Michael Heithaus
- Professor, College of Arts, Sciences & Education , Academic Affairs
Overview
overview
- Dr. Mike Heithaus is dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education (CASE) and Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University (FIU). A marine ecologist specializing in predator-prey interactions and the ecological importance of sharks and other large marine species, Heithaus is the principal investigator and co-principal investigator on grants totaling $28 million. His research leverages a number of cutting-edge technologies, including drones and animal-borne cameras, to unravel the mysterious lives of hard-to-study marine creatures. His work in Shark Bay Australia is the most detailed study of the ecological role of sharks in the world. Working with several prominent non-governmental organizations, it has been used as the underpinning for affecting positive policy changes. Prior to joining FIU, Heithaus was a scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research. He also worked with National Geographic's Remote Imaging Department where he conducted studies using their "Crittercam." Heithaus has been involved in the production of more than a dozen natural history documentaries, including two featured on Shark Week, and has hosted a National Geographic Channel television series. He has dedicated his career to bringing the excitement of scientific exploration and discovery to audiences of all ages. He received a B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College in 1995 and completed his Ph.D. at Simon Fraser University in 2001.
Publications
selected publications
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Article
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2020Buried in the sand: Uncovering the ecological roles and importance of rays. FISH AND FISHERIES.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/faf.12508 Web of Science: 000570877900001
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2020Global status and conservation potential of reef sharks. NATURE. 583:801-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2519-y Web of Science: 000551385400006
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2020Going Downriver: Patterns and Cues in Hurricane-Driven Movements of Common Snook in a Subtropical Coastal River. ESTUARIES AND COASTS. 43:1158-1173.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s12237-019-00617-y Web of Science: 000537511500018
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2020Movements of Juvenile Bull Sharks in Response to a Major Hurricane Within a Tropical Estuarine Nursery Area. ESTUARIES AND COASTS. 43:1144-1157.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s12237-019-00600-7 Web of Science: 000537511500017
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2020Synchrony, leadership, and association in male Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). ETHOLOGY. 126:741-750.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/eth.13025 Web of Science: 000540196900008
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2020Too hot to handle: Unprecedented seagrass death driven by marine heatwave in a World Heritage Area. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY. 26:3525-3538.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15065 Web of Science: 000535307300032
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2020Long-term monitoring provides insight into estuarine top predator (Carcharhinus leucas) resilience following an extreme weather event. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 639:169-183.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps13269 Web of Science: 000525359900011
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2019Residency and spatial distribution of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas in and around Reunion Island marine protected area. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 630:101-113.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps13139 Web of Science: 000521172100008
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2019Effects of anticoagulants on stable-isotope values (delta C-13 and delta N-15) of shark blood components. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY. 95:1535-1539.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14164 Web of Science: 000494520600001
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2019Effect of seagrass nutrient content and relative abundance on the foraging behavior of green turtles in the face of a marine plant invasion. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 628:171-182.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps13092 Web of Science: 000521167200011
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2019Population structure, connectivity, and demographic history of an apex marine predator, the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas. ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION.Full Text via DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5597 Web of Science: 000489500000001
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2019Indirect legacy effects of an extreme climatic event on a marine megafaunal community. ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS. 89.Full Text via DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1365 Web of Science: 000478087600008
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2019Intraspecific differences in relative isotopic niche area and overlap of co-occurring sharks. AQUATIC ECOLOGY. 53:233-250.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s10452-019-09685-5 Web of Science: 000467538000007
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2019Top predators induce habitat shifts in prey within marine protected areas. OECOLOGIA. 190:375-385.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04421-0 Web of Science: 000471666500010
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2019Inter-individual differences in ontogenetic trophic shifts among three marine predators. OECOLOGIA. 189:621-636.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04357-5 Web of Science: 000461360700006
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2019Effect of body length, trophic position and habitat use on mercury concentrations of sharks from contrasted ecosystems in the southwestern Indian Ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. 169.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.11.024 Web of Science: 000458592200042
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2019Habitat use of sympatric prey suggests divergent anti-predator responses to recolonizing gray wolves. OECOLOGIA. 189.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4323-z Web of Science: 000460033700018
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2018From banana fields to the deep blue: Assessment of chlordecone contamination of oceanic cetaceans in the eastern Caribbean. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN. 137.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.012 Web of Science: 000453490300007
