A5024745054- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine and fisheries research
- Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Vehicle Routing Optimization Methods
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Coastal and Marine Dynamics
- Bryophyte Studies and Records
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
Smithsonian Marine Station
2023-2024
University of Florida
2020-2024
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
2014-2023
University of South Alabama
2013-2017
Old Dominion University
1993
North Carolina State University
1993
University of North Carolina Wilmington
1993
Dominion University College
1993
TD Bank
1993
ABSTRACT A primary aspect of applied marine ecology assesses how food webs change in response to ecosystem disturbances. In 2010, the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon (DWH) discharged ~3.19 million barrels crude oil into northern Gulf Mexico. The spill, followed by widespread dispersant application enhance degradation, represented a significant anthropogenic disturbance region. We created network models four multi‐year periods, represent acute and chronic web responses DWH spill. Using...
Abstract Organisms, such as fishes and invertebrates including their larval stages, listen to underwater soundscapes detect information about nearby habitats. Such may be influenced by habitat degradation or enhancement, which can lead acoustically mediated feedback loops affecting the overall ecosystem. Despite importance of sounds on ecological functioning, there have been limited studies documenting intertidal ecosystems few, if any, living shoreline soundscapes. Living shorelines would...
Benthic microalgal chlorophyll a and production were measured at 3 sites Stellwagen Bank, cold temperate continental shelf habitat in Massachusetts Bay, USA, during August 1991.Benthic averaged 39.8 mg m-2, vs average integrated phytoplankton of 25.9 m-2.Gross benthic production, by oxygen exchange clear opaque chambers, 20.9 C m-2 h-' This was supported daily light fluxes to the bottom that never exceeded 1 % surface incident radiation as low 4.7 pE S-'.These results indicate can be...
Abstract Coastal wetlands are rapidly disappearing worldwide due to a variety of processes, including climate change and flood control. The rate loss in the Mississippi River Delta is among highest world billions dollars have been allocated build restore coastal wetlands. A key question guiding assessment whether created salt marshes similar biodiversity preexisting, reference marshes. However, numerous metrics used make these determinations typically scale dependent often conflicting. Here,...
We evaluated the impact of shoreline dynamics on fringing vegetation density at mid- and low-marsh elevations a high-energy site in northern Gulf Mexico. Particularly, we selected eight unprotected stretches (75 m each) historically eroding measured their inter-annual lateral movement rate using DSAS method for three consecutive years. observed high variability within stretches. Specifically, shorelines retrograded (eroded) year 1 3, whereas, 2, advanced seaward. Despite advancement an...
Abstract Concern for conservation of seagrass habitat has prompted international transplantation‐style restoration efforts. A recent review these efforts highlighted the low success associated with small‐scale restorations, yet scaling up transplantation effort may be too costly underfunded regions. Small‐scale transplant survival can enhanced alleviation two underlying issues: site selection and donor selection. To investigate appropriate source selection, environmental influence on (...
OPINION article Front. Environ. Sci., 06 January 2023Sec. Freshwater Science Volume 10 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1092097
Seagrass meadows provide greater predator refuge and resource availability than unvegetated habitats generally improve the survival growth rates of associated animals. Few studies, however, have examined how these relationships might vary at a region-wide spatial scale. The blue crab Callinectes sapidus is commercially important species that uses turtlegrass Thalassia testudinum habitats, but it unclear if use seagrass varies across northern Gulf Mexico (GOM), USA. We conducted synoptic...
Drift macroalgae, often found in clumps or mats adjacent to within seagrass beds, can increase the value of beds as habitat for nekton via added food resources and structural complexity. But, algal biomass increases, it also decrease light availability, inhibit faunal movements, smother benthic communities, contribute hypoxia, all which reduce abundance. We quantified abundance distribution drift macroalgae meadows dominated by turtle grass Thalassia testudinum across northern Gulf Mexico...
Drift macroalgae, often found in clumps or mats adjacent to within seagrass beds, can provide additional food resources and habitat complexity, leading increased animal abundance, but large concentrations also inhibit faunal movements, smother benthic communities, contribute hypoxia, reducing nekton abundance. Despite its ubiquity, few studies have quantified drift macroalgal prevalence over spatial scales effects on seagrass-associated nekton, hindering our understanding of the functional...
Oil spills threaten the structure and function of ecological communities. The Deepwater Horizon spill was predicted to have catastrophic consequences for nearshore fishes, but field studies indicate resilience in populations Previous research indicates many marsh fishes exhibit avoidance oil contaminated areas, representing one potential mechanism this resilience. Here, we test whether prior exposure Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis alters response. Using choice tests between unoiled oiled...
Estuarine ecosystem balance typically relies on strong food web interconnectedness dependent a relatively low number of resident taxa, presenting potential ecological vulnerability to extreme disturbances. Following the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill disaster northern Gulf Mexico (USA), numerous ecotoxicological studies showed severe species-level impacts exposure estuarine fish and invertebrates, yet post-spill surveys found little evidence for coastal populations, communities, or webs....
Plant microbiomes are known to serve several important functions for their host, and it is therefore understand composition as well the factors that may influence these microbial communities. The microbiome of Thalassia testudinum has only recently been explored, studies to-date have primarily focused on characterizing plants in a single region. Here, we present first characterization communities T. across wide geographical range spanning three distinct regions with varying physicochemical...
Abstract Climate-driven shifts in herbivores, temperature and nutrient runoff threaten coastal ecosystem resilience. However, our understanding of ecological resilience, particularly for foundation species, remains limited due to a rarity field experiments that are conducted across appropriate spatial temporal scales investigate multiple stressors. This study aimed evaluate the resilience widespread tropical marine plant (turtlegrass) disturbances its geographic range how this is impacted by...
Estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) provides vital habitat for macroinvertebrate communities that support diverse food webs and subsequent ecosystem services. Invasive SAV, however, has the potential to alter estuarine through competition with native resulting in different associated biological communities. In Mobile-Tensaw Delta (Alabama, USA), invasive Eurasian milfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum, is fast becoming dominant out-competing SAV such as wild celery, Vallisneria americana....