We provide quantitative tools and new science-based information to guide managers and policy makers on conservation decisions involving waterbirds and coastal ecosystems.
Waterbirds are iconic species for the Gulf of Mexico. They connect freshwater wetlands, coastal marshes, and marine ecosystems, the very places that people enjoy for recreation and depend on for jobs. Research in the Conservation and Biodiversity Lab supports managers and policy-makers charged with sustaining the coastal interface of the Gulf of Mexico and its iconic bird species. Our expertise is strong in waterbird ecology and conservation, ecosystem restoration, and in developing bird monitoring programs for aquatic ecosystem management. Our research questions focus on predicting the response of birds to different elements of their nesting and feeding habitat. Our recent work has focused on coastal habitat modeling, the management and rehabilitation of waterbird colony islands, and the use of drones as a new tool to effectively monitor waterbird colonies. .