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2018Individual specialization in a migratory grazer reflects long-term diet selectivity on a foraging ground: implications for isotope-based tracking. OECOLOGIA. 188.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4218-z Web of Science: 000445426400009
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2018Keeping up with the Silver King: Using cooperative acoustic telemetry networks to quantify the movements of Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) in the coastal waters of the southeastern United States. FISHERIES RESEARCH. 205.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.fishres.2018.04.008 Web of Science: 000433651100009
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2018Spatial and temporal variation in abundance, group size and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins in the Florida coastal Everglades. JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. 98.Full Text via DOI: 10.1017/S002531541700090X Web of Science: 000442228000013
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2018Impacts of recolonizing gray wolves (Canis lupus) on survival and mortality in two sympatric ungulates. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY. 96.Full Text via DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0282 Web of Science: 000440938400014
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2018Using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys and image analysis in the study of large surface-associated marine species: a case study on reef sharks Carcharhinus melanopterus shoaling behaviour. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY. 93.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13645 Web of Science: 000443231700014
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2018The trophic ecology of Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) relative to other large teleost predators on an isolated coral atoll. MARINE BIOLOGY. 165.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00227-018-3322-2 Web of Science: 000429377700007
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2017Baited Remote Underwater Video surveys undercount sharks at high densities: insights from full-spherical camera technologies. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 585:113-121.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps12395 Web of Science: 000418811000008
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2017Can animal habitat use patterns influence their vulnerability to extreme climate events? An estuarine sportfish case study. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY. 23:4045-4057.
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2017Ecological niche partitioning within a large predator guild in a nutrient-limited estuary. LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY. 62:934-953.Full Text via DOI: 10.1002/lno.10477 Web of Science: 000402907100005
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2017Predicting seagrass recovery times and their implications following an extreme climate event. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 567:79-93.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps12029 Web of Science: 000397823100006
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2017Spatial variation in shark-inflicted injuries to Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) of the southwestern Indian Ocean. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE. 33:335-341.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/mms.12346 Web of Science: 000391037300017
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2017Spatial variation in the accumulation of POPs and mercury in bottlenose dolphins of the Lower Florida Keys and the coastal Everglades (South Florida). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION. 220:577-587.
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2017Species co-occurrence affects the trophic interactions of two juvenile reef shark species in tropical lagoon nurseries in Moorea (French Polynesia). MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. 127:84-91.
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2017The trophic role of a large marine predator, the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 7.
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2017Trophic redundancy among fishes in an East African nearshore seagrass community inferred from stable-isotope analysis. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY. 91:490-509.
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2016Global population genetic dynamics of a highly migratory, apex predator shark. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY. 25:5312-5329.
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2016Importance of teleost macrograzers to seagrass composition in a subtropical ecosystem with abundant populations of megagrazers and predators. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 553:81-92.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps11790 Web of Science: 000383800600006
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2016Reefscapes of fear: predation risk and reef heterogeneity interact to shape herbivore foraging behaviour. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 85:146-156.
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2016The relative importance of reproduction and survival for the conservation of two dolphin populations. ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. 6:3496-3512.
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2016Using an unbaited stationary video system to investigate the behaviour and interactions of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas under an aquaculture farm. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE. 38:73-79.Full Text via DOI: 10.2989/1814232X.2016.1156578 Web of Science: 000375323000008
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2016Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to investigate shark and ray densities in a shallow coral lagoon. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 560:237-242.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps11945 Web of Science: 000390104900017
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2015Ecological niche of an abundant teleost Pelates octolineatus in a subtropical seagrass ecosystem. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 541:195-204.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps11542 Web of Science: 000367393200014
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2015Effects of lipid and urea extraction on delta N-15 values of deep-sea sharks and hagfish: Can mathematical correction factors be generated?. DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART II-TOPICAL STUDIES IN OCEANOGRAPHY. 115:103-108.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.12.013 Web of Science: 000355055400011
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2015Extreme temperatures, foundation species, and abrupt ecosystem change: an example from an iconic seagrass ecosystem. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY. 21:1463-1474.
