Research

Herbivory, Herbivore Diversity, and Ecosystem Function

The diversity of herbivores may be critical to the proper function of ecosystems. We are examining how different herbivore species are either redundant or complementary to one another and whether some species are more important for the function of ecosystems.

Herbivore-Coral-Algal-Microbe Interactions on Coral Reefs

Our research is bridging the world of macrobes and microbes to understand how herbivorous fishes on coral reefs impact competition between corals and algae and prevent corals from getting colonized by harmful microbes.

Consumer-derived Nutrients and the Dynamics of Coral Reefs and Kelp Forests

Consumers are significant links in biogeochemical cycles, recycling nutrients back to the environment via excretion and making limiting nutrients available to primary producers.

Moorea Coral Reef Long-term Ecological Research Program

Our group is part of the NSF-funded Moorea Coral Reef Long-term Ecological Research (MCR LTER) program. Since 2004, the MCR LTER program has sought to understand the long- term dynamics of oceanic coral reef ecosystems.

Ecology of Coral Bleaching

The context-dependency in coral bleaching events in response to marine heatwaves has been an emerging focus of our research group.

Ecological Legacies of Megacarcasses in African Savannas

Our research focuses on the role of megacarcasses of the largest terrestrial animal, the African savanna elephant, in generating a spatially and temporally dynamic pattern of nutrient hotspots with legacy effects on the ecosystem.