Quantitative Marine Ecology Lab

Research

Please reach out if you have any questions about our work below. You can also find our publications on Google Scholar.

2026

Virtual Population Analysis of the critically endangered Scalloped Hammerhead Sphyrna lewini in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Virtual Population Analysis of the critically endangered Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Miguel Gomez Garcia, Alex Hearn, Mario Espinoza, Easton White
California Digital Library (CDL)  ·  28 Apr 2026  ·  doi:10.32942/X2BQ1B
pdf
sharks-and-rays marine-protected-area mathematical-model
Industrial fishing compliance with a new marine corridor near the Galapagos Islands
Industrial fishing compliance with a new marine corridor near the Galapagos Islands
Easton R. White, Alex Hearn, Nicolas Moity, Jorge Ramírez-González, Julia Saltzman, César Viteri-Mejía, Sarah Enright, María José Barragán-Paladines
Marine Policy  ·  01 Mar 2026  ·  doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106968
pdf
fisheries sharks-and-rays marine-protected-area
Species associations and community structure in an oceanic elasmobranch assemblage
Species associations and community structure in an oceanic elasmobranch assemblage
Miguel de Jesús Gómez García, Remington J. Moll, Alex R. Hearn, Mario Espinoza, Easton R. White
Marine Ecology Progress Series  ·  19 Feb 2026  ·  doi:10.3354/meps15053
pdf
sharks-and-rays marine-protected-areas fisheries
Regional and gendered patterns in Madagascar s small-scale fisheries
Regional and gendered patterns in Madagascar’s small-scale fisheries
Olivia Fortunato-Jackson, Merrill Baker-Médard, Easton R. White
Frontiers in Marine Science  ·  03 Feb 2026  ·  doi:10.3389/fmars.2025.1684707
pdf
fisheries madagascar socio-ecological
Ontogeny of vocalizations in Adlie penguin i Pygoscelis adeliae i chicks
Ontogeny of vocalizations in Adlie penguin ( Pygoscelis adeliae ) chicks
Michele L. Adams, Danielle T. Fradet, Megan A. Cimino, Easton R. White, Laura N. Kloepper
openRxiv  ·  25 Jan 2026  ·  doi:10.64898/2026.01.23.701401
pdf
acoustics seabirds
The role of barrier zones in controlling invasive species: A microcosm experiment
The role of barrier zones in controlling invasive species: A microcosm experiment
Easton White, Alan Hastings
California Digital Library (CDL)  ·  16 Jan 2026  ·  doi:10.32942/X2MT0G
pdf
tribolium mathematical-model invasive-species

2025

Measuring what matters in the era of big data
Measuring what matters in the era of big data
Easton R White
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment  ·  01 Nov 2025  ·  doi:10.1002/fee.70013
pdf
monitoring
How I confronted my growing cynicism about academia and rekindled my sense of purpose
How I confronted my growing cynicism about academia—and rekindled my sense of purpose
Science  ·  25 Sep 2025  ·  doi:10.1126/science.zk8odtv
pdf
academia
Unequal Thermal Risks in a Socioeconomically Important Tropical Reef Fishery
Unequal Thermal Risks in a Socioeconomically Important Tropical Reef Fishery
Andrew Villeneuve, Merrill Baker-Médard, Bemahafaly Randriamanantsoa, Easton White
EcoEvoRxiv  ·  10 Sep 2025  ·  doi:10.32942/X2CW68
pdf
heatwaves madagascar fisheries
Assessing the resistance and resilience of recreationally important fish species to extreme events in coastal Texas
Assessing the resistance and resilience of recreationally important fish species to extreme events in coastal Texas
Ana C Silverio, Mariah C Livernois, Dakus Geeslin, Easton R White
Marine and Coastal Fisheries  ·  01 Sep 2025  ·  doi:10.1093/mcfafs/vtaf033
pdf
fisheries extreme-events
Habitat suitability modeling growth and cover trends of staghorn coral i Acropora cervicornis i outplants in the lower Florida Keys
Habitat suitability modeling growth and cover trends of staghorn coral ( Acropora cervicornis ) outplants in the lower Florida Keys
Glenna Dyson, Erich Bartels, Easton R. White, Ian R. Combs, Kristen Mello-Rafter, Thomas C. Lippmann, Jennifer A. Dijkstra
openRxiv  ·  15 Jul 2025  ·  doi:10.1101/2025.07.11.664295
pdf
coral-reefs extreme-events
Designing a BirdNET classifier for high wind detection in passive acoustic recordings to support wildlife monitoring
Designing a BirdNET classifier for high wind detection in passive acoustic recordings to support wildlife monitoring
Danielle T. Fradet, Megan A. Cimino, Easton R. White, Laura N. Kloepper
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America  ·  01 Jun 2025  ·  10.1121/10.0036887
pdf
monitoring acoustics
Minimum Sampling, Maximum Insight: Tracking Environmental Trends in a Tidal Estuary
Minimum Sampling, Maximum Insight: Tracking Environmental Trends in a Tidal Estuary
Barbara Spiecker, Kalle Matso, Christopher Whitney, Easton White
EcoEvoRxiv  ·  23 May 2025  ·  doi:10.32942/X2Z056
pdf
monitoring estuaries
Refining the trophic diversity, network structure, and bottom up importance of prey groups for temperate reef fishes
Refining the trophic diversity, network structure, and bottom‐up importance of prey groups for temperate reef fishes
S. Zarco‐Perello, S. Bennett, J. Goetze, T. H. Holmes, R. D. Stuart‐Smith, E. R. White
Ecosphere  ·  01 Feb 2025  ·  doi:10.1002/ecs2.70193
pdf
coral-reefs biodiversity

