Sandra Brooke

I earned my Bachelors in Biological Sciences from Essex University in England and spent a few years working in mosquito control before discovering marine biology. My Masters degree (1996) was from the Virginia Institute of Marine Biology in Virginia, and my PhD (2002) was a joint venture between the University of Southampton in England and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Florida.

My dissertation research focused on the reproductive ecology of a deepwater scleractinian coral, Oculina varicosa, which forms large fragile reefs systems at 100m depth along the shelf edge of Florida's Atlantic coast. These reefs support a diverse invertebrate community and are essential spawning and nursery habitat for a number of commercially important fisheries species. Despite their protected status, the reefs have been badly damaged by illegal trawling and a restoration effort was initiated in 1996. Nothing was known however, about the life history of the coral. My research described gametogenic cycles, fecundity, embryogenesis and larval biology. Information on larval dispersal and recruitment rates are needed to assess potential for re-colonization of damaged areas.

With funding from the Mineral Management Service, we are currently investigating another deepwater reef system in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. This reef is similar to the Oculina reef, but the framework species is Lophelia pertusa. The extent and structure of this reef has been described, but almost nothing is known about the biology of the corals or the ecology of the reefs. Research objectives include description of reproductive biology, growth rates and community associations. We are also planning to explore further potential locations for presence of other reef systems in the Gulf of Mexico. As part of our studies of deep-sea coral systems, we are currently maintaining living colonies from the Gulf of Mexico and the Aleutian Islands in refrigerated seawater systems at OIMB.

Shawn Arellano

I received a B.S. in organismal biology and a B.S. in cell biology at the University of Kansas. As an undergraduate under the tutelage of Dr. Daphne Fautin, I conducted a research project on the taxonomy of a deep-sea sea anemone. Through various other undergraduate marine science programs I discovered the fascinating world of larvae and decided to pursue research on larval biology and ecology for my Ph.D. degree.

My dissertation research focuses on the embryology and recruitment dynamics of the cold seep mussel Bathymodiolus childressi at the Brine Pool seep in the Gulf of Mexico. At this site, it has been repeatedly noted that the smallest juvenile mussels reside mainly at the very edge of the brine pool, leading to the assumption that they recruit there preferentially. However, there are no empirical studies of recruitment at this site, and recruitment studies are rare at other seeps as well. The main objective of my research is to determine the role of recruitment dynamics in the demographic structure of the Brine Pool mussel population. The work involves manipulative field experiments, collection of stratified plankton samples to determine vertical distributions of larvae, and the rearing of larvae for descriptive embryology and lab experiments on larval physiology and behavior. Overall, this has proven to be a very fun and very challenging project…its not easy to care for a billion babies at once

Ahna Van Gaest

My research interests are based in larval ecology and reproduction of marine invertebrates. My thesis work investigates the reproduction and growth of Bathynerita naticoidea (Gastropoda: Neritidae), a grazing snail restricted to Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon seeps at depths ranging from 400 to 1000 meters.

One prominent question concerning cold seep communities is, "How do larvae find and recruit to cold seep sites separated by tens to hundreds of kilometers?" To answer this question, we need to know much more about the early life history characteristics of seep species.

I am investigating the developmental mode, seasonality of reproduction, larval life span, and larval tolerances of Bathynerita naticoidea. I would like to know whether larvae migrate to the euphotic zone to feed and whether they are capable of long-distance dispersal between seep sites. I am also investigating the age structure of B. naticoidea by examining the size distribution and in-situ growth rate of this species at the Brine Pool.

Tracey Smart

I am a Scorpio who enjoys warm, sunny days at the beach, tidepooling, and shuffleboard. My passions also include sleeping (when I can), playing with my cat, barnacles, and larval ecology. I have been known to dabble in embryology, larval nutrition, biology of filter feeding, and the recruitment of marine invertebrates. Most recently I have contemplated what it means to be the unusual larva of an intertidal polychaete, Owenia fusiformis, which can be found almost worldwide in calm bays and estuaries. This larva, called the mitraria, may follow a very different developmental and ecological path than the larvae of other polychaetes. And so this project, which will probably become my dissertation research, combines two of my favorite things: weird animals and baby spineless creatures.

Michael Holmes

I graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in June, 2004 with a degree in Biology. I worked under Dr. Nikki Adams on a project that investigated effects of natural UV radiation on posttranslational modifations of proteins involved in the cell cycle of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. I am now a M.S student in Craig Young's lab and have been working on the effects of sediment on deep sea coral, Lophelia Pertussa.

Maya Wolf

I grew up in the hills of Kentucky and developed a fascination for marine fauna during several family vacations to Cape Hatteras, NC. To pursue this interest in marine life, I attended the College of Charleston, SC and received a B.S. in marine biology. My senior thesis examined the spatial distribution of epibionts on two hydroid species native to the South Carolina coast. I am studying reproduction of a local nudibranch and the life cycle of the paracitic copepod that lives in that nudibranch.