Damaris Torres-Pulliza
I am a PhD candidate in Quantitative Ecology currently stationed at the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology with the JMadin Lab.
My research interests revolve around the use of geospatial technological advances to understand the hierarchy of mechanisms acting to dynamically create, sustain and rearrange ecological systems; their biodiversity and functions.
My current research focus is on understanding the roles of habitat structure in coral reef ecosystems and quantifying structural change as a consequence of climatic extremes, like storms and bleaching events. This research has led to uncovering a theoretical framework for quantifying habitat complexity based on three relatively simple descriptors of surface structure. Together, these scale-independent components provide a much clearer understanding of how coral reef habitats change geometrically across disturbances, and how the biodiversity of associated taxa change in unison. This understanding opens the door for exciting research to address fundamental questions in ecology, taking advantage of geospatial technological innovations that create connections across scales and disciplines.
My research interests revolve around the use of geospatial technological advances to understand the hierarchy of mechanisms acting to dynamically create, sustain and rearrange ecological systems; their biodiversity and functions.
My current research focus is on understanding the roles of habitat structure in coral reef ecosystems and quantifying structural change as a consequence of climatic extremes, like storms and bleaching events. This research has led to uncovering a theoretical framework for quantifying habitat complexity based on three relatively simple descriptors of surface structure. Together, these scale-independent components provide a much clearer understanding of how coral reef habitats change geometrically across disturbances, and how the biodiversity of associated taxa change in unison. This understanding opens the door for exciting research to address fundamental questions in ecology, taking advantage of geospatial technological innovations that create connections across scales and disciplines.