Joshua Manning
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I am an early career ecologist with a background in coral reef ecology. Though my interests are broad, my recent work has centered on the importance of animal movement and space use in mediating species interactions and the responses of marine animals to human stressors. I am a passionate natural historian and strongly believe that observation of the natural world is an important component of scientific inquiry. As a PhD candidate at Florida State University, I spent hundreds of hours underwater studying parrotfish movement and behavior on the coral reefs of Bonaire to provide a holistic understanding parrotfish ecology.
My findings have implications for management and restoration practices on coral reefs and provide a baseline for understanding how human impacts may affect parrotfishes’ critically important roles as grazers on coral reefs. After earning my PhD in 2022, I joined the Marine Turtle Research, Ecology, and Conservation Group at Florida State University as a post-doctoral researcher, where I am currently utilizing data from animal-borne cameras and sensors to determine the effects of vessel traffic on fine scale movement and behavior in loggerhead sea turtles. This work will aide in the conservation of these threatened, charismatic sea turtles.
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I strongly believe that mentorship and outreach are an important component of being a productive and impactful researcher. I have mentored several undergraduate students throughout my early career, providing them with opportunities to conduct fieldwork and data analyses in connection with my research.
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When I am not diving on coral reefs or capturing sea turtles in the seagrass communities of Florida’s gulf coast, you will find me on the beaches, rivers, and trails of north Florida, or skateboarding at my local skatepark.
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This is your chance to better understand the importance of parrotfish on our reefs. Be part of the team to track the behavioral movements and interactions to determine how they choose their territory and why they are chomping down on different substrates. Joshua will present on Oct 21. Register for his dive/snorkel field project on Oct 22 here.
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