The Physical-Biological Interactions Laboratory
Claire B. Paris
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Assist. Professor of Applied Marine Physics
Secondary Appointment: Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149-1098
Tel: 305 421 4219 ; Fax: 305 421 4701
Email: cparis@rsmas.miami.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Areas of Specialization

Biophysical modeling; larval dispersal and population connectivity; larval behavior, navigation, and environmental signals; larval ecology and taxonomy

Research Interests

In coral reef ecosystems, marine populations established among a naturally fragmented habitat are more or less connected by the migration of individuals, typically during the larval phase, carrier of parental population genes. One of the most significant questions facing marine ecology today is thus to understand the spatial structure of populations and how changes in the environment may affect population connectivity, persistence and biodiversity in general. Primary interests of the Paris' Lab are in the physical-biological interactions during this critical early life history phase, developing biophysical modeling approaches to characterize larval dispersion, the major factors influencing their spatial and temporal recruitment variability, and population connectivity. How larval behavior coupled with physical oceanography establishes patterns of dispersal and in turn affects survival and recruitment is of particular interest. While there has been a wealth of research in the field of animal navigation, marine larvae has been largely overlooked. Thus, numerical modeling is complemented by field experiments and innovative in situ methods to observe orientation in larvae and the related cues.

Research in the Paris' Lab is focussing on projects that can contribute to a mechanistic understanding of larval dispersion at all scales and have applications in conservation biology. Significant applications of this research are the optimization of MPA networks, the spread of invasive species and diseases in the marine environement, and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.

Lab Members

Lab Thumb Dr. Claire B. Paris-Limouzy

Lab Thumb Dan Holstein, (PhD Candidate)

Andy Thumb Andrew Kough, (PhD Candidate)

Andy Thumb Erica Staaterman, (PhD Candidate, NSF Fellowship)

Cedric Thumb Cedric Guigand, Senior Research Associate

Research Projects

Navigation in coral reef fish larvae: OWNFOR & DISC (Dirfting In Situ Chamber)

Img Ownfor Thumb Disc Thumb See the web page of this project and the Hermon Slade Foundation.

Population Connectivity: Connectivity Modeling System (CMS)

Oceanography Thumb Science Cover Thumb see the Connectivity Modeling System, the Bahamas Complexity Project, and other coastal modeling projects.

Connectivity of disease in marine ecosystems

Lobster Thumb See news on this project

River runoff and coastal circulation: Whatershed ananlysis for the Mesoamerican reef

Meso Thumb See the web page of this project.

Fish Larval Taxonomy

Richards Guide Thumb Download the damselfish chapter of this identification guide. Related links: A photographic web guide to the larvae of coral reef fish


Other Students

image Karlisa Callwood, RSMAS-MAF (PhD Candidate)

image Xaymara M. Serrano, RSMAS-MBF (PhD Candidate)

image Dr. Johnathan Kool (University of Miami, PhD 2008); ARC Center of Excellence

image Dr. Jean-Olivier Irisson (University of Perpignan, France, PhD 2008); Laboratoire d'Oceanographie de Villefranche

image Dr. Erwan Roussel (Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, France, PhD 2007);

image Dr. Carrie Kappel (Sanford University, PhD 2006); National Center for Ecological Analyses and Synthesis (NCEAS)

image Dr. Manuel Perez-Perez (CINVESTAV, Mexico, PhD 2004); Instituto National de Pesca CRIP


Publications




Valid HTML 4.01! Valid HTML 4.01! Made with bluefish

Stegastes partitus