Profile
My work in the Indian Ocean Region is in collaboration with Bangor University. One aspect of our research focuses on understanding the connections between oceanography (internal waves, upwelling), the feeding ecology of corals, and spatial patterns of reef community structure. We are interested in how these processes influence the resilience of shallow reefs (up to 25m) across the Chagos Archipelago. The reefs of the Chagos Archipelago are an exceptional place to explore these connections.
Our research has revealed that some corals respond strongly to patterns of food availability that are associated with oceanographic processes such as upwelling.
Biography
My Projects
Other interests
In addition to my work in the Indian Ocean Region, I conduct related research in the Line and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, in the central Pacific Ocean, as well as Palau, in the western Pacific Ocean. I am particularly interested in the natural mechanisms that can enhance coral survival and recovery in our warming oceans. This work involves a lot of fieldwork and laboratory experiments oriented towards developing innovative approaches to study coral nutrition.