Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab

Given their ecology and life history as apex- and mesopredators, marine megafauna such as sharks and cetaceans accumulate high concentrations of environmental contaminants which are biomagnified via the food web. These contaminants can suppress the animals' immune systems, causing disease susceptibility, and affect their reproductive capacity. We study the prevalence of environmental contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), multi-residue pesticides (DDT, HCB, oxychlordane, dieldrin and mirex) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), as well as trace metals, in marine megafauna.