Oliver Shipley's research combines long standing ecological principles, such as niche theory, with chemical tracer and telemetry techniques to provide a thorough understanding of species’ functional role(s), and how these modulate food web dynamics. His research addresses several fundamental questions: 1) what drives ecological niche variation at various levels of biological organization? 2) how can ecophysiological principles be used to predict the timing of important biological events? 3) what are the fitness consequences of niche variation and how does this impact ecosystem dynamics? His current researchexplores linkages between energy flow, community assembly, and fitness variation in aquatic consumers in both historical and modern contexts.
Ashley Wechsler MS PhD Student
I am interested in understanding the spatial ecology, trophic positioning, and ecophysiology of elasmobranchs and teleost fishes. I am specifically interested in pairing acoustic telemetry data on movement with stable isotope analysis to improve our understanding of how sharks and other fishes utilize habitats and trophic niches. As a PhD student at SoMAS, I am excited to address these questions and contribute to the ongoing research in efforts to increase our ecological knowledge of sharks and other fishes in the New York Region.
I received my bachelor’s degree in Biology from Wheaton College Massachusetts in 2022. I then obtained my M.S. degree at the University of Florida where my research focused on gray snapper reproductive biology and their life history in the Gulf of Mexico. When I am not in the field or the lab, I enjoy scuba diving, going on nature walks, playing with my cats, or volunteering with my hometown Florida shark conservancy group, ASC.