Dr. Hanna R. Koch

Coral Health & Disease

Coral Reproduction Staff Scientist

Dr. Koch joined the Mote team in 2018 as a Visiting Research Scientist with the German Research Foundation to integrate assisted coral sexual reproduction into Mote's ongoing coral reef research and restoration framework. In 2020, Dr. Koch became a Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Coral Reef Restoration Program at Mote's Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration in the FL Keys to continue her research on coral sexual propagation, assisted evolution and coral reef restoration.

Education

2016 | PhD Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Germany

2012 | MSc Biology, California State University, Los Angeles

2008 | BSc Marine Science, Eckerd College

Publications

Koch HR, Matthews B*, Leto C, Engelsma C and Bartels E (2022) Assisted sexual reproduction of Acropora cervicornis for active restoration on Florida’s Coral Reef. Front. Mar. Sci. 9:959520. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.959520

Koch HR, Azu Y*, Bartels E, & Muller EM (2022) No apparent cost of disease resistance on reproductive output in Acropora cervicornis genets used for active coral reef restoration in Florida. Frontiers in Marine Science – Marine Conservation & Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.958500

Baker L, Reich H, Kitchen S, Klinges G, Koch HR, Baums I, Muller E, Vega Thurber R (2021) The coral symbiont Candidatus Aquarickettsia is variably abundant in threatened Caribbean acroporids and transmitted horizontally. ISMEJ. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-021-01077-8

Koch HR, Wallace B*, DeMerlis A*, Clark A & Nowicki RJ (2021) 3D scanning as a tool to measure growth rates of live coral microfragments used for coral reef restoration. Frontiers in Marine Science. Coral Reef Restoration in a Changing World: Science-based Solutions. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.623645

Koch HR, Muller EM & Crosby MP (2021) Restored Corals Spawn Hope for Reefs Worldwide. The Scientist. https://www.the-scientist.com/features/restored-corals-spawn-hope-for-reefs-worldwide-68368

Koch HR (2021) Can direct sperm exposure be used as a tool to induce female corals to spawn? Bulletin of Marine Science: Portraits of Marine Science. DOI:10.5343/bms.2020.0057

Koch HR (2021) Chapter 10: Genetic considerations for coral reef restoration. In: Active Coral Reef Restoration: Techniques for a Changing Planet. Ed., David Vaughan. J. Ross Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-60427-143-0

Koch HR (2021) Chapter 9: Assisted evolution and coral reef resilience. In: Active Coral Reef Restoration: Techniques for a Changing Planet. Ed., David Vaughan. J. Ross Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-60427-143-0

Koch HR, Wagner S* & Becks L (2020) Antagonistic species interaction drives selection for sex in a predator–prey system. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. DOI:10.1111/jeb.13658

Koch HR, Blohm-Sievers E & Liedvogel M (2019) Rapid sex determination of a wild passerine species using loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Ecology and Evolution. DOI:10.1002/ece3.5168

Koch HR (2016) Evaluating the significance of predator-prey interactions for the evolution and maintenance of sexual reproduction. PhD Thesis. MPI for Evolutionary Biology, Plön. 119pp.

Koch HR & Becks L (2016) The consequences of facultative sex in a prey adapting to predation. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. DOI:10.1111/jeb.12987

Koch HR, Jeschke A* & Becks L (2015) Use of ddPCR in experimental evolution studies. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. DOI:10.1111/2041-210X.12467

Koch HR, Frickel J, Valiadi M & Becks L (2014) Why rapid, adaptive evolution matters for community dynamics. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2:17. DOI:10.3389/fevo.2014.00017

*student/mentee

Awards & Honors

2018-2020 DFG Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, The German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)

2011-2012 NSF STEM Graduate Teaching Fellowship, IMPACT-LA (Improving Minority Partnerships Across CISE-related Teaching), California State University, Los Angeles