RESEARCH INTERESTS

 

I am interested in vertebrate behavioral ecology, population biology, and predator-prey relationships, specifically:

 

1. the use of vertebrate top predators as important environmental indicators,

2. understanding the importance of sociality in higher vertebrates, and how the breakdown of social structures may jeopardize physiological health and ecological functioning, and

3. investigating questions related to the evolution of social structures and behaviors using genetics,

4. contributing data to formulating management plans for species and ecosystems. 

 

CURRENT RESEARCH

I currently have several roles as I collaborate with a variety of organizations in several geographical areas.

 

As a Senior Post Doctoral Researcher at University College Cork, Marine Ecology Group, I am involvel in the long-term monitoring of marine mammals and other large vertebrate in Broadhaven Bay, County Mayo, Ireland. The Broadhaven Marine Mammal Monitoring Program has been unique in Irish waters because of its longevity and consistency, providing a data-rich time series for presence/absence patterns of marine mammals and other large vertebrates in Broadhaven Bay waters, coupled with a better understanding of the potential risks to these species as a result of construction activities associated with the Shell Corrib underwater gas pipeline.  The project uses cliff-based surveys using a surveyor's theodolite and VADAR software to plot occurrence and movements of marine mammals and vesseld in Broadhaven Bay and couples cliff-watches with underwater Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) using CPODS. In addition, the program involves education, public outreach and the rescue of stranded marine mammals around the Mullet Peninsula. 

 

As Chief Scientist for Okeanis, a California non-profic organization I follow two longitudinal research projects, one on California Coastal Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus - please see www.californiacoastaldolphinproject.org) and one on sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis - please see www.okeanis.org).

 

California bottlenose dolphins have a population of approximately 500 individuals and range from the Mexican border all the way to San Francisico. I  have been conducting surveys in Monterey Bay, and other areas of the California coast since 1990. The focus of the research is to understand the social structure on bottlenose dolphins in such a small but wide ranging population and being able to monitor the health, reproductive output and association patterns of specific individuals and their health over time using a range of scientific tools in the field and in the lab.

 

California sea otters are listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and their range is limited to the Central California coast with an estimated population of 3500 animals. My research has been focused on the ecology of an important and unique ecosystem for sea otters, the Elkhorn Slough estuary which is one of the highest density areas for sea otters along their range.

 

 

PAST RESEARCH AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

As Research Associate at the University of Pretoria and as an independent investigator at Sea Search in South Africa and Namibia, I collaborated in studies that address how anthropogenic threats, including coastal construction, tourism, pollution and climate change interact with cetaceans’ habitat use patterns, behavior and health.  Please see www.seasearch.co.za for more information. In Namibia I worked on a project that started in 2008 under the direction of Dr. SImon Elwen looking at a variety of issues related with cetaceans inhabiting the Benuela Current ecosystem. The project is nested under the Namibian Nature Foundation marine program and involved students from the University of Namibia and a variety of organization and governamental bodies in Namibia. This nation's coastlines are targeted for substantial development including massive harbor expansion, coastla development and an increase in mining and drilling activities offshore and the potential impact on marine mammals is unknown at this time and likely to be significant. We are collecting critical baseline data from both live and dead cetaceans along the Namibian coastline to understand these interactions. Please see www.namibiandolphinproject.org for more information.

 

I have led field expeditions in Alaska, Hawaii, Greece, California, and Bonaire, and participated in fieldwork in the Mediterranean, Kenya, Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Russian Far East, Canada, New Zealand, India and Trinidad. During my career I co-authored 17 peer-reviewed publications, nine technical reports, two book chapters, and 27 posters presentations, edited one workshop publication and completed three thesis projects and a dissertation. I have been the featured speaker at a variety of professional and public venues and I have mentored 32 students (two MS degree, three post-graduate students, and 27 undergraduate students) conducting thesis work and independent research projects. I have also been engaged in teaching since 1990, and have extensive higher-education lecturing experience in a variety of formats (field and class-based) and topics including Marine Biology, Ecology and Comparative Conservation Practices, Marine Conservation Biology, Oceanography, General Biology, Advanced Marine Mammal Biology, Ecology; Human Anatomy and Physiology, and Independent Study Credits.