Megafauna Ecology

Research Highlight: “Characterization of a guitarfish nursery in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea and beyond"

Lead scientist: Eloise "Ellie" Richardson, PhD student

The halavi guitarfish (Glaucostegus halavi) is a moderately-sized Rhinopristiform batoid found throughout the western Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Arabian Gulf. Despite its status as "Critically Endangered" according to the IUCN, significant gaps persist in our understanding of its life history and habitat. As a Ph.D. student in the Reef Ecology Lab, Ellie's research aims to help close this knowledge gap by focusing on a population of guitarfish residing in the first documented nursery ground in the central Red Sea. Through investigation of local-scale and broad-scale population genetics, the application of capture-mark-recapture techniques to infer life history data, and movement ecology projects, she hopes to offer valuable insights into the ecology of this species and therefore better support conservation efforts in the region.

halavi guitarfish research kaust
Ellie Richardson halavi guitarfish research

Research Highlight: “Environmental and biological factors hindering sea turtle hatchling success and survival"

Lead scientist: Mohammed Khayat, PhD student

Green turtle hatchlings face a perilous journey from nest to sea at coastal and island beaches globally, yet data are lacking to understand the environmental and biological factors that hinder hatchling success and survival. To address

these data gaps we will focus on: (1) assessing the environmental and biological factors that contribute to successful embryonic development and (2) causes of hatchling mortality post-emergence. The first will be accomplished by monitoring nest conditions including temperature, moisture, gas exchange, and assessing fertility of deposited eggs. Predation rates will be quantified, and the effect of light pollution measured to address impacts on newly emerged hatchlings. By understanding which factors most influence both embryonic development and recently emerged hatchlings, we can develop targeted conservation strategies.

                                   sea_turtle_hatchling_Morgan_Bennett-Smith_Red_Sea_Reef_Ecology_Lab  Mohammed_Khayat_REL_KAUST


Research Highlight: “Linking ecophysiology and movement ecology of tiger sharks"

Lead scientist: Raquel Lubambo Ostrovski, PhD student

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) are one of the main apex predators throughout temperate and tropical marine ecosystems of the world. As a highly-adaptable species, individual tiger sharks display interesting dietary preferences, reproduction timing, immune composition, and other differential behaviors. My research takes a holistic approach to understanding tiger shark ecophysiology by investigating internal physiological patterns and exploring how these may help explain differential movement and other preferential behaviors. By examining fatty acid profiles, we can unlock insights into their diet and nutrition. Simultaneously, hormonal levels are great tools to investigate their reproductive stages, maturity, and likely even residency patterns. Such multidisciplinary research is needed to inform the conservation of these iconic apex predators.

Raquel_Lobambo_Reef_Ecology_Lab_tiger_sharktiger_shark_Reef_Ecology_Lab_KAUST

Tanabe, LK; Cochran, JEM; Berumen, ML (2023) Inter-nesting, migration, and foraging behaviors of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the central-southern Red Sea. Scientific Reports 13, 11222

Tanabe, LK; Cochran, JEM; Williams, CT; Garzon, F; Langner, U; Hardenstine, RS; Hawkes, LA; Brainard, RE; Eweida, AA; Marshall, PA; Berumen, ML (2023) Case report: tracking data from foraging hawksbill turtles in the northern Red Sea. Animal Biotelemetry 11, 1

Hardenstine, RS; He, S; Cochran, JEM; Braun, CD; Cagua, EF; Pierce, SJ; Prebble, CEM; Rohner, CA; Saenz-Agudelo, P; Sinclair-Taylor, TH; Skomal, GB; Thorrold, SR; Watts, AM; Zakroff, CJ; Berumen, ML (2022) Pieces in a global puzzle: Population genetics at two whale shark aggregations in the western Indian Ocean. Ecology and Evolution 12(1):e8492

Knochel, AM; Cochran, JEM; Kattan, A; Stevens, GMW; Bojanowksi, E; Berumen, ML (2022) Crowdsourced data reveal multinational connectivity, population demographics, and possible nursery ground of endangered oceanic manta rays in the Red Sea. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 1– 13

Knochel, AM; Hussey, NE; Kessel, ST; Braun, CD; Cochran, JEM; Hill, G; Klaus, R; Checkchak, T; El Hassen, NME; Younnis, M; Berumen, ML (2022) Home sweet home: spatiotemporal distribution and site fidelity of the reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) in Dungonab Bay, Sudan. Movement Ecology 10, 22

Cochran, JEM; Braun, CD; Cagua, EF; Campbell Jr, MF; Hardenstine, RS; Kattan, A; Priest, MA; Sinclair-Taylor, TH; Skomal,  GB; Sultan, S; Sun, L; Thorrold, SR; Berumen, ML (2019) Multi-method assessment of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) residency, distribution, and dispersal behavior at an aggregation site in the Red Sea. PLoS ONE 14(9):e0222285

Full Reef Ecology Lab publication list