2024

Social-ecological models with social hierarchy and spatial structure applied to small-scale fisheries
Social-ecological models with social hierarchy and spatial structure applied to small-scale fisheries
Sophie Wulfing, Easton R. White
Theoretical Ecology  ·  15 Oct 2024  ·  doi:10.1007/s12080-024-00594-4
pdf
Code
socio-ecological mathematical-model
Multidecadal underwater surveys reveal declines in marine turtles
Multidecadal underwater surveys reveal declines in marine turtles
Julia Saltzman, Alex R. Hearn, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes, Todd Steiner, Randall Arauz, Catherine Macdonald, Maike Heidemeyer, Easton R. White
Conservation Science and Practice  ·  15 Oct 2024  ·  doi:10.1111/csp2.13249
pdf
marine-megafauna turtles
Extreme events and coupled socio-ecological systems
Extreme events and coupled socio-ecological systems
Easton R. White, Sophie Wulfing
Ecological Modelling  ·  01 Sep 2024  ·  doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2024.110786
pdf
Code
Preprint
socio-ecological mechanistic-model extreme-events heatwaves
Fifty-year population trajectory in a marginal American Pika i Ochotona princeps i population
Fifty-year population trajectory in a marginal American Pika (Ochotona princeps) population
Andrew T Smith, Constance I Millar, Easton R White
Journal of Mammalogy  ·  26 Aug 2024  ·  doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyae083
pdf
pikas spatial-ecology climate-change
Lumpfish, i Cyclopterus lumpus i , distribution in the Gulf of Maine, USA: observations from fisheries independent and dependent catch data
Lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus, distribution in the Gulf of Maine, USA: observations from fisheries independent and dependent catch data
Elizabeth A. Fairchild, Sophie Wulfing, Easton R. White
PeerJ  ·  14 Aug 2024  ·  doi:10.7717/peerj.17832
pdf
Code
Preprint
aquaculture fisheries climate-change
Assessing the need for temporary fishing closures to support sustainability for a small-scale octopus fishery
Assessing the need for temporary fishing closures to support sustainability for a small-scale octopus fishery
Sophie Wulfing, Ahilya Kadba, Mez Baker-Médard, Easton R. White
Fisheries Research  ·  01 Aug 2024  ·  doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2024.107045
pdf
Code
fisheries madagascar mathematical-model
The effect of localized disturbance on the acoustic behavior of the common tern i Sterna hirundo i
The effect of localized disturbance on the acoustic behavior of the common tern (Sterna hirundo)
J. E. Brosseau, V. M. Eddington, E. C. Craig, E. R. White, L. N. Kloepper
JASA Express Letters  ·  01 Aug 2024  ·  doi:10.1121/10.0028204
pdf
disturbance acoustics seabirds
Socialscape Ecology: Integrating Social Features and Processes into Spatially Explicit Marine Conservation Planning
Socialscape Ecology: Integrating Social Features and Processes into Spatially Explicit Marine Conservation Planning
Merrill Baker-Médard, Katherine Concannon, Courtney Gantt, Sierra Moen, Easton R. White
Sustainability  ·  16 Jul 2024  ·  doi:10.3390/su16146078
pdf
socio-ecological marine-conservation fisheries
Predicting organismal response to marine heatwaves using dynamic thermal tolerance landscape models
Predicting organismal response to marine heatwaves using dynamic thermal tolerance landscape models
Andrew R. Villeneuve, Easton R. White
Journal of Animal Ecology  ·  08 Jun 2024  ·  doi:10.1111/1365-2656.14120
pdf
Code
Preprint
shellfish climate-change mechanistic-model extreme-events heatwaves