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2015Further evidence of a context-specific agonistic signal in bottlenose dolphins: the influence of consortships and group size on the pop vocalization. BEHAVIOUR. 152:1979-2000.Full Text via DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-00003311 Web of Science: 000364811500006
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2015Intraspecific behavioral dynamics in a green turtle Chelonia mydas foraging aggregation. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 532:243-256.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps11346 Web of Science: 000358445600019
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2015New perspectives on an iconic landscape from comparative international long-term ecological research. ECOSPHERE. 6.Full Text via DOI: 10.1890/ES14-00388.1 Web of Science: 000364024300010
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2015Plasticity of trophic interactions among sharks from the oceanic south-western Indian Ocean revealed by stable isotope and mercury analyses. DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS. 96:49-58.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr.2014.11.006 Web of Science: 000349507400005
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2015Predators help protect carbon stocks in blue carbon ecosystems. NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE. 5:1038-1045.Full Text via DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE2763 Web of Science: 000366402900009
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2015Short-term shifts of stable isotope (delta C-13, delta N-15) values in juvenile sharks within nursery areas suggest rapid shifts in energy pathways. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY. 465:83-91.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2015.01.012 Web of Science: 000351250600010
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2015Trophic ecology of common elasmobranchs exploited by artisanal shark fisheries off south-western Madagascar. AQUATIC BIOLOGY. 23:29-38.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/ab00602 Web of Science: 000346420100003
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2015Trophic interactions of common elasmobranchs in deep-sea communities of the Gulf of Mexico revealed through stable isotope and stomach content analysis. DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART II-TOPICAL STUDIES IN OCEANOGRAPHY. 115:92-102.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.10.011 Web of Science: 000355055400010
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2014Animal-borne video reveals seasonal activity patterns of green sea turtles and the importance of accounting for capture stress in short-term biologging. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY. 450:15-20.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2013.10.020 Web of Science: 000330081700003
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2014Are Seeds Consumed by Crocodilians Viable? A Test of the Crocodilian Saurochory Hypothesis. SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST. 13:N26-N29.Full Text via DOI: 10.1656/058.013.0304 Web of Science: 000342487600002
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2014Cross-fertilizing aquatic and terrestrial research to understand predator risk effects. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-WATER. 1.Full Text via DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1039 Web of Science: 000443720300002
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2014Direct evidence for gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) predation and scavenging on harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE. 30:1542-1548.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/mms.12111 Web of Science: 000342835800013
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2014Multi-tissue stable isotope analysis and acoustic telemetry reveal seasonal variability in the trophic interactions of juvenile bull sharks in a coastal estuary. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 83:199-213.
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2014New Record of Everglades Mink in Everglades National Park from the Stomach of an American Alligator. SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST. 13:N22-N25.Full Text via DOI: 10.1656/058.013.0303 Web of Science: 000342487600001
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2014The foraging ecology of coastal bottlenose dolphins based on stable isotope mixing models and behavioural sampling. MARINE BIOLOGY. 161:953-961.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00227-014-2395-9 Web of Science: 000333899500018
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2014The state of knowledge on sharks for conservation and management. SHARKS: CONSERVATION, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT. 69-88.Web of Science: 000342615600005
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2014Towards a cohesive, holistic view of top predation: a definition, synthesis and perspective. OIKOS. 123:1234-1243.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/oik.01468 Web of Science: 000342754100009
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2013Alarm call production and temporal variation in predator encounter rates for a facultative teleost grazer in a relatively pristine seagrass ecosystem. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY. 449:135-141.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2013.09.008 Web of Science: 000334647500019
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2013Apparent resource partitioning and trophic structure of large-bodied marine predators in a relatively pristine seagrass ecosystem. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 481:225-237.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps10235 Web of Science: 000318566400016
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2013Correcting for heterogeneous availability bias in surveys of long-diving marine turtles. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION. 165:154-161.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2013.06.005 Web of Science: 000323871700018
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2013Global catches, exploitation rates, and rebuilding options for sharks. MARINE POLICY. 40:194-204.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2012.12.034 Web of Science: 000317539200023
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2013Individuals as information sources: Could followers benefit from leaders' knowledge?. BEHAVIOUR. 150:635-657.Full Text via DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-00003075 Web of Science: 000317797200005
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2013Intra-population variation in activity ranges, diel patterns, movement rates, and habitat use of American alligators in a subtropical estuary. ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE. 135:182-190.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.008 Web of Science: 000328871300019
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2013Patterns of top-down control in a seagrass ecosystem: could a roving apex predator induce a behaviour-mediated trophic cascade?. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 82:1192-1202.
