SBS Seminar Series 2015 - Dr Cascade Sorte

Date: 10 March 2015 Time: 12.00 pm

Dr Cascade Sorte

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine

Toward a mechanistic understanding of global change impacts on coastal marine systems

Global change has already led to widespread alterations of species’ distributions and community composition in coastal marine systems. Understanding the ecological processes driving these alterations is critical, particularly given climate projections that indicate accelerating rates of change in the future. I describe results of mechanistic studies, examining individual performance, demographic rates, and community interactions, to form predictions of future community shifts and ecosystem-level consequences. In addition, I evaluate the abilities of coastal marine species to tolerate altered environmental conditions in situ or shift their ranges to remain within habitable climate spaces. Understanding these “coping mechanisms” is likely to improve predictions of whether species will persist or go extinct under future environmental conditions.

For more information on Dr Sorte, please click here

For more information, please contact Dr Melanie McConnell on ext. 8136 or melanie.mcconnell@vuw.ac.nz

All undergraduate students and interested parties are welcome to attend