rates of Florida Keys reefs. Global Change Biology, 23(3):1023-1035, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13481 2017
Ref. 3319
van Hooidonk, R., J.A. Maynard, J. Tamelander, J. Gove, G. Ahmadia, L. Raymundo, G. Williams, S. Heron, D. Tracey, B. Parker, and S. Planes. Coral bleaching futures—downscaled projections of bleaching conditions for the world’s coral reefs, implications of climate policy and management responses. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya, 68 pp., 2017
Ref. 3466
Eisenlord, M.E., M.L. Groner, R.M. Yoshioka, J. Elliott, J. Maynard, S. Fradkin, M. Turner, K. Pyne, N. Rivlin, R. van Hooidonk, and C.D. Harvell. Ochre star mortality during the 2014 wasting disease epizootic: Role of population size structure and temperature. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 371(1689):20150212, https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0212 2016
Ref. 3240
Heron, S.F., J.A. Maynard, R. van Hooidonk, and C.M. Eakin Warming trends and bleaching stress of the world’s coral reefs, 1985-2012. Nature Scientific Reports, 6:38402, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38402 2016
Ref. 3351
Keith, S.A., J.A. Maynard, A.J. Edwards, J.R. Guest, A.G. Bauman, R. van Hooidonk, S.F. Heron, M.L. Berumen, J. Bouwmeester, S. Piromvaragorn, C. Rahbek, and A.H. Baird. Coral mass spawning predicted by rapid seasonal rise in ocean temperature. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 283(1830):20160011, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.0011 2016
Ref. 3262
Maynard, J., R. van Hooidonk, C.D. Harvell, C.M. Eakin, G. Liu, B.L. Willis, G.J. Williams, M. Groner, A. Dobson, S.F. Heron, R. Glenn, K. Reardon, and J.D. Shields. Improving marine disease surveillance through sea temperature monitoring, outlooks, and projections. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 371(1689):20150208, https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0208 2016
Ref. 3217
Maynard, J.A., R. Beeden, M. Puotinen, J.E. Johnson, P. Marshall, R. van Hooidonk, S.F. Heron, M. Devlin, E. Lawrey, J. Dryden, N. Ban, D. Wachenfeld, and S. Planes. Great Barrier Reef no-take areas include a range of disturbance regimes. Conservation Letters, 9(3):191-199, https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12198 2016
Ref. 3182
Pendleton, L., A. Comte, C. Langdon, J.A. Ekstrom, S.R. Cooley, L. Suatoni, M.W. Beck, L.M. Brander, L. Burke, J.E. Cinner, C. Doherty, P.E.T. Edwards, D. Gledhill, L.-Q. Jiang, R.J. van Hooidonk, L. Teh, G.G. Waldbusser, and J. Ritter. Coral reefs and people in a high CO2 world: Where can science make a difference to people? PLoS ONE, 11(11):e0164699, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164699 2016
Ref. 3336
van Hooidonk, R., J. Maynard, J. Tamelander, J. Gove, G. Ahmadia, L. Raymundo, G. Williams, S.F. Heron, and S. Planes. Local-scale projections of coral reef futures and implications of the Paris Agreement. Nature Scientific Reports, 6:39666, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep39666 2016
Ref. 3358
Anthony, K.R.N., P.A. Marshall, A. Abdulla, R. Beeden, C. Bergh, R. Black, C.M. Eakin, E.T. Game, M. Gooch, N.A.J. Graham, A. Green, S.F. Heron, R. van Hooidonk, C. Knowland, S. Mangubhai, N. Marshall, J.A. Maynard, P. McGinnity, E. McLeod, P.J. Mumby, M. Nystrom, D. Obura, J. Oliver, H.P. Possingham, R.L. Pressey, G.P. Rowlands, J. Tamelander, D. Wachenfeld, and S. Wear. Operationalizing resilience for adaptive coral reef management under global environmental change. Global Change Biology, 21(1):48-61, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12700 2015
Ref. 3055
