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Marine Conservation Ecology Lab Department of Biology San Diego State University |
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| Research in SDSU's Marine Conservation Ecology lab focuses on the interaction of invertebrates and their habitats. Most projects in the lab center on the effects of habitat structure on ecological processes in nearshore marine habitats, such as seagrass beds, rocky reefs, and kelp forests. | ||||||||||||||||
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A
summary of focal areas for research in the lab is provided below. You
can also click on each title to go to another page with more details
on each focal area.
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| Seagrass habitat structure | ||||||||||||||||
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Seagrasses form critical refuge and foraging habitats for many species of invertebrates and fishes. Seagrass beds conspicuously vary in habitat structure at multiple spatial scales, and this variability can greatly influence ecological processes that drive patterns of abundance, survival, and diversity of seagrass fauna. One of the main focuses of our lab's research is to determine the relative roles of seagrass habitat structure at fine scales and landscape scales in determining population dynamics, community structure, and behavior of seagrass organisms. Of particular interest to us is the effect of structure at landscape scales on ecological processes. Seagrass habitats, like many other aquatic and terrestrial habitats, can become fragmented by anthropogenic and natural processes. Seagrasses are particularly susceptible to fragmentation and degradation by virtue of the fact that they are found in shallow coastal waters that are used heavily by people for recreation and commerce. Seagrasses often are patchy, and vary in the degree of patchiness, the size of individual patches, and connectivity among patches. All of these attributes of landscape structure may influence the abundance, survival, and behavior of seagrass fauna. Complicating this is the fact that each seagrass patch may vary in complexity, i.e. the amount and diversity of seagrass and other structure-forming biotic and abiotic materials. Thus, it is a great challenge to determine how seagrass habitat structure influences ecological processes in these threatened nursery habitats. Read more... |
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| Spiny lobster ecology | ||||||||||||||||
| The California spiny lobster Panulirus interruptus is a commercially and recreationally important species in Southern California and Baja California, Mexico. Though a fishery for lobsters has existed for over 100 years, very little is known about the ecology and population dynamics of this species. We are continuing to study the ecology and behavior of California spiny lobsters in the kelp forests and seagrass beds of San Diego. Recent studies have focused on the effects of habitat structure (shelter composition and dispersion) on lobster abundance and survival; the movements of lobsters through the kelp forest and surfgrass beds of the open coast; and in the effectiveness of the La Jolla Ecological Reserve in promoting lobster survival. Ongoing research on lobster movement is a collaboration between personnel in Dr. Chris Lowe's lab at CSU Long Beach in Long Beach, CA. Read more... | ||||||||||||||||
| American lobster ecology | ||||||||||||||||
| The American lobster Homarus americanus forms the most valuable single-species fishery in New England. Today, fishery landings of American lobsters are booming in northern New England (Maine) while simultaneously they are crashing in southern New England (Rhode Island). Many factors may be responsible for discrepancies in landings (and corresponding levels of lobster abundance) such as: pre-settlement processes (current shifts, climate shifts, changes in planktonic food levels, etc.) and post-settlement processes (predation, competition for shelter, disease, etc.). In a collaboration with Dr. Rick Wahle of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Maine, we are examining how post-settlement processes may be dictating patterns of lobster abundance across several regions of New England. Read more... | ||||||||||||||||
| The Asian mussel Musculista senhousia | ||||||||||||||||
| The Asian mussel Musculista senhousia was introduced to San Diego in the 1960s. Since then it has become enormously abundant in San Diego Bay and Mission Bay, where its density can reach greater than 10,000 mussels per square meter. Previous faculty at SDSU, such as Dr. Susan Williams and Dr. Debbie Dexter, studied patterns of mussel abundance and interactions between mussels and eelgrass. In my lab, we have worked on the interactions between Asian mussels and native predators, as well as competitive interactions between mussels and native bivalves. Our most recent project attempts to determine what causes mussel density to vary tremendously among sites in Mission Bay. Read more.... | ||||||||||||||||
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KAH January 4, 2007 This page
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| The statements found on this page/site are for informational purposes only. While every effort is made to ensure that this information is up to date and accurate, official information can be found in the university publications. Comments can be addressed to Kevin Hovel at: hovel@sciences.sdsu.edu | ||||||||||||||||