Dr. Lawrence P. Rozas
- Ecology
- Fisheries
- Habitat Loss
- Restoration
- Ph.D. Environmental Sciences (Ecology), University of Virginia, VA, U.S.A., 1987
- M.S. Marine Biology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, NC, U.S.A., 1982
- B.S. Wildlife Management, University of Southwestern Louisiana, LA, U.S.A., 1975
Research Interests
- Ecology of estuarine fishes and decapod crustaceans
- Assessment of wetland functions
- Creation and restoration of estuarine habitats
- Effects of human impacts on habitat functions
My research interests in aquatic systems are broad, but I am particularly interested in the ecology of estuarine and other coastal wetlands. My current research examines relationships between environmental and biological factors in nekton communities of intertidal and shallow subtidal estuarine habitats. Although estuaries have long been recognized as important in supporting fisheries species, we have only recently begun investigating some estuarine habitats or comparing ecological functions among different habitats. There is much to learn about how habitats function in supporting estuarine species and how this contributes to the secondary productivity of estuaries and coastal fisheries.
My research approach is to use quantitative sampling to compare estuarine habitats. From such studies, I develop hypotheses about how habitats are used by nekton species and use controlled experiments to test these hypotheses.