Postdoc - University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, current
Ph.D. - Stanford University, 2017-2022
B.A. - Harvard University, 2012-2016
For information about my previous experience, visit my CV here.
Ph.D. - Stanford University, 2017-2022
B.A. - Harvard University, 2012-2016
For information about my previous experience, visit my CV here.
Northern Palau Patch Reef. Nia Walker, July 2018
Coral Thermal Resilience
Corals exhibit variable bleaching resistance and recovery. Currently, I am studying trade-offs between individual coral bleaching resistance and recovery ability. The goal is to identify links between these mechanisms that each contribute to corals' overarching thermal resilience as climate change impacts worsen. I use genetics and physiology techniques to address these questions, and I am conducting this work on Indo-Pacific reef-building corals (e.g., Acropora hyacinthus in Palau and Montipora capitata in Hawaiʻi). |
photo credit: Journey to the South Pacific
Coral Genetics and Genomics
Population genetic structure can inform us about gene flow, dispersal, potential for adaptation, differential responses to similar environmental conditions. I use genetics and genomics to explore putative genes linked to thermal resistance and recovery. Currently, I am using transcriptomics to study Acropora hyacinthus colonies within small reef scales in Palau. |
photo credit: Simon Donner, Fiji
Intra-specific Variation of Coral Bleaching Recovery
It is predicted that global coral bleaching events will continue to increase in frequency and intensity in the coming years. While many corals experience bleaching, a subset are able to recover rather than die. I study bleaching recovery capacity from the physiological, genetics, and genomics perspectives. While much research has been done between species, I study intra-specific variation (i.e., differences between individuals within the same species) during coral bleaching recovery. Understanding how individuals differ will allow us to better harness the inherent or natural variation found on reefs--potentially for future rehabilitation and restoration projects. This work is also conducted on Indo-Pacific reef-building corals. |
Publications:
Find a complete and updated list here.
Palumbi, SR, Walker, NS, Hanson, E, Armstrong, K, Lippert, M, Cornwell, B, Nestor, V, and Golbuu, Y (2023) Small scale genetic structure of coral populations in Palau based on whole mitochondrial genomes: implications for assisted gene flow. Evolutionary Applications https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13509
Walker NS, Nestor V, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR (2022) Coral bleaching resistance variation is linked to differential mortality and skeletal growth during recovery. Evolutionary Applications 00:1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13500
Walker NS, Cornwell BH, Nestor V, Armstrong KC, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR (2022) Persistence of phenotypic responses to short-term heat stress in the tabletop coral Acropora hyacinthus. PLoS ONE 17(9): e0269206.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269206
Boyd A, Walker NS, Valdez SR, Zhang, YS, Altieri AH, Crain, C, and Silliman B (2022) Invertebrate grazing on live turtlegrass (Thalasisa testudinum): a common but overlooked interaction that can facilitate fungal infection. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:1949. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.789380
Cornwell BH, Armstrong KC, Walker NS, Lampert M, Golbuu Y, Nestor V, and Palumbi SR (2021) Heat tolerance and symbiont load are associated with growth tradeoffs in the coral Acropora hyacinthus across Palau. eLife 10:e64790. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.64790
Walker, NS, Fernandez, RM, Paul, V, Sneed, J, Giribet, G, and Combosch, D. (2019) Differential Gene Expression during Substrate Probing in Larvae of the Caribbean Coral Porites astreoides. Molecular Ecology 28(22):4899-4913. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15265
Find a complete and updated list here.
Palumbi, SR, Walker, NS, Hanson, E, Armstrong, K, Lippert, M, Cornwell, B, Nestor, V, and Golbuu, Y (2023) Small scale genetic structure of coral populations in Palau based on whole mitochondrial genomes: implications for assisted gene flow. Evolutionary Applications https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13509
Walker NS, Nestor V, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR (2022) Coral bleaching resistance variation is linked to differential mortality and skeletal growth during recovery. Evolutionary Applications 00:1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13500
Walker NS, Cornwell BH, Nestor V, Armstrong KC, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR (2022) Persistence of phenotypic responses to short-term heat stress in the tabletop coral Acropora hyacinthus. PLoS ONE 17(9): e0269206.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269206
Boyd A, Walker NS, Valdez SR, Zhang, YS, Altieri AH, Crain, C, and Silliman B (2022) Invertebrate grazing on live turtlegrass (Thalasisa testudinum): a common but overlooked interaction that can facilitate fungal infection. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:1949. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.789380
Cornwell BH, Armstrong KC, Walker NS, Lampert M, Golbuu Y, Nestor V, and Palumbi SR (2021) Heat tolerance and symbiont load are associated with growth tradeoffs in the coral Acropora hyacinthus across Palau. eLife 10:e64790. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.64790
Walker, NS, Fernandez, RM, Paul, V, Sneed, J, Giribet, G, and Combosch, D. (2019) Differential Gene Expression during Substrate Probing in Larvae of the Caribbean Coral Porites astreoides. Molecular Ecology 28(22):4899-4913. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15265
