04 - Massamba N'Siala Lab - Marine Benthic Ecology, Physiology, and Evolution

My lab uses marine benthic invertebrates as models to address fundamental eco-evolutionary and applied questions related to marine species' responses to environmental changes. I will showcase some of the marine annelid species we use as models in our investigations. My students and I explore how phenotypic diversification strategies help organisms cope with the uncertainty of extreme climatic events. We assess the mechanisms underlying the success of common, widespread species and the vulnerability of rare, narrowly distributed species. We study the role of species interactions in determining recruitment success, particularly for economically important species like oyster spat in the Chesapeake Bay. Our research also examines filter-feeding mechanisms and behaviors in response to environmental stressors, as well as the impacts of pollution (e.g., metals and microplastics) and healthcare products (e.g., sunscreens) on benthic community health. Finally, we use marine invertebrates as bioassay models to evaluate biofouling control devices. Through my work, I aim to contribute to the understanding of how benthic communities adapt, persist, or potentially decline in the face of global and local changes and the implications for coastal ecosystems.