OFFICE: 141 Funchess Hall
PHONE: (334) 844-8184
Fax: (334) 844-0627
E-MAIL: chadwick@auburn.edu
MAILING ADDRESS:
Dr. Nanette E. Chadwick
Department of Biological Sciences
101 Rouse Life Sciences Building
Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849 USA
My research focuses on the ecology and behavior of tropical sea anemones and reef-building corals. I am interested in questions at the level of the individual, in terms of elucidating the physiological and behavioral mechanisms that control ecological interactions between cnidarians on reefs. My work investigates the impacts of biological interactions on populations and communities of cnidarians, especially outcomes of competition, benthic locomotion (i.e.: by free-living corals), and symbiosis with other macro-organisms (i.e.: hosting of obligate fishes by giant sea anemones). This has led me to model the population dynamics and reproductive strategies of tropical sea anemones and corals, with the goal of understanding the factors that cause population fluctuations on coral reefs. Most of my research ultimately contributes to understanding the role of behavioral and ecological forces in shaping the evolution of life histories and other adaptive traits in benthic cnidarians. I also am interested in the conservation biology of cnidarians, especially impacts of diving tourism and overfishing on population parameters, tissue damage and regeneration. Projects in my group incorporate laboratory studies and/or field work in the Caribbean Sea, Red Sea, and Pacific Ocean.
COMPLETED THESES/DISSERTATIONS:
Dalit Mohar, M.S. 1997. Patterns of sedimentation on coral reefs at Eilat and effects on coral growth and energy reserves.
Olivia Langmead, M.S. 1997. Interspecific competition in the tropical corallimorpharian Rhodactis rhodostoma (Ehrenberg): Deployment of specialized marginal tentacles (Co-supervisor for thesis at the University of Wales).
Oren Levi, M.S. 1998. Behavior of tentacle expansion and contraction in corals.
Michael Spiegel. 1998. Sexual and asexual reproduction in the corallimorpharian Discosoma (=Rhodactis) rhodostoma in the northern Red Sea.
David Zakai, M.S. 1998. Aspects of skeletal damage and reproduction in reef-building corals: Biological impacts of intensive diving tourism on coral reefs.
David Glassom, Ph.D. 2002. Reproductive ecology and reef dynamics: A study on corals at Eilat, northern Red Sea.
Dalit Porat, M.S. 2002. Effects of symbiotic clownfish Amphiprion bicinctus on host sea anemones Entacmaea quadricolor on coral reefs at Eilat.
Jeffrey Wielgus, Ph.D. 2003. Estimation of ecological and economic damage of anthropogenic coral reef stressors in the Gulf of Eilat.
Einat Lapid, M.S. 2004. Aggressive behavior of brain corals: Induced development and ecological impacts of sweeper tentacles.
Osnat Chomsky, Ph.D. 2004. Population genetics and ecology of the sea anemone Actinia equina on the Mediterranean coast of Israel.
Barak Guzner, M.S. 2005. Survival and regeneration of branching corals following skeletal breakage on Red Sea reefs.
Modi Roopin, M.S. 2007. Symbiotic benefits to sea anemones from the metabolic byproducts of anemonefish.
Keren-Or Amar, Ph.D. 2008. Fitness effects of chimera formation in stony corals.
Baraka Kuguru, Ph.D. 2008. Ecology and physiology of Red Sea corallimorpharians.
| 