RESEARCH
Food webs & global change
With tools such as gut content DNA metabarcoding, we reconstruct marine food webs with high taxonomic resolution. Delineating complex trophic interactions allows us to examine fine-scale niche partitioning and simulate the resilience of food webs under climate change scenarios.
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Trophic dynamics across gradients
Trophic dynamics shift across biogeographical gradients, illustrating the diverse pathways of trophic flow in marine ecosystems. We investigate how environmental and phylogenetic factors interact to shape fish diet and nutrient exchange across geographic regions.
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Revealing cryptic interactions
A large proportion of marine species remain undescribed due to their cryptic nature. To reveal the cryptic linkages at the base of the food chain, we contribute to ongoing DNA barcoding efforts and research how tiny fishes, invertebrates, and microbes contribute to ecosystem functioning.
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Refining DNA metabarcoding
DNA metabarcoding is a powerful tool to investigate biodiversity patterns; however, many methodological uncertainties remain. We quantify the biases associated with amplicon sequencing through lab-based experiments and rigorous analytical techniques.
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Header photo: Jennifer Adler Owen