Ekstrom, J.A., L. Suatoni, S.R. Cooley, L.H. Pendleton, G.G. Waldbusser, J.E. Cinner, J. Ritter, C. Langdon, R. van Hooidonk, D. Gledhill, K. Wellman, M.W. Beck, L.M. Brander, D. Rittschof, C. Doherty, P.E.T. Edwards, and R. Portela. Vulnerability and adaptation of US shellfisheries to ocean acidification. Nature Climate Change, 5(3):207-214, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2508 2015
Ref. 3129
Maynard, J., R.J. van Hooidonk, C.M. Eakin, M. Puotinen, M. Garren, G. Williams, S.F. Heron, J. Lamb, E. Weil, B. Willis, and C.D. Harvell. Projections of climate conditions that increase coral disease susceptibility and pathogen abundance and virulence. Nature Climate Change, 5(7):688-694, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2625 2015
Ref. 3128
Maynard, J., S. McKagan, L. Raymundo, S. Johnson, G. Ahmadia, L. Johnston, P. Houk, G. Williams, M. Kendall, S. Heron, R. van Hooidonk, and E. McLeod. Assessing relative resilience potential of coral reefs to inform management in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, NOAA Technical Memorandum CRCP-22, 153 pp., 2015
Ref. 3187
Maynard, J.A., S. McKagan, L. Raymundo, S. Johnson, G.N. Ahmadia, L. Johnston, P. Houk, G.J. Williams, M. Kendall, S.F. Heron, R. van Hooidonk, E. Mcleod, D. Tracey, and S. Planes. Assessing relative resilience potential of coral reefs to inform management. Biological Conservation, 192:109-119, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.09.001 2015
Ref. 3186
van Hooidonk, R., J.A. Maynard, Y. Liu, and S.-K. Lee. Downscaled projections of Caribbean coral bleaching that can inform conservation planning. Global Change Biology, 21(9):3389-3401, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12901 2015
Ref. 3115
Yates, K.K., C. Turley, B.M. Hopkinson, A.E. Todgham, J.N. Cross, H. Greening, P. Williamson, R. van Hooidonk, D.D. Deheyn, and Z. Johnson. Transdisciplinary science: A path to understanding the interactions among ocean acidification, ecosystems, and society. Oceanography, 28(2):212-225, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2015.43 2015
Ref. 3138
Enochs, I.C., D.P. Manzello, R. Carlton, S. Schopmeyer, R. van Hooidonk, and D. Lirman. Effects of light and elevated pCO₂ on the growth and photochemical efficiency of Acropora cervicornis. Coral Reefs, 33(2):477-485, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-014-1132-7 2014
Ref. 2972
van Hooidonk, R., J.A. Maynard, D. Manzello, and S. Planes. Opposite latitudinal gradients in projected ocean acidification and bleaching impacts on coral reefs. Global Change Biology, 20(1):103-112, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12394 2014
Ref. 2926
van Hooidonk, R., J.A. Maynard, and S. Planes. Temporary refugia for coral reefs in a warming world. Nature Climate Change, 3(5):508-511, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1829 2013
Ref. 2831
van Hooidonk, R., and M. Huber. Effects of modeled tropical sea surface temperature variability on coral reef bleaching predictions. Coral Reefs, 31(1):121-131, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-011-0825-4 2012
Ref. 2657
van Hooidonk, R.J., D.P. Manzello, J. Moye, M.E. Brandt, J.C. Hendee, C. McCoy, and C. Manfrino. Coral bleaching at Little Cayman, Cayman Islands, 2009. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 106:80-84, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2012.04.021 2012
Ref. 2692

Awards

Sustainability Award, Netherland-America Foundation 2015

In recognition of being an alumnus of the NAF-Fulbright Fellowship Program and dedication to the field of sustainability through research on coral reef ecosystems.