Steven Miller
Education:
- Brown University. BA Biology 1976
- University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Ph.D. 1988
Areas of Research
Benthic Ecology, Coral Reef Ecology, Nutrient Dynamics, Science Communication
My career in coral reef science started in the late 1970s when I took classes and worked as a research technician for Dr. John Ogden at West Indies Laboratory in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Later, I worked for Dr. Caroline Rogers to monitor seagrass and coral reefs for the US Virgin Islands government. While researching seaweed in the northeast United States, I moved to cold water for my doctoral studies, including field studies in Massachusetts and Greenland (under Dr. Robert Wilce). After graduate school, I returned to West Indies Laboratory to work as Science Director for the Aquarius underwater laboratory program. I eventually became Center Director for the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina – Wilmington, where I worked for 20 years. I moved to the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences at Nova Southeastern University to advance my coral reef research in Florida. Specifically, my research focus is benthic coral reef monitoring in the Florida Keys. The work aims to understand factors affecting community structure over the last several decades in multiple habitat types, including marine reserves. Metrics include benthic cover, coral demographics, octocoral abundance, species richness of corals, sponges, and octocorals, and urchin abundance. I also work on coral restoration projects in the Florida Keys. My current research interests include eDNA studies on rare corals and invasive species in the Florida Keys.
In addition to coral reef research, I work to advance innovative and entertaining science communication projects. I was a founding member of the Shifting Baselines Ocean Media Campaign (https://www.shiftingbaselines.org/), which produced short films and public service announcements. I was the Executive Producer for the documentary film Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design (https://www.amazon.com/Flock-Dodos-Evolution-Intelligent-Design-Circus/dp/B000WQTQ52), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and aired on Showtime TV for two years. I also started the Death to Lionfish media campaign, which includes a Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/deathtolionfish/) and a public service announcement that received wide distribution, including local movie theaters in the Florida Keys.
I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. I was the Recording Secretary for the International Coral Reef Society. I served as a Board Member of the Coral Restoration Foundation (where I chaired the Science Advisory Committee) and the Ocean Conservancy.
I am not accepting new graduate students.
Google Scholar Profile (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1QLmgmQAAAAJ&hl=en)
Kissling, D.L., W.F.Precht, S.L. Miller, and M. Chiappone. 2013. Historical reconstruction of population density and size of the echinoid Diadema antillarum on Florida Keys shallow bank-barrier reefs. Bull Mar Sci. Accepted.
Miller, S.L., W.F. Precht, L.M. Rutten and M. Chiappone. 2013. Florida Keys population abundance estimates for nine coral species proposed for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Technical Series Report. Nova Southeastern University Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Technical Series Report, 1(1). Dania Beach, FL. 85 pp.
Miller, S.L. and W.F. Precht. 2012. Reefs of the future: A look into a crystal ball. In South Florida Marine Environments: An Ecological Synthesis. Kruczinski, W.L. and P.J. Fletcher (eds.). Chapter 4: Coral Reefs and Hardbottom Habitats: Pages 233-234. (Lead or co-author on seven additional chapters in this book).
Smith, S.G., D.W. Swanson, M. Chiappone, S.L. Miller, and J.S. Ault 2011. Probability sampling of stony coral populations in the Florida Keys. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 183(1-4):121-138.
Keller BD, Gleason DF, McLeod E, Woodley CM, Airame S, Causey BD, Friedlander AM, Grober-Dunsmore R, Johnson JE, Miller SL, Steneck RS. 2009. Climate change, coral reef ecosystems, and management options for marine protected areas. Environmental Management 44: 1069-1088
Miller S.L., M. Chiappone, L.M. Rutten, and D.W. Swanson. 2008. Population status of Acropora corals in the Florida Keys. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale: 775-779.
Rutten LM, Chiappone M, Swanson DW, Miller SL. 2009. Stony coral species diversity and cover in the Florida Keys using design-based sampling. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale: 800-804
Chiappone, M., L.M. Rutten, S.L. Miller, and D.W. Swanson. 2007. Large-scale distributional patterns of the encrusting and excavating sponge Cliona delitrix Pang on Florida Keys coral substrates. In: Custódio MR, Lôbo-Hajdu G, Hajdu E, Muricy G (eds). Porifera research: biodiversity, innovation and sustainability. Série Livros 28. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. pp. 255-263
Precht W.F. and S.L. Miller. 2007. Ecological shifts along the Florida Reef Tract: The past is a key to the future. In Geological approaches to coral reef ecology. Aronson RB (ed), Springer, NY. Chapter 9, pp 237-312
Leichter, J.J., A. Payton, S. Wankel, K. Hanson, S. Miller, and M.A. Altabet. 2007. Nitrogen and oxygen isotopic signatures of subsurface nitrate seaward of the Florida Keys reef tract. Limnol. Oceanogr. 52(3):1258-1267.
