UNC-Chapel Hill Coastal Researchers Available for Interviews

From disappearing seagrass meadows to vanishing oysters and shifting predator patterns, coastal ecosystems are under pressure worldwide. Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill are uncovering what these changes mean for marine life, coastal communities and the future of oceans. The experts below are available for interviews to share insights, context and solutions that resonate far beyond North Carolina's shores.

• Heather Bruck and Nadya Guiterrez study how shrinking seagrass meadows could threaten the future of vital underwater ecosystems. These meadows have been heavily degraded by urban development, dredging, pollution and sediment runoff.
• Sally Dowd studies the distribution of marine predators like humpback whales, red and black drum and coastal sharks. Her work uncovers how the environment and prey influence predators, improve conservation strategies and reduce bycatch, when non-target species are unintentionally caught during fishing.
• Colin Elmers investigates why North Carolina oysters die each year - oyster mass mortality events in late spring and early summer can wipe out 90% of a shellfish crop. The die-offs may be related to changing conditions in estuaries. His research informs what policymakers and farmers can do to prevent harvest loss.
• Alexis Longmire studies how manmade living shoreline - which are designed to protect the coast from erosion, filter pollutants from stormwater runoff and provide a vital habitat for marine life - impact marine predators.

To schedule an interview, please email [email protected].