2023

The unintended consequences of inconsistent closure policies and mobility restrictions during epidemics
The unintended consequences of inconsistent closure policies and mobility restrictions during epidemics
Benjamin M. Althouse, Brendan Wallace, B. K. M. Case, Samuel V. Scarpino, Antoine Allard, Andrew M. Berdahl, Easton R. White, Laurent Hébert-Dufresne
BMC Global and Public Health  ·  04 Dec 2023  ·  doi:10.1186/s44263-023-00028-z
pdf
Code
covid-19 infectious-diseases
Determining the role of environmental covariates on planktivorous elasmobranch population trends within an isolated marine protected area
Determining the role of environmental covariates on planktivorous elasmobranch population trends within an isolated marine protected area
J Saltzman, ER White
Marine Ecology Progress Series  ·  09 Nov 2023  ·  doi:10.3354/meps14435
pdf
sharks-and-rays species-trends
Challenges and opportunities to build quantitative self-confidence in biologists
Challenges and opportunities to build quantitative self-confidence in biologists
Kim Cuddington, Karen C Abbott, Frederick R Adler, Mehmet Aydeniz, Rene Dale, …, Audrey L McCombs, Widodo Samyono, Shin-Han Shiu, Karen H Watanabe, Easton R White
BioScience  ·  29 Apr 2023  ·  doi:10.1093/biosci/biad015
pdf
biology-education mathematical-biology
If this title is funny, will you cite me Citation impacts of humour and other features of article titles in ecology and evolution
If this title is funny, will you cite me? Citation impacts of humour and other features of article titles in ecology and evolution
Stephen B. Heard, Chloe A. Cull, Easton R. White
FACETS  ·  01 Jan 2023  ·  doi:10.1139/facets-2022-0079
pdf
science-communication ecology

2022

Sawfish: Social media to assess public perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes towards a critically endangered species
#Sawfish: Social media to assess public perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes towards a critically endangered species
Julia Saltzman, Jasmin Graham, Julia Wester, Easton R. White, Catherine C. Macdonald
Frontiers in Conservation Science  ·  16 Sep 2022  ·  doi:10.3389/fcosc.2022.987909
pdf
marine-social-science sawfish research-methods
Spatially explicit models predict coffee rust spread in fragmented landscapes
Spatially explicit models predict coffee rust spread in fragmented landscapes
Emily M. Beasley, Natalia Aristizábal, Erika M. Bueno, Easton R. White
Landscape Ecology  ·  30 Jun 2022  ·  doi:10.1007/s10980-022-01473-1
pdf
coffee spatial-ecology disease
A framework for mapping and monitoring human-ocean interactions in near real-time during COVID-19 and beyond
A framework for mapping and monitoring human-ocean interactions in near real-time during COVID-19 and beyond
CA Ward-Paige, ER White, EMP Madin, GJ Osgood, LK Bailes, …, B. Sing, MD Tietbohl, A. Twomey, DC Vergara Florez, L. Yamb
Marine Policy  ·  01 Jun 2022  ·  doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2022.105054
pdf
covid-19 novel-data-streams socio-ecological
The direct and indirect effects of a global pandemic on US fishers and seafood workers
The direct and indirect effects of a global pandemic on US fishers and seafood workers
Easton R. White, Jill Levine, Amanda Moeser, Julie Sorensen
PeerJ  ·  21 Mar 2022  ·  doi:10.7717/peerj.13007
pdf
covid-19 novel-data-streams fisheries seafood worker-safety
Distant water industrial fishing in developing countries: A case study of Madagascar
Distant water industrial fishing in developing countries: A case study of Madagascar
Easton R. White, Merrill Baker-Médard, Valeriia Vakhitova, Samantha Farquhar, Tendro Tondrasoa Ramaharitra
Ocean & Coastal Management  ·  01 Feb 2022  ·  doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2021.105925
pdf
Code
madagascar novel-data-streams fisheries marine-protected-areas
Detecting population trends for US marine mammals
Detecting population trends for US marine mammals
Easton R. White, Zachary Schakner, Amber Bellamy, Mridula Srinivasan
Conservation Science and Practice  ·  05 Jan 2022  ·  doi:10.1111/csp2.611
pdf
conservation monitoring time-series marine-mammals

