Shellfish, shellfish habitats, and shellfisheries

Shellfish resources have benefited coastal communities worldwide for centuries through their provision of nutrition and ecosystem services. For many shellfish species throughout history, exploitation and overfishing have led to population declines and collapses with cascading effects on coastal ecosystems. Our lab works to understand the relationships between shellfish species, their habitats, and overall ecosystem functioning. Our work spans from shallow estuaries to broad continental shelf systems and across ecologically-important habitats like seagrass meadows, oyster reefs, and salt marshes. We are interested in shellfish-derived ecosystem services such as water filtration, nutrient recycling, habitat provision, and shoreline stabilization, and we are committed to the sustainable use of shellfish resources.

Coastal restoration, aquaculture, and policy

We collaborate with community members to strengthen coastal system-reliant communities through data-driven restoration, conservation, aquaculture, and policy advancements. We work with stakeholders and policymakers to recognize the needs of the community and provide tools for decision-support. We also actively strive to increase coastal resilience to climate change and mitigate coastal impairment by optimizing restoration approaches and developing innovative shellfish and seaweed aquaculture-based solutions. In our lab group, members are encouraged to be creative and approach environmental challenges earnestly, using the tools of science to yield discoveries and work toward sustainable, equitable pathways forward.