Quantifying pelagic species distributions, movement, and connectivity in a changing ocean
SMAST East 101-103
: 836 S. Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford MA 02744
Callie Rumbut
c.rumbut@umassd.edu
https://umassd.zoom.us/j/93758230260
Seminar Announcement
Department of Fisheries Oceanography
"Quantifying pelagic species distributions, movement, and connectivity in a changing ocean"
Hunter Milles
PhD Candidate, Conservation Ecology lab at San Diego State University
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
3:00 - 4:00 pm
SMAST E 101-103 and via Zoom
Abstract:
Across marine food webs, ocean dynamics structure where species are now and where they are likely to be in the future. As competing demands for marine spatial planning intensify (fisheries, marine protected areas, offshore wind energy) and ocean conditions continue to change, there is a clear need to quantify how to sustainably conserve and manage marine populations. I share my research from the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in near- and offshore pelagic environments that examine dispersal corridors in a mid-trophic-level consumer, seascape connectivity in highly migratory species, climate refugia for forage fish, and predator–prey interactions between mid- and upper-trophic-level consumers. Together, I characterize the importance of transient oceanographic conditions, regardless of ecosystem. The recurring role of transient dynamics in structuring marine populations emphasizes the need for adaptive management that can keep pace with observed and projected changes in ocean conditions. I end my seminar with an exciting new collaboration with SMAST researchers Dr. Melissa Cronin and Lauren Pederson, recognizing the role of transience in ray distributions, and will identify the risk of novel threats in a changing ocean region.
Join Meeting
https://umassd.zoom.us/j/93758230260
Note: Meeting ID and passcode required. Email contact to obtain.
For additional information, please contact Callie Rumbut at c.rumbut@umassd.edu