A5048543419- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Marine and fisheries research
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Marine animal studies overview
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Problem and Project Based Learning
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Innovative Teaching Methods
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Innovative Teaching Methodologies in Social Sciences
- Digital Marketing and Social Media
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Biomedical and Engineering Education
- Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation
- Underwater Acoustics Research
- Genetic diversity and population structure
Mississippi State University
2017-2025
Mississippi Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
2019-2025
Mississippi Delta Community College
2023
Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
2022
Texas A&M University at Galveston
2022
Florida State University
2022
College of Charleston
2022
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
2022
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
2022
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
2010-2018
Documenting and responding to species invasions requires innovative strategies that account for ecological societal complexities. We used the recent expansion of Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) throughout northern Gulf Mexico coastal waters evaluate role stakeholders in documenting a rapid marine invasion. coupled an online survey spearfishers citizen science monitoring programs with traditional fishery-independent data sources found observations documented 1–2 years earlier...
Abstract In 2011, an intensive, multiple-gear, fishery-independent survey was carried out in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) to collect comprehensive age and length information on Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus. Based this synoptic survey, we produced a spatial map relative abundance that integrates both gear selectivity effects ontogenetically varying habitat usage. Our methodology generated at 10-km2 grid resolution is consistent with existing knowledge species: occurred relatively...
Abstract The Bull Shark ( Carcharhinus leucas ) faces varying levels of exploitation around the world due to its coastal distribution. Information regarding population connectivity is crucial evaluate conservation status and local fishing impacts. In this study, we sampled 922 putative Sharks from 19 locations in first global assessment structure cosmopolitan species. Using a recently developed DNA‐capture approach (DArTcap), samples were genotyped for 3400 nuclear markers. Additionally,...
Abstract Seasonal variability in environmental conditions is a strong determinant of animal migrations, but warming temperatures associated with climate change are anticipated to alter this phenomenon unknown consequences. We used 40‐year fishery‐independent survey assess how changing has altered the migration timing, duration and first‐year survival juvenile bull sharks ( Carcharhinus leucas ). From 1982 2021, estuaries western Gulf Mexico (Texas) experienced mean increase 1.55°C autumn...
Abstract Coastal ecosystems are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and other stressors, including urbanization overfishing. Consequently, distributions coastal fish have begun change, particularly in response increasing temperatures linked change. However, few studies evaluated how natural anthropogenic disturbances can alter species conjunction with geophysical habitat alterations, such as changes land use cover (LU/LC). Here, we examine spatiotemporal distribution juvenile...
Four Seriola species support recreational and commercial fisheries along the U.S. Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Mexico, with S. dumerili Mexico stock being overfished for over three decades. The study presented here is part a fisheries-independent project initiated to determine an absolute abundance dumerili, expand biological knowledge develop novel tools management. Environmental DNA (eDNA) aimed at detection quantification target are starting emerge in marine surveys. Key progressing field...
Abstract Depredation (i.e. partial removal of target catch prior to retrieval) caused by sharks is a prevalent issue affecting several fisheries in the southeastern USA. While US managers have begun monitoring shark depredation commercial fisheries, there been few attempts quantify these interactions recreational fishing sector. To address this knowledge gap, we initiated citizen-science-based project provide an in-depth characterization Florida’s fisheries. This was done via multiple...
Understanding how animals alter habitat use in response to changing abiotic conditions is important for effective conservation management. For bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), has been widely examined the eastern and western Gulf of Mexico; however, knowledge their movements factors influencing them lacking populations more temperate north-central Mexico. To examine changes hydrographic affected presence young Mobile Bay, Alabama, thirty-five were fitted with internal acoustic transmitters...
Abstract The timing and extent of international crossings by billfishes, tunas, sharks in the Cuba-Mexico-United States (U.S.) triangle was investigated using electronic tagging data from eight species that resulted >22,000 tracking days. Transnational movements these highly mobile marine predators were pronounced with varying levels bi- or tri-national population connectivity displayed each species. Billfishes tunas moved throughout Gulf Mexico all (blue marlin, white Atlantic bluefin...
