Robert J. Toonen
PhD University of California, Davis (Population Biology), 2001
Assistant Researcher, Hawaii Institiute of Marine Biology
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology,
University of Hawaii
Kaneohe, HI 96744
phone: (808) 236-7401
toonen@hawaii.edu
www2.hawaii.edu/~toonen/index.html

Dispersal and recruitment of invertebrate larvae;
population genetics, evolution & ecology of marine invertebrates.
I have a hard time describing my research program in a few sentences. During my research career, I have used a variety of approaches (including individual behavioral assays, ecological experiments in both the field and laboratory, molecular genetic, and computer modeling approaches) in an effort to address a pretty broad variety of interesting biological questions. I don't fit neatly into any traditional niche, but I tend to focus my research interests primarily on marine invertebrates, although I am willing to acknowledge the occasional lesson learned from studying chordates as well. Projects that I have been involved with over the years include such diverse studies as jellyfish feeding behavior, chemical defenses of coral reef sponges, genetic structure and patterns of dispersal in corals, coral bleaching, invasive species biology, connectivity and marine protected area design, cues for larval settlement, modeling of optimal larval settlement behavior, population genetics and phylogenetics of marine invertebrates, conservation genetics of charismatic megafauna (such as sharks, sea turtles and marine mammals), and marine ornamental culture & aquarium science.
Obviously, with that grocery list of interests, it is not simple to describe the interests of my lab fully in a paragraph here. However, much of my current research focuses on the processes that influence dispersal and recruitment in coastal marine invertebrates, and I am particularly interested in the evolutionary consequences of larval developmental modes among Hawaiian coral reef species. In general, I try to approach my research from an ecological perspective to scale up from genes to individuals to populations, and ultimately to the micro- and macro-evolutionary consequences of the processes being studied.

Representative publications (full list)
Toonen, R.J. & A.J. Tyre (In press). If larvae were smart: A simple model for optimal settlement choices of competent larvae. Marine Ecology Progress Series.

Concepcion, G., M. Crepeau, D. Wagner, S.E. Kahng & R.J. Toonen (In press). An alternative to ITS - a hypervariable, single-copy nuclear intron in corals, and its use in detecting cryptic species within the octocoral genus Carijoa. Coral Reefs.

Diehl, J.M., R.J. Toonen & L. Botsford (2007). Spatial variability of recruitment in the sand crab Emerita analoga throughout California in relation to wind-driven currents. Marine Ecology Progress Series. (November 2007 Feature Article Vol. 350)

Bird, C.E., B.S. Holland, B.W. Bowen & R.J. Toonen (2007). Contrasting population structure in three endemic Hawaiian limpets (Cellana spp.) with similar life histories. Molecular Ecology. 16:3173-3187.

Faucci, A., R.J. Toonen & M.G. Hadfield (2007). Host shitf and speciation in coral-feeding nudibranch. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 274:111-119.

Selkoe, K.A. & R.J. Toonen (2006). Microsatellites for Ecologists: A practical guide to using and evaluating microsatellite markers. Ecology Letters. 9:615-629.

Wares, J.P., P.H. Barber, J. Ross-Ibarra, E. Sotka & R.J. Toonen (2006).Mitochondrial DNA and population size. Science. 314:1388-1390.

Toonen, R.J. (2005). Foundations of gregariousness in barnacles. Journal of Experimental Biology. 208:1773-1774.

Bowen, B.W., A.L. Bass, L. Soares & R.J. Toonen (2005). Conservation implications of complex population structure: lessons from the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). Molecular Ecology. 14:2389-2402.

Toonen, R.J. & C.B. Wee (2005). An experimental comparison of sediment-based biological filtration designs for recirculating aquarium systems. Aquaculture. 250: 244-255.

Toonen, R.J. (2004). Genetic evidence of multiple paternity of broods in the intertidal crab, Petrolisthes cinctipes. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 270:259-263.

Toonen, R.J. & J.R. Pawlik (2001). Foundations of gregariousness: A dispersal polymorphism among the planktonic larvae of a marine invertebrate. Evolution 55:2439-2454.

Toonen, R.J. & J.R. Pawlik. 1994. Foundations of gregariousness. Nature 370:511-512.

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