Impacts of the invasive lionfish
Lionfish
In a recent expansion of my community-level research, we exploring the impacts of another critical stressor in marine environments of The Bahamas and South Florida: the rapid and widespread invasion of non-native lionfish (Pterois volitans). Our lab is focused on the trophic aspects of the invasion, e.g., using stable isotopes and dieatry information to characterize the nature of their trophic generality. We also were among the first researchers to document lionfish invasion of estuarine communities, specifically in the Loxahatchee River, FL. On-going studies also involve predator-prey experiments, movement studies, and experimentally examining impacts of lionfish juveniles on invertebrate faunal communities. See the Publications link for some of the recent products, as well as the Outreach page to see how we are working with local communities to help stem the invasion.