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2013Predators, Prey, and the Ecological Roles of Sea Turtles. BIOLOGY OF SEA TURTLES, VOL III. 249-284.Web of Science: 000353356900011
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2013Slow Isotope Turnover Rates and Low Discrimination Values in the American Alligator: Implications for Interpretation of Ectotherm Stable Isotope Data. PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ZOOLOGY. 86:137-148.
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2013Spatial pattern in seagrass stoichiometry indicates both N-limited and P-limited regions of an iconic P-limited subtropical bay. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 472:101-115.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps10042 Web of Science: 000313344300008
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2013THE ROLES OF LARGE TOP PREDATORS IN COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS New Insights from Long Term Ecological Research. OCEANOGRAPHY. 26:156-167.Full Text via DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2013.59 Web of Science: 000323808600023
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2012American Alligator Digestion Rate of Blue Crabs and Its Implications for Stomach Contents Analysis. COPEIA. 419-423.Full Text via DOI: 10.1643/CE-11-177 Web of Science: 000309379000007
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2012Behavioural transition probabilities in dugongs change with habitat and predator presence: implications for sirenian conservation. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH. 63:1069-1076.Full Text via DOI: 10.1071/MF12074 Web of Science: 000311409300012
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2012Diel and seasonal variation in the use of a nearshore sandflat by a ray community in a near pristine system. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH. 63:1077-1084.Full Text via DOI: 10.1071/MF11226 Web of Science: 000311409300013
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2012Effects of an extreme temperature event on the behavior and age structure of an estuarine top predator, Carcharhinus leucas. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 447:165-178.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps09497 Web of Science: 000300660600012
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2012Fatty acids and stable isotopes as indicators of early-life feeding and potential maternal resource dependency in the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 455:245-256.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps09674 Web of Science: 000304607100016
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2012Feeding of the Brazilian sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon lalandii (Muller & Henle, 1839) from southern Brazil. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY. 28:623-627.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0426.2012.01970.x Web of Science: 000306142900020
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2012Feeding preferences of herbivores in a relatively pristine subtropical seagrass ecosystem. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH. 63:1051-1058.Full Text via DOI: 10.1071/MF12029 Web of Science: 000311409300010
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2012Heterogeneous patterns of availability for detection during visual surveys: spatiotemporal variation in sea turtle dive-surfacing behaviour on a feeding ground. METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. 3:378-387.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.2041-210X.2011.00163.x Web of Science: 000302538500018
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2012Large-scale movement patterns of male loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in Shark Bay, Australia. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH. 63:1108-1116.Full Text via DOI: 10.1071/MF12030 Web of Science: 000311409300016
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2012Predator-Prey Interactions. Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives, 2nd Edition. 505-546.Web of Science: 000353358700018
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2012Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil. JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. 92:1767-1772.Full Text via DOI: 10.1017/S0025315412001154 Web of Science: 000310731600014
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2012Shark scavenging and predation on sea turtles in northeastern Brazil. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA. 33:495-502.Full Text via DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00002852 Web of Science: 000312228000017
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2012Site specialists, diet generalists? Isotopic variation, site fidelity, and foraging by loggerhead turtles in Shark Bay, Western Australia. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 453:213-226.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps09637 Web of Science: 000303670200009
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2012Stable isotope and fatty acid biomarkers of seagrass, epiphytic, and algal organic matter to consumers in a pristine seagrass ecosystem. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH. 63:1085-1097.Full Text via DOI: 10.1071/MF12027 Web of Science: 000311409300014
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2012The ecological importance of intact top-predator populations: a synthesis of 15 years of research in a seagrass ecosystem. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH. 63:1039-1050.Full Text via DOI: 10.1071/MF12024 Web of Science: 000311409300009
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2011Contrasting patterns of individual specialization and trophic coupling in two marine apex predators. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 80:294-305.
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2011Dietary niche overlap in a nearshore elasmobranch mesopredator community. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 425:247-260.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps08988 Web of Science: 000288400800019
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2011Diversity in trophic interactions of green sea turtles Chelonia mydas on a relatively pristine coastal foraging ground. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 439:277-293.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps09313 Web of Science: 000296068200022
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2011Does variation in movement tactics and trophic interactions among American alligators create habitat linkages?. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 80:786-798.
