RESEARCH
Trophic Ecology in Coastal Systems
I investigate how marine consumers acquire and partition resources in dynamic habitats such as seagrass meadows, mangroves, and estuaries. By combining field surveys, prey availability assessments, and biochemical tracers (stable isotopes, fatty acids), I examine dietary specialization, competition, and the role of consumer foraging strategies in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Funding for this project was provided by the Sea Turtle Grants Program.
Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org
Ecological Roles of Marine Vertebrates
Large marine vertebrates, including sea turtles, act as ecosystem engineers through foraging and transporting nutrients across habitats. My work explores how these processes influence benthic community structure and energy flow, situating marine vertebrates within the broader biodiversity–ecosystem functioning framework.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Conservation of Imperiled Species
I connect ecological insights to conservation outcomes for threatened sea turtles and other marine vertebrates. My research investigates how anthropogenic pressures such as vessel traffic and habitat alteration may affect behavior, foraging ecology, and population resilience, with the goal of informing management and policy.
Funding for this project was provided by the Sea Turtle Grants Program.
Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Habitat characterization
Understanding how habitat structure shapes consumer foraging requires accurate measures of resource distribution. I use quadrant surveys, transects, and aerial drone imagery to map seagrass, algae, and other benthic resources across coastal landscapes. These approaches allow me to quantify both the availability and spatial heterogeneity of dietary resources for marine consumers, linking fine-scale habitat data with foraging ecology.