|
Research
Interests:
Coral
reef ecosystems are facing a perilous future due to a number of
well-defined factors that include over-fishing, pollution, and habitat
destruction. To preserve the biodiversity inherent in these rich
ecosystems and to protect overexploited resources, many nations
are
setting aside areas of coral reef habitat to form marine protected
areas (MPAs). Due to social and political constraints the amount
of
habitat that can be set aside and the degree of protection it can
be
afforded is limited. As a result scientists and managers must
carefully design these preserves to ensure maximum benefit.
Understanding
population dynamics of reef organisms, the extent of
larval dispersal, and the patterns of interconnection of local
populations, are essential to the design of MPAs. For my
dissertation, I plan to study recruitment in reef-fish populations
around the Hawaiian Islands. I want to examine how spatially
separated populations are connected through larval dispersal, the
significance of self-recruitment to population maintenance and how
these factors relate to the design of MPAs.
|
