Seascape Ecology Lab | Deep-Sea Research at Nova Southeastern University
Offshore and deep-sea ecosystems are dynamic, complex systems that are increasingly threatened by a range of human activities. In the Seascape Ecology lab at Nova Southeastern University, we focus on big-picture ecology: through our research, we aim to shed light on how the 3D distributions of deep-sea fishes vary over time, both in the water column and at the seafloor; understand how deep-sea fishes and other mobile taxa create connections within and between different ecosystems; and use this information to better predict and manage the effects of future change.

Understanding how deep-sea ecosystems operate, and the roles that deep-sea organisms play in the deep oceans is a substantial challenge. To address this, we use specimen data collected from research cruises to offshore and deep-sea habitats to quantify the dynamics and distributions of different deep-living species, identify patterns and trends in biodiversity, and identify potential indicators of ecosystem change that will allow us to monitor and manage these data-poor ecosystems.