The marine climate of the Galapagos is spatially and seasonally
heterogeneous. A taxonomically comprehensive study of Galapagos zooplankton has
never been done. This study is an initial effort to establish the distribution and
community structure of zooplankton in the Archipelago. I collected zooplankton
samples by vertical tows over the Galapagos...
In eastern boundary current upwelling ecosystems, mesoscale circulation features such as eddies and upwelling filaments play a prominent role in the transfer of water and the associated plankton from the productive nearshore to the oligotrophic deep sea. The relationship between mesoscale circulation, zooplankton distributions, and the across-shelf transport of coastal...
For many species of marine turtle the characteristics that define pelagic habitat have yet to be fully identified. A better understanding of these habitat characteristics is critical to reduce high seas fisheries interactions with turtles, especially as the status of many turtle populations has placed them on the threatened or...
Seabirds are an integral component of marine ecosystems, however, because humans typically observe only snapshots of their lives at sea, our understanding of seabird foraging ecology is often limited. A more complete understanding of the ecological roles of seabirds and identification of critical foraging habitats requires the ability to follow...
Twenty-one rice cultivars were evaluated to determine the difference between populations of Sogatodes oryzicola (Muir) (Homoptera: Delphacidae) in Costa Rica and Colombia, Survival, mortality and population development of S. oryzicola on five selected cultivars was used to determine levels of plant resistance. The importance and potential of the parasitoid-predator Haplogonatopus...
Ocean users and marine scientists both have connections to the sea. This research explores how the nature of their connection to the sea leads to different perceptions of risk and comfort with uncertainty, and how these differences might be important to consider when one group has information another group needs....
Tropical coral reef ecosystems are very important from both the ecological and economical
points of view. However, they are also particularly fragile, and have been
declining in recent years in most regions of the world, since they are highly susceptible
to anthropogenic stressors operating at global scales (e.g., global warming...
Euphausia pacifica, the North Pacific krill, is a key grazer in the California Current System and an important prey item for consumers such as salmon, seabirds, and whales. As a crucial link between phytoplankton and higher trophic levels, it is essential to understand both the behavior and bioenergetics of this...
The quantification and description of sea surface temperature (SST) is critically important because it can influence the distribution, migration, and invasion of marine species; furthermore, SSTs are expected to be affected by climate change. Recent research indicates that there has been a warming trend in ocean temperatures over the last...
Bycatch, or the incidental capture of non-target species, has been implicated as one of the main factors leading to population declines of many large marine vertebrates, including sea turtles. To effectively manage and conserve these long-lived species, their marine distribution, high use areas, foraging habitats, and regions of highest likelihood...