TIE Affiliation

Environmental Research Fellowship

Research

Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus oxyrhynchus) are endangered after centuries of human-induced environmental disruptions.  Examining parasite loading on the fish population will indicate stress levels during the spawning season, a gap in previous research.  This study will characterize variations in parasite loading in Atlantic Sturgeon in the Hudson River over the duration of the spawning season.  Studying variations in parasite loading is applicable to the broader goals of maintenance of the sturgeon population and recovery of the species and its environment.

My research involves collecting parasites from live Atlantic Sturgeon, determining severity of infection and identity of specimens. The overall parasite loading and diversity can be compared over the four-week breeding season.  Further data will be collected on sex to compare to parasite loading.  The results of this project will show how parasite burden varies within sturgeon populations and what effect this might have on survival or breeding success.

Biography

I am a candidate for Masters of Science in Conservation Medicine at Tufts University, and will begin studying veterinary medicine at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine this autumn. I received my bachelor’s degree from California Institute of Technology in 2016 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Geology.  My research interests are in aquatic ecology, conservation, and population dynamics.  I am especially interested in how human-induced sources of stress affect the ecological fitness of endangered animals.