Research and Projects
Hypoxia
The bearded fireworm, Hermodice carunculata.
Morphological, physiological, and differential gene expression responses to hypoxia in the lab. Fireworms alter the structure of their gills to increase surface area and regulate metabolism in post chronic hypoxic exposure.
Microbiomes
A fireworm crawling across a fanworm.
The bearded fireworm is a known vector for coral disease pathogens in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, so we characterized the 16S microbial communities and analyzed the different sections of the worm to estimate where the disease pathogens reside.
Benthic Diversity
Antarctica from the RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer
Using photo transects of the Southern Ocean to analyze invertebrate abundance, richness, and diversity on the seafloor in relation to previously described ecoregions and environmental factors.
Annelid Evolution
Ampharetidae worm from below 4,000m
Collected from the abyssal plain around the Aleutian Trench in the Northwest Pacific Ocean
Deep-Sea Annelids
Scaleworm collected from the Pacific Deep-Sea below 3,500m
Genomics
The brittle-star, Astrotoma agassizii, is shown here from ~300m in Antarctica with its arms raised into the water column for filter feeding.