A5015088121- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Marine animal studies overview
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Health and Medical Studies
- Environmental Conservation and Management
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Animal testing and alternatives
World Wildlife Fund
2023-2024
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
2016-2019
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2013-2017
University of Miami
2017
Abstract The global decline of reef-building corals is understood to be due a combination local and stressors. However, many reef scientists assume that factors predominate isolated reefs, far from human activities, are generally healthier more resilient. Here we show coral degradation not correlated with population density. This suggests such as fishing pollution having minimal effects or their impacts masked by drivers ocean warming. Our results also suggest the stressors antagonistic,...
Biotic resistance, the process by which new colonists are excluded from a community predation and/or competition with resident species, can prevent or limit species invasions. We examined whether biotic resistance native predators on Caribbean coral reefs has influenced invasion success of red lionfishes (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles), piscivores Indo-Pacific. Specifically, we surveyed abundance (density biomass) lionfish predatory fishes that could interact (either through...
Accelerating ecosystem degradation has spurred proposals to vastly expand the extent of protected areas (PAs), potentially affecting livelihoods and well-being indigenous peoples local communities (IPLCs) worldwide. The benefits multiuse PAs that elevate role IPLCs in management have long been recognized. However, quantitative examinations how resource governance distribution rights affect conservation outcomes are vital for long-term sustainability. Here, we use a long-term,...
The natural, prehuman abundance of most large predators is unknown because the lack historical data and a limited understanding natural factors that control their populations. Determining supportable predator biomass at given location (that is, carrying capacity) would help managers to optimize protection provide site-specific recovery goals. We assess relationship between predatory reef fish several anthropogenic environmental variables 39 reefs across Caribbean (i) estimate roles...
Abstract Fishing is widely considered a leading cause of biodiversity loss in marine environments, but the potential effect on ecosystem processes, such as nutrient fluxes, less explored. Here, we test how fishing Caribbean coral reefs influences and functions provided by fish community, that is, fish-mediated capacity. Specifically, modelled five processes storage (in biomass) supply (via excretion) nutrients, well measure their multifunctionality, onto 143 species reef fishes across 110...
Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect invasion success of introduced species, but whether this can occur at large spatial scales poorly understood. Here we re-evaluated hypothesis large-bodied grouper and other predators are controlling abundance exotic lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) on Caribbean coral reefs. We assessed relationship between biomass 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions while taking into consideration several cofactors may fish abundance,...
The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) is a powerful environmental law protecting imperiled plants and animals, growing number of marine species have been protected under this as extinction risk in the oceans has increased. Marine mammals sea turtles comprise 38% 163 ESA-listed "species", which includes subspecies distinct population segments, yet analyses recovery trends after listing are lacking. Here we gathered best available annual abundance estimates for geographically delimited...
Aquatic foods are a vital source of nutrients for coastal communities around the world. As global efforts accelerate to protect 30% oceans by 2030, sustainable-use marine protected areas (MPAs), which permit regulated fishing, emerge as promising approach balance conservation with local livelihoods. Here, we explore potential MPAs simultaneously support biodiversity and human nutrition, particularly in coral reef regions. Through comprehensive review analysis, identify three key pathways...
Invasive lionfish are assumed to significantly affect Caribbean reef fish communities. However, evidence of effects on native fishes is based uncontrolled observational studies or small-scale, unrepresentative experiments, with findings ranging from no effect large prey density and richness. Moreover, whether populations communities at larger, management-relevant scales unknown. The purpose this study was assess the coral in a natural complex system. We quantified density, richness,...
Disease, storms, ocean warming, and pollution have caused the mass mortality of reef-building corals across Caribbean over last four decades. Subsequently, stony been replaced by macroalgae, bacterial mats, invertebrates including soft sponges, causing changes to functioning reef ecosystems. Here we describe in absolute cover benthic taxa, corals, gorgonians, algae, at 15 fore-reef sites (12–15m depth) Belizean Barrier Reef (BBR) from 1997 2016. We also tested whether Marine Protected Areas...
Marine reserves can restore fish abundance and diversity in areas impacted by overfishing, but the effectiveness of developing countries where resources for enforcement are limited, have seldom been evaluated. Here we assess whether establishment 1996 largest marine reserve Caribbean, Gardens Queen Cuba, has had a positive effect on commercially valuable reef species relation to neighboring unprotected areas. We surveyed 25 sites, including two habitats (reef crest slope), inside outside...
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 387:147-156 (2009) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08097 Alternate benthic assemblages on reef restoration structures and cascading effects coral settlement M. W. Miller1,*, A. Valdivia2, K. L. Kramer2,4, B. Mason3, D. E. Williams2, Johnston3 1NOAA-Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75...
Abstract Monitoring the governance and management effectiveness of area‐based conservation has long been recognized as an important foundation for achieving national global biodiversity goals enabling adaptive management. However, there are still many barriers that prevent actors, including those affected by systems from implementing activities programs gathering using data on to inform decision‐making across spatial scales through time. We explored current past efforts assess actors face in...
Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect invasion success of introduced species. We tested hypothesis grouper are controlling abundance exotic lionfish on Caribbean coral reefs by assessing relationship between density and biomass predators at 71 in three biogeographic regions. Our results indicated that: (a) large not related, (b) controlled a number physical site characteristics, possibly culling. Taken together, our suggest managers cannot rely populations to...
Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect invasion success of introduced species, but whether this can occur at large spatial scales poorly understood. Here we re-evaluated hypothesis large-bodied grouper and other predators are controlling abundance exotic lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) on Caribbean coral reefs. We assessed relationship between biomass 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions while taking into consideration several cofactors may fish abundance,...
Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect invasion success of introduced species. We tested hypothesis grouper are controlling abundance exotic lionfish on Caribbean coral reefs by assessing relationship between density and biomass predators at 71 in three biogeographic regions. Our results indicated that: (a) large not related, (b) controlled a number physical site characteristics, possibly culling. Taken together, our suggest managers cannot rely populations to...
Abstract Countries are expanding marine protected area (MPA) networks to mitigate fisheries declines and support biodiversity. However, MPA impact evaluations typically assess total fish biomass. Here, we examine how biomass disaggregated by adult juvenile life stages responds environmental drivers, including sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies human footprint, multiple management types at 139 reef sites in the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) region. We found that generally appears stable across...
Abstract The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the world’s strongest environmental law protecting imperiled plants and animals, a growing number of marine species have been protected under this as extinction risk in oceans has increased. Marine mammals sea turtles comprise 36% 161 ESA-listed species, yet analyses recovery trends after listing are lacking. Here we gather best available annual population estimates for all (n=33) (n=29) listed ESA species. Of these, quantitatively analyze...
The natural, pre-human, abundance of most large predators is unknown due to the lack historical data and poor understanding natural factors that control their populations. We assessed relationship between biomass predatory reef fishes several anthropogenic environmental variables (1) predict among site variability in predator response both human impacts factors, (2) estimate baselines fish absence humans. hypothesized declines with influence but also strongly associated variability....
Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect invasion success of introduced species, but whether this can occur at large spatial scales poorly understood. Here we re-evaluated hypothesis large-bodied grouper and other predators are controlling abundance exotic lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) on Caribbean coral reefs. We assessed relationship between biomass 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions while taking into consideration several cofactors may fish abundance,...