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2011High-Trophic-Level Consumers: Elasmobranchs. TREATISE ON ESTUARINE AND COASTAL SCIENCE, VOL 6: TROPHIC RELATIONSHIPS OF COASTAL AND ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEMS. 203-225.Web of Science: 000333922600008
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2011Highly dynamic fission-fusion species can exhibit leadership when traveling. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY. 65:1061-1069.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-1113-y Web of Science: 000289567000019
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2011Informing the interpretation of dive profiles using animal-borne video: A marine turtle case study. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY. 410:12-20.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2011.10.002 Web of Science: 000298535600002
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2011Predator-induced modifications to diving behavior vary with foraging mode. OIKOS. 120:1005-1012.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18844.x Web of Science: 000292114300007
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2011Trophic dynamics in a relatively pristine subtropical fringing mangrove community. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 428:49-61.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps09052 Web of Science: 000290248800004
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2010Influence of predation risk and food supply on nocturnal fish foraging distributions along a mangrove-seagrass ecotone. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 414:223-235.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps08731 Web of Science: 000281891100018
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2010Mother-offspring isotope fractionation in two species of placentatrophic sharks. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY. 77:1724-1727.
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2010Size-based variation in intertissue comparisons of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) and tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier). CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES. 67:877-885.Full Text via DOI: 10.1139/F10-037 Web of Science: 000277321000009
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2010Unraveling the Ecological Importance of Elasmobranchs. SHARKS AND THEIR RELATIVES II: BIODIVERSITY, ADAPTIVE PHYSIOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION. 611-637.Web of Science: 000285454100017
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2009Feeding Strategies and Tactics. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MARINE MAMMALS, 2ND EDITION. 414-423.Web of Science: 000337029200094
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2009Olive-headed sea snakes Disteria major shift seagrass microhabitats to avoid shark predation. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 387:287-293.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps08127 Web of Science: 000269405500024
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2009Physical factors influencing the distribution of a top predator in a subtropical oligotrophic estuary. LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY. 54:472-482.Full Text via DOI: 10.4319/lo.2009.54.2.0472 Web of Science: 000265169800007
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2009Spatiotemporal variability in a sandflat elasmobranch fauna in Shark Bay, Australia. MARINE BIOLOGY. 156:2579-2590.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00227-009-1282-2 Web of Science: 000270721000014
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2009Towards a predictive framework for predator risk effects: the interaction of landscape features and prey escape tactics. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 78:556-562.
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2009Validation of a Rapid Visual-Assessment Technique for Categorizing the Body Condition of Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Field. COPEIA. 251-255.Full Text via DOI: 10.1643/CE-07-227 Web of Science: 000267151100007
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2008Danger on the rise: diurnal tidal state mediates an exchange of food for safety by the bar-bellied sea snake Hydrophis elegans. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 358:289-294.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps07346 Web of Science: 000256228300026
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2008Seascapes of fear: evaluating sublethal predator effects experienced and generated by marine mammals. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE. 24:1-15.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2007.00167.x Web of Science: 000253121500001
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2008Speed and maneuverability of adult Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) under simulated predatory attack: Do the sexes differ?. JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY. 42:411-413.Full Text via DOI: 10.1670/07-1661.1 Web of Science: 000256391000025
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2008Temporal variation in dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) habitat use and group size off Great Abaco Island, Bahamas. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE. 24:171-182.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2007.00183.x Web of Science: 000253121500014
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2007An advanced solid-state animal-borne video and environmental data-logging Device("CRITTERCAM") for marine research. MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY JOURNAL. 41:31-38.Full Text via DOI: 10.4031/002533207787442240 Web of Science: 000248637800005
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2007Behavioral indicators in marine conservation: Lessons from a pristine seagrass ecosystem. ISRAEL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION. 53:355-370.Full Text via DOI: 10.1560/IJEE.53.3.355 Web of Science: 000257257800010
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2007Can environmental heterogeneity explain individual foraging variation in wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.)?. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY. 61:679-688.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00265-006-0296-8 Web of Science: 000244684500004
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2007Can measures of prey availability improve our ability to predict the abundance of large marine predators?. OECOLOGIA. 153:563-568.
