People

Historical data are essential in fisheries management and conservation, especially for species which suffered significant population declines prior to ecological data collection. Shifting ecological baselines have resulted in lowered expectations for the natural abundances of marine animals and the ecosystem services they provide. My work within historical marine ecology aims to integrate historical data into traditional ecological analyses in order to better understand the long-term trajectories of ecosystem change and human activity in the Persian Gulf. I will be compiling data from a variety of historical documents and archaeological records on the location and abundance of key organisms (sharks, dugongs, sea turtles, pearl oysters, etc.) to determine links between the social history of the Gulf and its changing marine ecosystems. Furthermore, I will be creating an Ecopath model to assess recovery and conservation targets, and evaluate management scenarios and trade-offs on an ecosystem-scale.