Julie B. Kellner, Ph.D.
Assistant Scientist, WHOI Biology Department
Research Interests
My primary research interests include theoretical and spatial ecology with an emphasis on the dynamics, management, and conservation of aquatic ecosystems.
My research examines population and community dynamics in the context of spatial heterogeneity, anthropogenic threats, and environmental regulations. I take an interdisciplinary approach to examining the effectiveness of fisheries management and policy measures including marine protected areas, as part of a larger objective to understand the potential ecological and socioeconomic benefits and tradeoffs of various conservation efforts. I use a variety of modeling techniques in mathematical and spatial ecology and bioeconomics to assess trophic relationships and environmental management strategies in order to better understand the underlying mechanisms influencing biotic response in aquatic ecosystems. I regularly collaborate with field ecologists to examine the processes driving empirical patterns, and facilitate hypothesis generation which can then be tested in the field.
Research Background
I am an Assistant Scientist in the Biology Department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Prior to joining WHOI, I was a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Alan Hastings and Dr. Jim Sanchirico in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at UC Davis. As a postdoctoral fellow with the Bahamas Biocomplexity Project, my work focused on how marine reserves might alter community dynamics, susceptibility to bioinvasions, and the bioeconomic tradeoffs associated with ecosystem-based fisheries management. I received my Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology from UCSB in June 2004 under the guidance of Dr. Steve Gaines and Dr. Roger Nisbet. My dissertation work examined the implications of spillover, density-dependence, and fishing behavior for marine reserve designation using spatially-explicit models.
Connecting theoretical and empirical applications to tackle applied ecological questions has been an underlying theme throughout my research. My previous projects using a multi-tiered approach have included studies on watershed restoration, intertidal runoff, aquaculture development and diesel contamination in a salt marsh. Integrating scientific research with coastal resource management is central to my research, and as such I continue to build upon my former experience as a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow at NOAA through working groups and collaborative projects that bring together ecological and socioeconomic studies.
Contact Information
Email: jkellner@whoi.edu
Mailing Address:
Biology Department, MS #34
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Please visit my profile page at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) for additional contact information.