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2007Can you dig it? Use of excavation, a risky foraging tactic, by dugongs is sensitive to predation danger. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. 74:1085-1091.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.02.009 Web of Science: 000250181100046
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2007Dangerous dive cycles and the proverbial ostrich. OIKOS. 116:893-902.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.0030-1299.2007.15766.x Web of Science: 000245814500018
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2007Fear factor: do dugongs (Dugong dugon) trade food for safety from tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier)?. OECOLOGIA. 153:1031-1040.
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2007Living on the edge: dugongs prefer to forage in microhabitats that allow escape from rather than avoidance of predators. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. 74:93-101.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.11.016 Web of Science: 000248226500013
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2007Long-term movements of tiger sharks satellite-tagged in Shark Bay, Western Australia. MARINE BIOLOGY. 151:1455-1461.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00227-006-0583-y Web of Science: 000246099000023
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2007Spatial and temporal variation in shark communities of the lower Florida Keys and evidence for historical population declines. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES. 64:1302-1313.Full Text via DOI: 10.1139/F07-098 Web of Science: 000251023700002
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2007State-dependent risk-taking by green sea turtles mediates top-down effects of tiger shark intimidation in a marine ecosystem. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 76:837-844.
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2006Decline in relative abundance of bottlenose dolphins exposed to long-term disturbance. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY. 20:1791-1798.
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2006Does tiger shark predation risk influence foraging habitat use by bottlenose dolphins at multiple spatial scales?. OIKOS. 114:257-264.Web of Science: 000239151300006
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2006Influence of teleost abundance on the distribution and abundance of sharks in Florida Bay, USA. HYDROBIOLOGIA. 569:449-455.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s10750-006-0148-6 Web of Science: 000240576200031
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2006Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) abundance and growth in a subtropical embayment: evidence from 7 years of standardized fishing effort. MARINE BIOLOGY. 149:961-968.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00227-006-0278-4 Web of Science: 000238683900023
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2006Validation of a randomization procedure to assess animal habitat preferences: microhabitat use of tiger sharks in a seagrass ecosystem. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 75:666-676.
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2005Cultural transmission of tool use in bottlenose dolphins. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 102.Full Text via DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0500232102 Web of Science: 000230049500029
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2005Biology of sea turtles under risk from tiger sharks at a foraging ground. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 288:285-294.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps288285 Web of Science: 000228394400025
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2005Foraging of juvenile monk seals at French Frigate Shoals, Hawaii. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE. 21:93-107.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2005.tb01210.x Web of Science: 000226350200007
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2005Habitat use and group size of pied cormorants (Phalacrocorax varius) in a seagrass ecosystem: possible effects of food abundance and predation risk. MARINE BIOLOGY. 147:27-35.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00227-004-1534-0 Web of Science: 000228974100003
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2004Fish communities of subtropical seagrass meadows and associated habitats in Shark Bay, Western Australia. BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE. 75.Web of Science: 000224239800007
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Book Chapter
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2016Megafaunal Impacts on Structure and Function of Ocean Ecosystems. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES, VOL 41. 83-116.Full Text via DOI: 10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-085622 Web of Science: 000398214100004
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2010SHARKS AND THEIR RELATIVES II BIODIVERSITY, ADAPTIVE PHYSIOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION Preface. SHARKS AND THEIR RELATIVES II: BIODIVERSITY, ADAPTIVE PHYSIOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION. IX-IX.Web of Science: 000285454100001
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Editorial Material
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2015Stingrays as possible facilitators for foraging trevallies in a nearshore sandflat. MARINE BIODIVERSITY. 625-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s12526-014-0304-6 Web of Science: 000365873600016
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2014Accounting for individual behavioural variation in studies of habitat selection. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY. 319-321.
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2012Science behind management of Shark Bay and Florida Bay, two P-limited subtropical systems with different climatology and human pressures Introduction. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH. 941-951.Full Text via DOI: 10.1071/MF12280 Web of Science: 000311409300001
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Letter
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Review
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2019A Systematic Review of How Multiple Stressors From an Extreme Event Drove Ecosystem-Wide Loss of Resilience in an Iconic Seagrass Community. FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE.Full Text via DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00455 Web of Science: 000477971100001
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2018The potential of unmanned aerial systems for sea turtle research and conservation: a review and future directions. ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH. 81-100.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/esr00877 Web of Science: 000446483300004
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2016Human activities change marine ecosystems by altering predation risk. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY. 44-60.