The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is globally distributed with established coastal and open-ocean movement patterns in many portions of its range. While all life stages sharks are known to occur the Gulf Mexico (GoM), variability habitat use over ontogeny have never been quantified this large marine ecosystem. To address data gap we fitted 56 Smart Position Temperature transmitting tags between 2010 2018 examined seasonal spatial distribution across GoM. Additionally, analyzed overlap core...
Abstract Declines in shark populations have sparked researchers and fishery managers to investigate more prudent approaches the conservation of these fish. As strive improve data collection for stock assessment, fisheries‐independent surveys expanded include data‐deficient areas such as coastal regions. To that end, a catch series from nearshore survey off Alabama was combined with concurrent offshore identical methodology examine depth use sharks across continental shelf (2–366 m). The set...
Abstract The Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus is an economically and ecologically important species in the northern Gulf of Mexico, where it often dominates reef fish community shallow to mid water depths along continental shelf. affinity for artificial natural reefs well established; however, this appears vary with age. We used a multigear survey that targeted all age‐classes determine distribution by age‐class on reefs, unconsolidated mud–sand bottom across shallow‐water (<100 m)...
Conservation and management efforts of marine apex predators are more reliable when information on movement habitat use patterns known. The scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) was the first shark species to be protected under U.S. Endangered Species Act has life history characteristics that make this particularly at risk for local depletion. Consequently, goal study better understand dynamics in Gulf Mexico (GOM) where discards through longline fishery can substantial. A total 33...
Understanding the factors that influence species' distributions is crucial for implementing effective management and conservation practices, yet difficult highly vagile species like sharks. Many shark demonstrate either spatial and/or temporal sexual segregation, further confounding accurate quantification of habitat suitability. Given importance understanding spatiotemporal patterns in distribution coastal assemblages, we sought to quantify sex-specific abiotic seasonal variation a...
The pelagic brown alga Sargassum forms an oasis of biodiversity and productivity in otherwise featureless ocean surface. vast pool oil resulting from the Deepwater Horizon spill came into contact with a large portion Gulf Mexico's floating mats. Aerial surveys performed during after show compelling evidence loss subsequent recovery Sargassum. Expanding on trends observed aerial surveys, we conducted series mesocosm experiments to test effect dispersants vertical position weight complex...
Identification of the spatial scale at which marine communities are organized is critical to proper management, yet this particularly difficult determine for highly migratory species like sharks. We used shark catch data collected during 2006–09 from fishery-independent bottom-longline surveys, as well biotic and abiotic explanatory identify factors that affect distribution of coastal sharks 2 scales in northern Gulf Mexico. Centered principal component analyses (PCAs) were visualize...
Abstract Large sharks are top predators in most coastal and marine ecosystems throughout the world, evidence of their reduced prominence has been a serious concern for fisheries ecosystem management. Unfortunately, quantitative data to document extent, timing, consequences changes shark populations scarce, thwarting examination long‐term (decadal, century) trends, reconstructions based on incomplete sets have subject debate. Absence descriptors past ecological conditions is generic problem...
Abstract Background As apex and mesopredators, elasmobranchs play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem function balance marine systems. Elasmobranch populations worldwide are decline as result of exploitation via direct indirect fisheries mortalities habitat degradation; however, lack information on distribution, abundance, population biology for most species hinders their effective management. Environmental DNA analysis has emerged cost‐effective non‐invasive technique to fill some these...
Abstract Understanding how interactions among microevolutionary forces generate genetic population structure of exploited species is vital to the implementation management policies that facilitate persistence. Philopatry displayed by many coastal shark can impact gene flow and selection, has direct implications for spatial scales management. Here, blacktip ( Carcharhinus limbatus ) was examined using a mixed‐marker approach employing mitochondrial control region sequences 4339 SNP‐containing...