Join ACS, San Francisco Bay Chapter for an enthralling presentation by Dr. Brent Hughes, Assistant Professor of Marine Ecology and Conservation at Sonoma State University, about sea otter conservation in the 21st century.
Having nearly been forced to extinction throughout much of their range in the 18th and 19th centuries, sea otters have made a remarkable comeback. Through their recovery, we are learning new things about their basic biology and ecology, which is forcing coastal scientists and managers to rethink the role of the sea otter in the 21st century. In this talk, Dr. Hughes will discuss the recently discovered habitats of the sea otter and how that relates to the ecology of nearshore ecosystems and their conservation moving forward.
Watch the webinar!
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
BRENT HUGHES
Dr. Brent Hughes is an Assistant Professor of Marine Ecology and Conservation at Sonoma State University. Research in his lab seeks to determine the processes that affect the stability of coastal ecosystems. His research centers around coastal habitats – seagrass, salt marsh, and kelp (aka foundation species) – which provide valuable ecosystem services, yet are threatened by human activities. Currently, his research focuses on four themes: 1) the consequences of predator recovery on the functioning and stability of ecosystems, 2) the relative influence of climatic drivers and anthropogenic threats of coastal ecosystems, 3) the role of foundation species in structuring nearshore diversity and functioning and in turn the drivers maintaining foundation species stability, and 4) informing management and restoration on the processes that drive ecosystem resilience.
Dr. Hughes received his Ph.D. from the University of California Santa Cruz (2014). His post-doctoral experience includes David H. Smith Research Conservation Fellowship at Duke University (2015-2017), University of Washington Friday Harbor Labs Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018), and UC Santa Cruz (2015).