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2015Behavioural drivers of the ecological roles and importance of marine mammals. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 267-281.Full Text via DOI: 10.3354/meps11180 Web of Science: 000351452700021
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2013Frugivory and seed dispersal by crocodilians: an overlooked form of saurochory?. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY. 87-99.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12052 Web of Science: 000325007900001
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2010Patterns and ecosystem consequences of shark declines in the ocean. ECOLOGY LETTERS. 1055-1071.
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2010Spatial responses to predators vary with prey escape mode. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. 531-537.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.12.014 Web of Science: 000274587400003
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2008A review of lethal and non-lethal effects of predators on adult marine turtles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY. 43-51.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2007.12.013 Web of Science: 000254683000004
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2008Predicting ecological consequences of marine top predator declines. TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION. 202-210.
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2020The context dependence of non-consumptive predator effects. ECOLOGY LETTERS.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/ele.13614 Web of Science: 000573372500001
chaired theses and dissertations
- Smith, Abraham Jeffrey, Development and Application of Aquatic Toxicology Studies for the Assessment of Impacts Due to Chemical Stressors Using Non-Standard Indigenous Organisms 2018
- Churchill, Diana A, Investigating Trophic Interactions of Deep-sea Animals (Sharks, Teleosts, and Mobile scavengers) in the Gulf of Mexico Using Stable Isotope Analysis 2015
- Bessey, Cindy, The Role of Teleost Grazers in a Relatively Pristine Seagrass Ecosystem 2013
- Rosenblatt, Adam, Factors Influencing Movements and Foraging Ecology of American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in a Dynamic Subtropical Coastal Ecosystem 2013
- Sarabia, Robin E, Spatiotemporal Variation in Abundance and Social Structure of Bottlenose Dolphins in the Florida Coastal Everglades 2012
- Burkholder, Derek A, Top Down Control in a Relatively Pristine Seagrass Ecosystem 2012
- Vaudo, Jeremy, Habitat Use and Foraging Ecology of a Batoid Community in Shark Bay, Western Australia 2011
- Cameron, Kathryn, Regional variation in tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) abundance and habitat use 2010
- Dunphy-Daly, Meagan Mná, Temporal variation in dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) habitat use and group size off Great Abaco Island, the Bahamas 2008
advised honors theses
Research
research interests
- My research is focused on understanding how predator-prey interactions structure communities with a particular focus on the role of non-consumptive predator effects ("risk effects"). I am particularly interested in the role of upper trophic level marine predators in their communities and ecosystems, and how ongoing reductions in their populations are likely to impact marine communities. Recently, I have also begun investigating the importance of individual foraging specializations on mediating the ecological impacts of predators, particularly their role in transporting nutrients across ecosystem boundaries.
principal investigator on
- IRES Track I: International Research and Professional Development Experience for Students in Ecology and Conservation of Endangered Wildlife of Nosy Be, Madagascar awarded by National Science Foundation 2018 - 2021
- Trophic interactions and habitat requirements of Gulf of Mexico Bryde's whales awarded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin 2017 - 2020
- Tropical Conservation Institute awarded by Batchelor Foundation Inc. 2014 - 2019
- Collaborative Research: Does Anti-predator Behavior Modify Indirect Effects of Top Predators awarded by National Science Foundation 2012 - 2018
- Baseline abundance of sharks in Shark Sanctuaries awarded by Pew Charitable Trusts Fellows Program 2017 - 2018
- Elasmobranch community composition and their spatial and temporal variations in the Grand Cul-de-sac Marin (Guadeloupe) and adjacent waters awarded by Parc National de la Guadeloupe 2014 - 2015
- RAPID: Ecological responses to large-scale climate disturbance: Could the interaction of overfishing and disturbance initiate phase-shifts in tropical seagrass ecosystems? awarded by National Science Foundation 2013 - 2015
- Shark provisioning: an assessment of individual and community level impacts around Moorea, French Polynesia (South Pacific) awarded by National Geographic Society 2013 - 2014
