Profile
Seabirds feed in the open ocean and return to islands to nest, where their guano provides nutrients to islands and coastal systems. Our previous work has shown that these nutrient subsidies from seabirds can enhance coral-reef fish growth and ecosystem functioning, and alter benthic communities following coral bleaching events.
Working with other researchers, I am now investigating the spatial and trophic extent of seabird-derived nutrients in coral-reef food webs. I am also continuing to test whether seabird nutrients help coral reefs recover from climate disturbances. By linking our work to island management that aims to restore seabird populations, such as eradicating invasive rats and promoting native vegetation, I seek to understand the timescales and contexts under which these conservation strategies benefit coral reefs.
Ecosystems are intricately connected. The bad news is that humans are disrupting these links. But, I am optimistic because these connections also mean management actions can have cascading benefits across multiple ecosystems.
Biography
My Project
Other interests
I am broadly interested in the behavioural, population, and community ecology of reef fishes, with a focus on how human activities influence these processes.
My Publications
Graph-Theoretic Modelling Reveals Connectivity Hotspots for Herbivorous Reef Fishes in a Restored Tropical Island System
Peterson, E.A., Stuart, C.E., Pittman, S.J., Benkwitt, C.E., Graham, N.A.J., Malhi, Y., Salmon, T., Stoll, B., Purkis, S.J., Wedding, L.M. (2024). Graph-theoretic modelling reveals connectivity hotspots for herbivorous reef fishes in a restored tropical island system. Landscape Ecology
Seabird Nutrients Increase Coral Calcification Rates and Boost Reef Carbonate Production
Lange, I.D., Benkwitt, C.E. (2024). Seabird nutrients increase coral calcification rates and boost reef carbonate production. Nature Scientific Reports
Seabird-Vectored Pelagic Nutrients Integrated into Temperate intertidal Rocky Shoes.
Healing, S., Benkwitt, C.E., Dunn, R.E., Graham, N.A.J. (2024). Seabird-vectored pelagic nutrients integrated into temperate intertidal rocky shoes. Frontiers in Marine Science.
Species Eradication for Ecosystem Restoration
Graham, N.A.J., Benkwitt, C.E., Jones, H.P. (2024). Species eradication for ecosystem restoration. Current Biology.
Island Restoration to Rebuild Seabird Populations and Amplify Coral Reef Functioning
Dunn, R.E., Benkwitt, C.E., Maury, O., Barrier, N., Carr, P., Graham, N.A.J. (2024). Island restoration to rebuild seabird populations and amplify coral reef functioning. Conservation Biology.