Lindholm, J., A. Knight, L. Kaufman, and S. Miller. 2006. Site fidelity and movement of the parrotfishes Scarus coeruleus and Scarus taeniopterus at Conch Reef (northern Florida Keys). Caribbean Journal of science 42: 138-144
Chiappone, M., H. Dienes, D.W. Swanson, and S.L. Miller. 2005. Impacts of lost fishing gear on coral reef sessile invertebrates in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Biological Conservation 121:221-230
Precht, W.F., S.L. Miller, R.B. Aronson, J.F. Bruno, and L. Kaufman. 2005. Reassessing U.S. coral reefs. Science 308:1741.
Lindholm, J., S. Fangman, L. Kaufman and S. Miller. 2005. In situ tagging and tracking of coral reef fishes from the Aquarius Undersea Laboratory. Marine Technology Society Journal 39: 68-73
Chiappone M, Swanson DW, Miller SL, Dienes H. 2004. Spatial distribution of lost fishing gear on fished and protected offshore reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Caribbean Journal of Science 40: 312-326
Miller, S.L., W.F. Precht, and M. Chiappone. 2004. Recognizing complexity in biological systems: Making coral reef ecology simple? A Florida case history. Current: Journal of Marine Education. 20(1):4-11
Smith, J.E., C.M. Smith, P.S. Vroom, K.L. Beach, and S.L. Miller. 2004. Nutrient and growth dynamics of Halimeda tuna along a depth gradient in the Florida Keys: possible influence of internal tides on nutrient status and physiology? Limnology and Oceanography. 49(6):1923-1936
Chiappone M, H. Dienes, D.W. Swanson, and S.L. Miller. 2003. Density and gorgonian host-occupation patterns by flamingo tongue snails (Cyphoma gibbosum) in the Florida Keys. Caribbean Journal of Science 39(1):116-127
Franklin, E.C., J.S. Ault, S.G. Smith, J. Luo, G.A. Meester, G.A. Diaz, M. Chiappone, D.W. Swanson, S.L. Miller, and J.A. Bohnsack. 2003. Benthic Habitat Mapping in the Tortugas Region, FL. Special Issue on Marine and Coastal GIS. Marine Geodesy Vol (1-2):19-34
Leichter, J.J., H.L. Stewart and S.L. Miller. 2003. Episodic nutrient transport to Florida coral reefs. Limnol and Oceanogr. 48(4):1394-1407
Chiappone M, D.W. Swanson, and S.L. Miller. 2002. Density, spatial distribution and size structure of sea urchins in coral reef and hard-bottom habitats of the Florida Keys. Marine Ecology Progress Series 235: 117-126
Chiappone M., D.W. Swanson, S.L. Miller, and S.G. Smith. 2002. Large-scale surveys on the Florida Reef Tract indicate poor recovery of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum. Coral Reefs 21:155-159
Chiappone M., A. White, D.W. Swanson, and S.L. Miller. 2002. Occurrence and biological impacts of fishing gear and other marine debris in the Florida Keys. Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 44:597-604
Chiappone M, Miller SL, Swanson DW, Ault JS, Smith SG (2001) Comparatively high densities of the long-spined sea urchin in the Dry Tortugas, Florida. Coral Reefs 20: 137-138
Miller SL, Chiappone M, Swanson DW, Ault JS, Smith SG, Meester GA, Luo J, Franklin EC, Bohnsack JA, Harper DE, McClellan DB (2001) An extensive deep reef terrace on the Tortugas Bank, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Coral Reefs 20: 299-300
Miller S.L., D.W. Swanson, and M. Chiappone. 2000. Multiple spatial scale assessment of coral reef and hard-bottom community structure in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Proceedings of the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium. Volume 1:69-74
Leichter, J.J. and S.L. Miller. 1999. Predicting high frequency upwelling: Spatial and temporal patterns of temperature anomalies on a Florida coral reef. Continental Shelf Research 19:911-928
Miller, M.W, M.E. Hay, S.L. Miller, D. Malone, E.E. Sotka, and A.M. Szmant. 1999. Effects of nutrients vs. herbivores on reef algae: A new method for manipulating nutrients on coral reefs. Limnology and Oceanography 44(8): 1847-1861. (Featured article in December, 1999, on L&O web site)
Hughes, T., A.M Szmant, R. Steneck, R.C. Carpenter, and S.L. Miller. 1999. Algal blooms on coral reefs: What are the causes? Limnol. and Oceanogr. 4(6):1583-1586
Richardson, L.L., W.M. Goldburg, K.G. Kuda, R.B. Aronson, G.W. Smith, K.B. Richie, J.C. Halas, J.S. Feingold, and S.L. Miller. 1998. Florida's mystery coral-killer identified. Nature. Vol. 392(6676):557-558
Miller, S.L. and M.P. Crosby. 1998. The extent and condition of U.S. coral reefs. In: NOAA's State of the Coast Report (peer reviewed). NOAA. Silver Spring, MD. pp 1-34. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/websites/retiredsites/sotc_pdf/CRF.PDF
Leichter, J.J., S.R. Wing, S.L. Miller, and M.W. Denny. 1996. Pulsed delivery of subthermocline water to Conch Reef, Florida Keys, by internal tidal bores. Limnol. Oceanogr. Vol. 41(7):1490-1501.