Current Research
My research is broadly focused on the role of animal-mediated nutrient cycling in supporting ecosystem function. Specifically, I am exploring the relative importance of this ecosystem function in temperate waters where nutrient-cycling is thought to be less important than in the tropics.
If you're interested in collaborating or want to learn more, get in touch! Nutrient cycling meta-analysis: Despite the longstanding assumption that animal-mediated nutrient cycling is less important in nutrient-rich waters, empirical evidence for this is lacking. Thus, I am working on a global meta-analysis of the published literature to assess the effects of animal-provisioned nutrients on primary productivity in marine ecosystems. Role of nutrient cycling in kelp forests: Kelp forests are famous for hosting diverse and abundant communities of marine animals, which in turn provide nutrients in the form of pee to help kelp grow. I first determined the scale of nutrient variation in Barkley Sound by quantifying natural large scale variation in subtidal communities and nutrients, then manipulated animal biomass in the lab and field. Finally, I grew kelp at high and low ammonium sites and found a positive relationship between ammonium and growth rate. Invasive species disrupt nutrient cycling? The top-down, consumptive effects of the invasive European green crab have been well studied. However, little consideration has been given to the potential for this notorious invader to disrupt native communities. |
Past Research |
European Green Crabs: I compared the functional response of the invasive European green crab with the native red rock crab as part of my Directed Studies during Fall Program at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre. We found that the invasive crab species would predate almost as heavily on commercially farmed Pacific oysters as the native species at high densities, but at low densities the invader would have a much larger impact. This work is published in Biological Invasions here.
Invasive Parasites: As a USRA student in Dr. Christopher Harley's lab, I studied an invasive parasite-host system. The Japanese mud snail has been introduced along the West coast of North America, alongside an invasive trematode parasite. This parasite affects the morphology and behaviour of its host in its native range in Japan, so I set out to compare the effect of infection on these snails in their introduced range. I found that the effects were similar when the snail was found in gently sloping beaches, but infection had an opposite effect on the behaviour of snails in lagoon habitats. Effect of ocean acidification on fouling organisms: I studied the direct and indirect effects of ocean acidification on caprellids, a crustacean under the supervision of Dr. Christopher Harley. I found that ocean acidification will negatively affect the physiology of these crustaceans, as well as indirectly affect them through the reduction in biogenic habitat complexity. This research has been published in PeerJ. |