Conservation Biology and Genomics Laboratory

Researcher

Andrew Bauman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, GHOC Room 
shannon.wayte@nova.edu 

 

Digital Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Click here to view the works and career accomplishments of Andrew Bauman, Ph.D. 

 

Research Focus 

1. Our research focuses on studying the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems with an emphasis on corals, reef fishes, and algae. Our approach is eclectic, ranging from ecological processes and population dynamics to ecosystem function and behavioral ecology. However, we are united by a single focus - to understand the roles of corals, reef fishes, and algae in ecosystem function and to find novel solutions to conserve coral reefs for future generations. Our goal is to understand how coral reefs work, to identify the changing roles of corals and reef fishes in shaping coral reef ecosystems, and to develop new approaches to reef management. 

 

Research Activities 

1. Responding to the global corale reef crisis requires understanding key ecological processes that govern grief ecosystems across multiple spatial and temporal scale. Our research investigates reef community structure, composition and functioning to better understand how the loss of hard corals alters population dynamics, size structure, and structural complexity. 
2. Coral reefs, like many high-diversity ecosystems, are dependent on a complex mosaic of interrelated ecological processes. Our research seeks to disentangle and understand core ecological functions that shape coral reefs and to determine why, where, when, and how coral reef organisms perform particular functions. 
3. Predation is a key process influencing species interactions and the flow of energy through food webs, and hence ecosystem structure and function. As part of our research, we endeavor to understand predator-prey dynamics through landscapes of fear at local and global scales across coral reef systems. 
4. We are witnessing an era of unprecedented human impacts on reef ecosystems across the world. Through our research, we strive to gain information on the impacts of global change on reef organisms and communities across a diverse range of reef ecosystems. 
5. Coral reefs in the Anthropocene will increasingly be characterized by low coral cover, reduced structural complexity, and an increasing abundance of algae. Our research examines the role of algal turf communities and sediments in shaping key ecological processes. 
6. We conduct research across coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific (Australia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and others), the Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar), Florida, and the wider Caribbean.