What do we work on?

My long-term goal is to understand which marine species will survive the Anthropocene and how to save the ones that might not? [1] A significant challenge is that many species are data-poor [2]. Hence, my vision is that relatively easy-to-collect data – using a combination of a natural history field guide, thermometer, microscope and dissection kit – can be used to derive population growth rates and global extinction risk patterns, when combined with the models and maps I will develop.

My integrated research program spans population dynamics, from organismal metabolic processes to global patterns, and is poised exploit two key opportunities. Much of our understanding of global biodiversity comes from well-trodden terrestrial vertebrate exemplars. First, fishes, and specifically Chondrichthyans (hereafter “sharks"), offer an independent aquatic test of many established theories. Second, I now have the requisite components to test many macroecological and macroevolutionary hypotheses using sharks as an incredibly interesting exemplar, including: a dated phylogeny [3], compete distribution maps [4] and IUCN extinction risk estimates for all species [4], plus a rapidly growing database of life history and ecological traits (https://www.sharkipedia.org). We have successfully dissected the metabolic basis of the climate-change responses of species [5]. Recently, we are revealing the morphological respiratory basis of metabolism [6,7], and the connection between metabolism and life histories and population dynamics [8]. We are now ready to apply these techniques to understand overfishing and extinction risk and explore spatial priorities for conservation [3,9] and fisheries management improvements [10].

  1. N. K. Dulvy, H. K. Kindsvater, in Conservation for the Anthropocene Ocean, M. R. Poe, Ed. (Academic Press, 2017), pp. 39-64.
  2. H. H. Kindsvater et al., Overcoming the data crisis in biodiversity conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 33, 676-686 (2018).
  3. R. W. Stein et al., Global priorities for conserving the evolutionary history of sharks, rays, and chimaeras. Nature Ecology and Evolution 2, 288–298 (2018).
  4. N. K. Dulvy et al., Overfishing drives over one third of all sharks and rays toward a global extinction crisis. Current Biology 31, P4773-4787.e4778 (2021).
  5. J. M. Sunday, A. E. Bates, N. K. Dulvy, Thermal tolerance and the global redistribution of animals. Nature Climate Change 2, 686–690 (2012).
  6. J. S. Bigman, L. M’Gonigle, N. C. Wegner, N. K. Dulvy, Respiratory capacity is twice as important as temperature in driving patterns of metabolic rate across the vertebrate tree of life. Science Advances 7, eabe5163 (2021).
  7. W. VanderWright, J. S. Bigman, C. Elcombe, N. K. Dulvy, Gill slits provide a window into the respiratory physiology of sharks. Conservation Physiology 8, coaa102 (2020).
  8. Wong, J. S. Bigman, N. K. Dulvy, The metabolic pace of life histories across fishes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B 288, 20210910 (2021).
  9. S. A. Pardo, H. K. Kindsvater, J. D. Reynolds, N. K. Dulvy, Maximum intrinsic rate of population increase in sharks, rays, and chimaeras: the importance of survival to maturity. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 73, 1159-1163 (2016).
  10. J. Cheok, R. W. Jabado, D. A. Ebert, N. K. Dulvy, Post-2020 Kunming 30% target can easily protect all endemic sharks and rays in the Western Indian Ocean and more. bioRxiv, 2021.2003.2008.434293 (2021).
  11. N. K. Dulvy et al., Challenges and priorities in shark and ray conservation. Current Biology 27, R565-R572 (2017).

We are accepting MSc, PhD and Postdoctoral fellows with dissection/histology, data-mining, GIS, quantitative/coding skills to work on comparative analyses of sharks and rays centred on these 7 areas of enquiry:

(i) growth, activity, temperature and population dynamics,

(ii) population growth rates and economic discounting,

(iii) trait-based approaches to ecosystem function,

(iv) phylogeography,

(v) evolution of offspring size & fecundity,

(vi) national fisheries management risk assessments, &

(vii) MPAs and spatial management options.

Before you apply....
Read this essential blog post on Conservation Bytes by Prof Corey Bradshaw and this excellent article in the New York Times.

When you apply....
Please send a CV, an unofficial transcript with  a conversion to SFU 4.0 GPA scale.
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