Project Details
Program
Marine Science
Field of Study
Biodiversity, Ecology, Marine Science
Division
Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Faculty Lab Link
Center Affiliation
Red Sea Research Center
Project Description
Documenting reef fish communities through surveys and collections across spatial and temporal scales is key to understanding changes of biodiversity across natural environmental gradients and local habitats, or to predict future trajectories in response to local and global stressors. Using a range of sampling and survey methods, we are building a comprehensive picture of fish communities within the Red Sea. Work will focus on the documenting fish communities in reef and non-reef habitats (e.g., mangrove, seagrass, macroalgae) to understand the connection and importance of habitats to ecosystem function and services. This focuses on conspicuous and cryptic fishes with opportunities to conduct field (diving, fish surveys and collections) and lab work (dissections, genetic barcoding).
About the Researcher
Michael Lee Berumen
Professor, Marine Science
Affiliations
Education Profile
- Ph.D. Marine Biology, James Cook University, Australia, 2007
- B.S. (summa cum laude), Zoology, University of Arkansas, 2001
Research Interests
Larval connectivity and dispersal of reef fishes Movement ecology of reef organismsBiodiversity and evolutionary biology of Red Sea faunaSelected Publications
- Berumen, M & M Pratchett. Recovery without resilience: Persistent disturbance and long-term shifts in the structure of fish and coral communities at Tiahura Reef, Moorea. Coral Reefs 25: 647-653, 2006.
- Almany, G, M Berumen, S Thorrold, S Planes, & G Jones. Local replenishment of coral reef fish populations in a marine reserve. Science 316: 742-744, 2007.
- Berumen, M, G Almany, S Planes, G Jones, P Saenz-Agudelo, S Thorrold. Persistence of self-recruitment and patterns of larval connectivity in a marine protected area network. Ecology and Evolution 2: 444-452, 2012.
- McMahon, K, M Berumen, S Thorrold. Linking habitat mosaics and connectivity in a coral reef seascape. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 109: 15372-15376, 2012.
- Almany, G, R Hamilton, M Matawai, M Bode, T Potuku, P Saenz-Agudelo, S Planes, M Berumen, K Rhodes, S Thorrold, G Russ, G Jones. Dispersal of grouper larvae drives local resource sharing in a coral reef fishery. Current Biology 23: 626-630, 2013.
- Berumen, M, W Bass, J Bouwmeester, D Catania, J Cochran, A Hoey, M Khalil, S Miyake, M Mughal, J Spaet, P Saenz-Agudelo. The status of coral reef ecology research in the Red Sea. Coral Reefs 32: 737-748, 2013.
Desired Project Deliverables
Depending on the results, the student researcher may also contribute to a scientific publication detailing the work and findings.