Movement and behavior of great hammerhead sharks and associated prey
We’re using biologgers and muscle analysis to learn more about movement of these top predators and their prey animals. Understanding more about their basic biology will help us predict how they might respond to future climate change conditions.
Mislabeling of red snapper in the Southeastern United States
Seafood mislabeling is a widespread problem and threatens human health, the economy, and the environment. Red snapper is one of the most frequently mislabeled species, and our study of mislabeling in the Southeastern US found a mislabeling rate of 72.6%.
See the winning 3 Minute Thesis presentation on this study below!
Community-based invasive species management
From lionfish in Florida to rats in Fiji, people are taking interesting and unusual measures to fight back against invasive species. Launched in 2015, the Invasive Species Initiative sought to document stories of people taking action in their own communities. Learn more on the ISI website.
Publications:
Ely T., Patten N, Naisbett-Jones L.C., Spencer E.T., Willette D.A., Marko P.B. (2023). Molecular identification of critically endangered European eels (Anguilla anguilla) in US retail outlets. PeerJ 11:e14531 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14531
Harding, L., Jackson, A., Barnett, A., Donohue, I., Halsey, L., Huveneers, C., Meyer, C., Papastamatiou, Y., Semmens, J. M., Spencer, E., Watanabe, Y., & Payne, N. (2021). Endothermy makes fishes faster but does not expand their thermal niche. Functional Ecology, 00, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13869
Neal, J.W., Claussen, J.E., Douglas, M.R., Spencer, E.T., Tracy, E., Blasius, H., Mackey, T., Hall, C.J., Kusnierz, P.C., Douglas, M.E. and Bonar, S. (2021). Best Practices for Communicating Climate Science for Fisheries Professionals. Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10635
Spencer E.T., Richards E., Steinwand B., Clemons J., Dahringer J., Desai P., Fisher M., Fussell S., Gorman O., Jones D., Le A., Long K., McMahan C., Moscarito C., Pelay C., Price E., Smith A., VanSant A., Bruno J.F. (2020). A high proportion of red snapper sold in North Carolina is mislabeled. PeerJ 8:e9218 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9218
Korzik, M. L., Austin, H. M., Cooper, B., Jasperse, C., Tan, G., Richards, E., Spencer, E.T., … Bruno, J. F. (2020). Marketplace shrimp mislabeling in North Carolina. PloS One, 15(3), 6–13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229512
Spencer, E. T., & Bruno, J. F. (2019). Fishy Business : Red Snapper Mislabeling Along the Coastline of the Southeastern United States. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6(August), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00513
Smith, W. O., Delizo, L. M., Herbolsheimer, C., & Spencer, E. (2017). Distribution and abundance of mesozooplankton in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Polar Biology, 40(12), 2351–2361. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-017-2149-5
Conference Presentations
Spencer, E. (lead presenter), Hoopes, L., Papastamatiou, Y. P. (2020). 5 Minutes 5 Slides: Biomechanics of an evolutionary arms race in great hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran) and associated prey. Oral presentation at the American Fisheries Society Virtual Annual Meeting.
Spencer, E. (lead presenter), Hoopes, L., Papastamatiou, Y. P. (2020). Biomechanics of an evolutionary arms race in great hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran) and associated prey. Oral presentation at the Florida Universities Student Elasmobranch Symposium.
Spencer, E. (lead presenter), and Bruno, J. (2018). Fishy Business: Red Snapper Mislabeling in the Southeastern United States. Poster session presented at the meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Karp, P., Chapman, J., Fruitema, M., Curtis-Quick, J., Saul-Demers, N., & Spencer, E. (2015). Incentivizing Lionfish Removals Through Development of Markets for Jewelry: Preliminary Experiences from Belize, the Bahamas and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Paper session presented at the meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute in Panama City, Panama.
Erin T. Spencer 