A5075982283- Marine animal studies overview
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Marine and fisheries research
- Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies
- Career Development and Diversity
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Diverse Educational Innovations Studies
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Higher Education Research Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Conservation, Ecology, Wildlife Education
- Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
- Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
University of California, Santa Cruz
2014-2025
Santa Cruz County Office of Education
2024
University of Alaska Fairbanks
2014-2021
University of Alaska Anchorage
2015-2021
Providence College
2017-2018
Sleep is a crucial part of the daily activity patterns mammals. However, in marine species that spend months or entire lifetimes at sea, location, timing, and duration sleep may be constrained. To understand how mammals satisfy their requirements while we monitored electroencephalographic wild northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) diving Monterey Bay, California. Brain-wave showed took short (less than 20 minutes) naps (maximum depth 377 meters; 104 sleeping dives). Linking these...
ABSTRACT Understanding animal movement is at the core of ecology, evolution and conservation science. Big data approaches for tracking have facilitated impactful synthesis research on spatial biology behavior in ecologically important human-impacted regions. Similarly, databases traits (e.g. body size, limb length, locomotion method, lifespan) been used a wide range comparative questions, with emerging being shared level individuals populations. Here, we argue that proliferation both types...
Abstract Disparities remain in the representation of marginalized students STEM. Classroom‐based experiential learning opportunities can increase student confidence and academic success; however, effectiveness extending to outdoor settings is unknown. Our objectives were examine (a) demographic gaps ecology evolutionary biology (EEB) major completion, college graduation, GPAs for who did not enroll field courses, (b) whether under‐represented groups less likely (c) more feel increased...
Abstract Anelloviruses are highly prevalent in diverse mammals, including humans, but so far have not been linked to any disease and considered be part of the ‘healthy virome’. These viruses small circular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genomes encode several proteins with no detectable sequence similarity other known viruses. Thus, anelloviruses only family eukaryotic ssDNA currently included realm Monodnaviria. To gain insights into provenance these enigmatic viruses, we sequenced more than...
The open ocean twilight zone holds most of the global fish biomass but is poorly understood owing to difficulties measuring subsurface ecosystem processes at scale. We demonstrate that a wide-ranging carnivore—the northern elephant seal—can serve as an sentinel for zone. link basin–scale foraging success with oceanographic indices estimate abundance five decades into past, and future. discovered small variation in maternal amplified larger changes offspring body mass enormous first-year...
The viruses circulating among Antarctic wildlife remain largely unknown. In an effort to identify associated with Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) inhabiting the Ross Sea, vaginal and nasal swabs, faecal samples were collected between November 2014 February 2015. addition, a seal kidney South Polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki) faeces opportunistically sampled. Using high throughput sequencing, we identified recovered 152 anellovirus genomes that share 63–70% genome-wide identities...
Lightscapes affect life and death of elephant seals during oceanic migrations.
Small mesopelagic fishes dominate the world's total fish biomass, yet their ecological importance as prey for large marine animals is poorly understood. To reveal little-known ecosystem dynamics, we identified prey, measured feeding events, and quantified daily energy balance of 48 deep-diving elephant seals throughout oceanic migrations by leveraging innovative technologies: animal-borne smart accelerometers video cameras. Seals only attained positive after 1000 to 2000 times per day on...
Abstract Populations and species are threatened by human pressure, but their fate is variable. Some depleted populations, such as that of the northern elephant seal ( Mirounga angustirostris ), recover rapidly even when surviving population was small. The hunted extensively taken collectors between early 1800s 1892, suffering an extreme bottleneck a consequence. Recovery rapid now there over 200,000 individuals. We sequenced 260 modern 8 historical nuclear genomes to assess impact on...
Many animals and plants have species-typical annual cycles, but individuals vary in their timing of life-history events. Individual variation fur replacement (moult) is poorly understood mammals due to the challenge repeated observations longitudinal sampling. We examined factors that influence moult duration among elephant seals ( Mirounga angustirostris ). quantified onset progression loss 1178 individuals. found an exceptionally rapid visible (7 days, shortest any or birds), a wide range...
Abstract Understanding how insular ecosystems recover or are restructured after the eradication of an invasive species is crucial in evaluating conservation success and prioritizing island efforts. Globally, herbivores have been removed from 762 islands, most with limited active restoration actions following eradication. Few studies documented effects herbivore removal multiple decades passive recovery. Here we evaluate recovery vegetation on Santa Cruz Island, California, feral sheep ( Ovis...
Archival instruments attached to animals (biologgers) have enabled exciting discoveries and promoted effective conservation management for decades. Recent research indicates that the field of biologging is poised shift from pattern description process explanation. Here we describe how biologgers been - can be used test hypotheses challenge theory in behavior ecology through three case studies many short examples. These examples, spanning predator-prey interactions, state-dependent...
Trait-based approaches are key to understanding eco-evolutionary processes but rarely account for animal behaviour despite its central role in ecosystem dynamics. We propose integrating into trait-based ecology through movement traits - standardised and comparable measures of derived from biologging data, such as daily displacements or range sizes. Accounting will advance research on species interactions, community structure, functioning. Importantly, allow quantification behavioural...
ABSTRACT Although drones are a promising alternative to traditional wildlife monitoring methods, validation efforts needed quantify the accuracy of abundance and distribution estimates obtained from using drones. We used equipped with high‐resolution Red‐Green‐Blue (RGB) thermal cameras, coupled machine learning techniques, assess physiology in northern elephant seals ( Mirounga angustirostris ). Aerial images 3415 measurements ambient air temperature, wind speed, time day were collected...
Abstract The COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted many standard approaches to STEM education. Particularly impacted were field courses, which rely on specific natural spaces often accessed through shared vehicles. As in‐person courses have been found be particularly impactful for undergraduate student success in the sciences, we aimed compare and understand what factors may lost or gained during conversion of an introductory course online format. Using a mixed methods approach comparing data from...
Understanding the ontogeny of diving behaviour in marine megafauna is crucial owing to its influence on foraging success, energy budgets, and mortality. We compared two closely related species—northern elephant seals ( Mirounga angustirostris, n = 4) southern leonina, 9)—to shed light ecological processes underlying migration. Although both species have similar sizes behaviours as adults, we discovered that juvenile northern superior development, reaching 260 m depth just 30 days, while...
Biologging best practices have been carefully considered since the field’s inception six decades ago. The biologging research community has reduced instrument impacts on study animals by miniaturizing devices, employing sophisticated release mechanisms, and developing novel technological advancements. However, field still needs standardized for balancing data quality animal welfare across scientific process, from design to deployment reporting. We developed a set of guidelines reviewing over...