Gaining Insight into Ecological Processes

Our research focus is on wildlife spatial ecology, but we extend our work into other areas (e.g., trophic ecology, community ecology, and population modeling). Once we have gained insight into these ecological processes, we communicate results to appropriate audiences using a variety of visual and descriptive tools (e.g., maps, graphs, tables). We recognize that the best science includes a collaborative effort among researchers, resource managers, policy makers, and others to maximize its usefulness across these groups.

Featured Project: Offshore Wind and Benthic Change –Marine ecosystems, particularly benthic communities, are sensitive to disturbance. More information is needed to understand how Offshore Wind (OSW) farms will impact benthic communities in the northwest Atlantic, where a majority of U.S. OSW development is underway. This study will assess potential changes to benthic communities in response to OSW development in the northwest Atlantic, project subsequent impacts to higher trophic level species, and develop a research and monitoring plan for assessing the extent of these impacts.

Movement Ecology
Understanding animal movement patterns can provide key insight into their behavior, habitat use, and population dynamics. We use data loggers including geolocators, radio transmitters, and satellite transmitters to describe where animals go and how they behave. Using multistate modeling, we can improve our understanding of environmental drivers of behavioral change and inform full life cycle conservation decision making.

Community Ecology
Animals interact with their environment and with other species; these interactions can impact survival, reproduction, competition, and other population dynamics. By integrating data across multiple taxa, we can describe community dynamics, such as marine predator-prey relationships and their influence on movement and habitat use, or songbird competition for resources and the influence on breeding distributions.

Species Distribution and Status
Understanding where animals are found, how they use the environment, and how these factors change are crucial to conservation efforts. We focus on research that integrates data over multiple spatial and temporal scales to describe these patterns and how they impact demographic rates.

Environmental Risk Assessment
Environmental changes can affect animal populations on global and local scales. By incorporating myriad data into risk assessment frameworks, we can assess the impacts of stressors, such as contaminants or development, on key species.

Decision Science
In order for data to be used to inform decisions and improve conservation outcomes, effective communication and engagement with decision makers is critical. We coordinate stakeholder meetings and utilize translational ecology principles to ensure that research is focused on real-world problems and outcomes are effectively presented to scientists and nonscientists alike.