The drivers of herbivory in marine forests
Herbivory is a key process controlling the abundance and structure of marine forests. Sea urchins are prominent herbivores on temperate communities worldwide, capable of converting complex and diverse macroalgal beds into barrens—a homogenous, functionally impoverished state dominated by bare rock and encrusting coralline algae. The factors and mechanisms that drive the collaps of macroalgal beds into barrens are however still poorly understood.
My research aims at understanding how the behaviour and body size of urchins influences their capacity to overgraze macroalgae, and how that capacity depends on its environmental context.
I have conducted research on this topic with the group of Dr. Teresa Alcoverro, who is based at the Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes in Spain.
Our research has been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
My research aims at understanding how the behaviour and body size of urchins influences their capacity to overgraze macroalgae, and how that capacity depends on its environmental context.
I have conducted research on this topic with the group of Dr. Teresa Alcoverro, who is based at the Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes in Spain.
Our research has been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Media
Check out my presentation on the effects of predators on sea urchin behaviour and its consequences for macroalgal communities. This talk was given at the PlyMSEF annual student conference.
|