2021

Classed conservation: Socio-economic drivers of participation in marine resource management
Classed conservation: Socio-economic drivers of participation in marine resource management
Merrill Baker-Médard, Courtney Gantt, Easton R. White
Environmental Science & Policy  ·  01 Oct 2021  ·  doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2021.06.007
pdf
socio-ecological marine-protected-areas madagascar conservation
The broken window: An algorithm for quantifying and characterizing misleading trajectories in ecological processes
The broken window: An algorithm for quantifying and characterizing misleading trajectories in ecological processes
Christie A. Bahlai, Easton R. White, Julia D. Perrone, Sarah Cusser, Kaitlin Stack Whitney
Ecological Informatics  ·  01 Sep 2021  ·  doi:10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101336
pdf
monitoring time-series
Effects of climate change driven gradual and acute temperature changes on shark and ray species
Effects of climate‐change‐driven gradual and acute temperature changes on shark and ray species
Geoffrey J. Osgood, Easton R. White, Julia K. Baum
Journal of Animal Ecology  ·  06 Jul 2021  ·  doi:10.1111/1365-2656.13560
pdf
GitHub
monitoring sharks-and-rays climate-change
Alternative Seafood Networks During COVID-19: Implications for Resilience and Sustainability
Alternative Seafood Networks During COVID-19: Implications for Resilience and Sustainability
Joshua S. Stoll, Hannah L. Harrison, Emily De Sousa, Debra Callaway, Melissa Collier, …, Brett Tolley, Andrea Tomlinson, Easton R. White, Talia Young, Philip A. Loring
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems  ·  31 Mar 2021  ·  doi:10.3389/fsufs.2021.614368
pdf
covid-19 seafood fisheries
Sampling requirements and approaches to detect ecosystem shifts
Sampling requirements and approaches to detect ecosystem shifts
Rosalie Bruel, Easton R. White
Ecological Indicators  ·  01 Feb 2021  ·  doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107096
pdf
Code
monitoring population-model conservation
Securing a sustainable future for US seafood in the wake of a global crisis
Securing a sustainable future for US seafood in the wake of a global crisis
Halley E. Froehlich, Rebecca R. Gentry, Sarah E. Lester, Richard S. Cottrell, Gavin Fay, Trevor A. Branch, Jessica A. Gephart, Easton R. White, Julia K. Baum
Marine Policy  ·  01 Feb 2021  ·  doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104328
pdf
covid-19 seafood fisheries
Experimenting With the Past to Improve Environmental Monitoring
Experimenting With the Past to Improve Environmental Monitoring
Easton R. White, Christie A. Bahlai
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution  ·  20 Jan 2021  ·  doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.572979
pdf
monitoring population-model conservation
Catastrophes, connectivity and Allee effects in the design of marine reserve networks
Catastrophes, connectivity and Allee effects in the design of marine reserve networks
Easton R. White, Marissa L. Baskett, Alan Hastings
Oikos  ·  19 Jan 2021  ·  doi:10.1111/oik.07770
pdf
Code
monitoring marine-protected-areas fisheries spatial-ecology

2020

Seasonality in ecology: Progress and prospects in theory
Seasonality in ecology: Progress and prospects in theory
Easton R. White, Alan Hastings
Ecological Complexity  ·  01 Dec 2020  ·  doi:10.1016/j.ecocom.2020.100867
pdf
seasonality population-model
Early effects of COVID 19 on US fisheries and seafood consumption
Early effects of COVID‐19 on US fisheries and seafood consumption
Easton R. White, Halley E. Froehlich, Jessica A. Gephart, Richard S. Cottrell, Trevor A. Branch, Rahul Agrawal Bejarano, Julia K. Baum
Fish and Fisheries  ·  23 Nov 2020  ·  doi:10.1111/faf.12525
pdf
GitHub
monitoring covid-19 seafood fisheries
State-level variation of initial COVID-19 dynamics in the United States
State-level variation of initial COVID-19 dynamics in the United States
Easton R. White, Laurent Hébert-Dufresne
PLOS ONE  ·  13 Oct 2020  ·  doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0240648
pdf
Code
covid-19 public-health