- Research funds: a novel approach to sea turtle foraging ecology awarded by PADI Foundation 2013 - 2014
- Dispersal, habitat use and behavior of neonate sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico and waters impacted by the Deep Water Horizon MSC 252 oil spill awarded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin 2011 - 2014
- CAREER: Does Predator Intimidation Help Structure a Pristine Seagrass Community Through Multiple Indirect Pathways? awarded by National Science Foundation 2008 - 2014
- Changes in habitat use and survival rates of juvenile bull sharks during recovery after an extreme weather event awarded by Zoo Miami 2012 - 2013
- Niche width expansion of juvenile bull sharks in a coastal nursery awarded by PADI Foundation 2012 - 2013
- Communicating research to public audiences: Enviro. Driv awarded by National Science Foundation 2010 - 2013
- The role of size-structured anti-predator behavior in indirect species interactions initiated by large predatory fishes awarded by FIU Division of Research 2011 - 2012
- Resolving Chemical Properties and Extent of Crude Oil and Dispersant Distribution in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill awarded by University of South Florida 2010 - 2012
- Assessing impacts of oil exposure to deep sea ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico using sharks awarded by Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation 2011
- Behaviorally mediated indirect species interactions in a subtropical seagrass community. awarded by National Science Foundation 2008 - 2009
co-principal investigator on
- ADVANCE Institutional Transformation at FIU 2016-2021 awarded by National Science Foundation 2016 - 2021
- RAPID: HURRICANE IRMA: How do ecosystem perturbations interact to influence long-term resilience mechanisms? awarded by National Science Foundation 2017 - 2019
- Depredation mortality associated with catch-and-release angling on offshore Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) spawning aggregations in the Lower Florida Keys, USA awarded by Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited 2018 - 2019
- THE GLOBAL FIN-PRINT: a worldwide underwater video survey of shark and ray density, diversity and ecological impact awarded by Paul G. Allen Family Foundation 2016 - 2018
- THE GLOBAL FIN-PRINT: a worldwide underwater video survey of shark and ray density, diversity and ecological impact awarded by Paul G. Allen Family Foundation 2015 - 2018
- FCE LTER II: Coastal oligotrophic ecosystems research awarded by National Science Foundation 2007 - 2013
- The Reclamation Project awarded by State Farm Insurance 2013
- MRI R2: Acquisition of next gen. IRMS & CRDS for Isotope awarded by National Science Foundation 2010 - 2011
investigator on
- LTER: FCE LTER III - Coastal Oligotrophic Ecosystems Research awarded by National Science Foundation 2012 - 2019
- ¿Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Three Parks within the U.S. Virgin Islands¿ awarded by National Park Service 2016 - 2019
- THE GLOBAL FIN-PRINT: a worldwide underwater video survey of shark and ray density, diversity and ecological impact awarded by Paul G. Allen Family Foundation 2015 - 2018
- The behavioral ecology of green sea turtles in the French Antilles: implications for ecosystem dynamics and the invasion of Halophila stipulacea awarded by Fondation D'Entreprise Total 2015 - 2018
- Conserving Sharks and Rays in the Southwest Indian Ocean awarded by Wildlife Conservation Society 2016
- Graduate Research Fellowship Program awarded by National Science Foundation 2012 - 2016
- FCE LTER II: Coastal oligotrophic ecosystems research awarded by National Science Foundation 2008 - 2013
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for Meagan Dunphy-Daly. awarded by National Science Foundation 2005 - 2010
Teaching
teaching activities
- BSC3941-B57: Biological Sciences Research Internship Fall Term 2019
- BSC3941-B57: Biological Sciences Research Internship Spring Term 2019
- BSC4915-B57: Honors Research Fall Term 2019
- BSC4915-B57: Honors Research Spring Term 2019
- BSC6913-B56: Student Research Lab Fall Term 2019
- BSC6913-B56: Student Research Lab Spring Term 2019
Contact
full name
- Michael Heithaus
Identifiers
ORCID iD
- https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3219-1003 (confirmed)
Other
visualizations
Recent publications and grants in Scholars@FIU
publication subject areas
- Behavioral Sciences
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Biodiversity & Conservation
- Engineering
- Environmental Sciences & Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Fisheries
- Genetics & Heredity
- International Relations
- Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics
- Marine & Freshwater Biology
- Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
- Oceanography
- Physiology
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
- Science & Technology - Other Topics
- Toxicology
- Water Resources
- Zoology