Cathy Pfister

Department of Ecology & Evolution; Committee on Evolutionary Biology

My research in ecology has focused on the dynamics of species in marine systems and the role they play at ecosystems scales. Two recurring themes in my research are the implications of species interactions for community and ecosystem dynamics, and the contribution of climate change to species dynamics. My interests can be broadly grouped into four areas: (1) the interplay between species and productivity in coastal marine ecosystems,(2) the implications of ocean acidification in coastal marine ecosystems, (3) identifying the causes and consequences of variability in marine populations and (4) understanding the relative impacts of genetic and demographic factors to extinction risk

My approach to the above topics is pluralistic. I have used both laboratory and field experiments, with the overall goal of testing ecological theory. The questions I ask range from individual consequences to ecosystem responses. I maintain a strong interest and active research program into the contribution of basic ecology to marine resource conservation. I expect students in my lab to be facile in both empirical and theoretical approaches to ecology and evolution.

Marine Science at the University of Chicago