2019

Success and failure of ecological management is highly variable in an experimental test
Success and failure of ecological management is highly variable in an experimental test
Easton R. White, Kyle Cox, Brett A. Melbourne, Alan Hastings
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  ·  28 Oct 2019  ·  doi:10.1073/pnas.1911440116
pdf
Code
beetles monitoring spatial-ecology
A low cost approach to estimate demographic rates using inverse modeling
A low cost approach to estimate demographic rates using inverse modeling
Roberto C. Rodríguez-Caro, Thorsten Wiegand, Easton R. White, Ana Sanz-Aguilar, Andrés Giménez, Eva Graciá, Koen J. van Benthem, José D. Anadón
Biological Conservation  ·  01 Sep 2019  ·  doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.011
pdf
monitoring population-model
Site selection bias and apparent population declines in long term studies
Site‐selection bias and apparent population declines in long‐term studies
Auriel M.V. Fournier, Easton R. White, Stephen B. Heard
Conservation Biology  ·  03 Jul 2019  ·  doi:10.1111/cobi.13371
pdf
Code
monitoring conservation

2018

Minimum Time Required to Detect Population Trends: The Need for Long-Term Monitoring Programs
Minimum Time Required to Detect Population Trends: The Need for Long-Term Monitoring Programs
Easton R White
BioScience  ·  05 Dec 2018  ·  doi:10.1093/biosci/biy144
pdf
Code
monitoring conservation
The role of spatial structure in the collapse of regional metapopulations
The role of spatial structure in the collapse of regional metapopulations
Easton R. White, Andrew T. Smith
Ecology  ·  19 Nov 2018  ·  doi:10.1002/ecy.2546
pdf
Code
pikas spatial-ecology conservation

2015

Shifting elasmobranch community assemblage at Cocos Island an isolated marine protected area
Shifting elasmobranch community assemblage at Cocos Island—an isolated marine protected area
Easton R. White, Mark C. Myers, Joanna Mills Flemming, Julia K. Baum
Conservation Biology  ·  23 Mar 2015  ·  doi:10.1111/cobi.12478
pdf
Code
sharks-and-rays marine-protected-areas conservation

2014

Predictable temperature-regulated residency, movement and migration in a large, highly mobile marine predator Negaprion brevirostris
Predictable temperature-regulated residency, movement and migration in a large, highly mobile marine predator (Negaprion brevirostris)
ST Kessel, DD Chapman, BR Franks, T Gedamke, SH Gruber, JM Newman, ER White, RG Perkins
Marine Ecology Progress Series  ·  06 Nov 2014  ·  doi:10.3354/meps10966
pdf
sharks-and-rays seasonality
The limitations of diversity metrics in directing global marine conservation
The limitations of diversity metrics in directing global marine conservation
James P.W. Robinson, Easton R. White, Logan D. Wiwchar, Danielle C. Claar, Justin P. Suraci, Julia K. Baum
Marine Policy  ·  01 Sep 2014  ·  doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2014.03.012
pdf
conservation biodiversity
Modeling the population dynamics of lemon sharks
Modeling the population dynamics of lemon sharks
Easton R White, John D Nagy, Samuel H Gruber
Biology Direct  ·  01 Jan 2014  ·  doi:10.1186/1745-6150-9-23
pdf
Code
sharks-and-rays population-model conservation

2013

Two sex matrix models in assessing population viability: when do male dynamics matter
Two‐sex matrix models in assessing population viability: when do male dynamics matter?
Leah R. Gerber, Easton R. White
Journal of Applied Ecology  ·  25 Nov 2013  ·  doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12177
pdf
conservation population-model
Comparing bycatch mitigation strategies for vulnerable marine megafauna
Comparing bycatch mitigation strategies for vulnerable marine megafauna
J. Senko, E. R. White, S. S. Heppell, L. R. Gerber
Animal Conservation  ·  23 May 2013  ·  doi:10.1111/acv.12051
pdf
conservation fisheries