research themes
I am broadly interested in how seawater chemical conditions influence ecological processes in coastal environments.
My research addresses this by investigating the following themes:
> environmentally-derived shifts to species' interactions
> abiotic controls on organism physiology
> biogeographic-scale factors leading to resiliency under future ocean conditions
active projects
Effects of Ocean Acidification on predator-prey interactions
I aim to understand low pH impairments to anti-predator responses are maintained across predator species, and further, if we see similar patterns in a congener prey species. This work contributes to the myriad of documented disruptions to anti-predator responses and will allow us to better predict community-wide implications of ocean acidification.
Check out similar topics by my fellow lab mate and alumni
Decoupled effects of carbonate chemistry and salinity as drivers of calcification
I am exploring the roles of carbonate chemistry and salinity as independent drivers of calcification in coastal bivalve species. Through this work, I aim to untangle the complexity of riverine inputs, simultaneously serving as a potential subsidy and osmotic stressor to nearshore calcifier species.
Check out similar topics by my fellow lab mate
Influence of subsidies to coastal habitats under future ocean conditions
I am broadly investigating the potential for coastal rivers to mitigate ocean acidification effects through local subsidy contributions. This line of research aims to improve the way we define "coastal riverine effects" in an effort to understand their relative importance under predicted future ocean conditions.
previous published research
Microplastic quantification in a marine reserve intertidal-community
Saley, A.M., A.C, Smart, M.F. Bezerra, T. Burnhan, L.R. Capece, L.U. Lima, A.C. Carsh, S.L. Williams, and S.G. Morgan. 2019. Microplastic accumulation and biomagnification in a coastal marine reserve situated in a sparsely populated area. Marine Pollution Bulletin 146: 54-59. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.05.065
Toxic chemicals within and adsorbed to microplastics (0.05-5 mm) have the potential to biomagnify in food webs. However, microplastic concentrations in highly productive, coastal habitats are not well understood. Therefore, we quantified the presence of microplastics in a benthic community and surrounding environment of a remote marine reserve on the open coast of California, USA. Densities of microplastics differed on the surfaces of two morphologically distinct species of macroalgae and were highest in herbivorous snails, potentially due to bioaccumulation. This study highlights the need for further investigations of the prevalence and potential harm of microplastics in benthic communities at remote locations as well as human population centers.
Cardiac Toxicity of Triclosan in Developing Zebrafish
Saley, AM, Hess, M, Miller, K, Howard, D, and T.C. King-Heiden. 2016. Cardiac Toxicity of Triclosan in Developing Zebrafish 399-404. doi: 10.1089/zeb.2016.1257
Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial agent found in personal care products that has become prevalent in surface waters. TCS readily bioaccumulates within aquatic organisms, and has been found to be toxic to fish. In larval fishes, exposure to TCS disrupts a variety of developmental processes, impairs hatching success, and causes pericardial edema. Here, we examine the impacts of TCS on heart function to better understand potential risks that TCS may pose to wild fish. We examined the incidence of pericardial edema, and the impacts on heart structure and heart function. While incidence of pericardial edema and altered heart structure increased following exposure to low concentrations, cardiac output was only reduced following exposure to extreme levels of TCS. Our findings suggest that acute exposure to TCS has the potential to cause subtle cardiac toxicity in developing fish, and further evaluation of the risks TCS pose to wild fish and human health is needed.