My research is focused on Caribbean reefs, their ecological function, processes, benefits and restoration. For my PhD research, I am interested in assessing the role of coral reefs in carbon sequestration, cycling and storage, which is part of the coastal blue carbon ecosystem with seagrasses and mangroves. I am lucky enough to conduct my fieldwork with Operation Wallacea in Akumal each summer, where we investigate benthic composition and deploy benthic chambers to sample seawater. The seawater chemistry from in situ incubation of corals, algae and other benthic organisms can tell us about the metabolic processes on reefs and how this relates to carbon sequestration. My project aims to investigate this metabolism and the impact on the blue carbon potential of these systems in the context of (1) ecological phase shift, and (2) coral reef restoration.
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