Pamela Michael

Educational Background

Ph.D. CSIRO-UTAS Quantitative Marine Science
University of Tasmania 2017

Ms. Marine Science
Hawai'i Pacific University 2011

B.S. Biology
University of Puget Sound 2007

Profile

I am currently a Post Doctoral Research Associate with the South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. My current research involves characterizing the distribution and abundance of marine birds in the northern Gulf of Mexico as a part of the Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS): https://www.boem.gov/GOMMAPPS/

Research Interests

I'm a spatial-behavioral ecologist that is drawn to multi-use systems. I construct and apply system-relevant model frameworks to inform and enhance the ability to maintain functional marine systems, particularly seabird and human use interactions. The back-bone of my research is spatial ecology with a behavioral focus, considering the synergies between the physical environment, natural history, demographics, and behavior.

Driving questions include: What drives habitat use and interactions between species or different ecosystem components? Are there patterns in time and space? How predictable are these interactions or patterns? How are they likely to change in the future? How can interactions be mediated and what are the implications for the future of a given population, species, ecosystem?

I highly value diverse perspectives and expertise and thrive in collaborative environments. Pronouns: she/her/hers

Publications

Peer reviewed manuscripts:
Nevins, H.M., Beck, J., Michael, P.E., Hester, M., Peschon, J., Donnelly-Greenan, E., Fitzgerald, S. (2018) Demographics of Laysan and Black-footed albatross caught as bycatch in Alaskan Groundfish and Hawaii longline fisheries. Marine Ornithology. 46, 187-196

Hyrenbach, K. D., Hester, M., Adams, J., Titmus, A. J., Michael, P., Wahl, T., Chang, C., Maria, A., Vanderlip, C. (2017) Plastic ingestion by Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes from Kure Atoll, Hawai'i: Linking chick diet remains and parental at-sea foraging distributions. Marine Ornithology 45, 225-236

Michael, P.E., Thomson, R., Barbraud, C., Delord, K., De Grissac, S., Hobday, A.J., Strutton, P.G.,Tuck, G., Weimerskirch, H., Wilcox, C. (2017) Illegal fishing bycatch overshadows climate as a driver of albatross population decline. Marine Ecology Progress Series 579, 185-199

Michael, P.E., Wilcox, C., Tuck, G.N., Hobday, A.J., Strutton, P.G. (2017) Japanese and Taiwanese pelagic longline fleet dynamics and the impacts of climate change in the southern Indian Ocean. Deep-sea Research Part II 140, 242-250

Michael, P.E., Jahncke, J. Hyrenbach, K.D. (2016) Placing local aggregations in a larger-scale context: hierarchical modeling of black-footed albatross dispersion. PLoS ONE 11, e0153783

Michael, P.E., Tuck, G.N., Strutton, P.S., Hobday, A. (2015) Environmental associations with broad-scale Japanese and Taiwanese pelagic longline effort in the southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Fisheries Oceanography 24(5), 478-493

Michael, P.E., Hyrenbach, K.D, Jahncke, J.( 2014) Relative influence of temporal variation, static, and dynamic features on black-footed albatross habitat use in California Sanctuaries. Fisheries Oceanography 31(1) 18-31

Reports:
Hyrenbach, K.D., Hester, M., Adams, J., Michael, P., Vanderlip, C., Keiper, C., Carver, M. (2012). Synthesis of Habitat Use by Black-footed Albatross tracked from Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (2004 - 2008) and Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary (2008). Revised Final Report to NOAA.

Michael, P.E., Casey, K.S. (2012) Sea Surface Temperature Tutorial Assessment Summary. Developed for the GHRSST Access and User Services Technical Advisory Group and supported by the Virtual Constellation

Michael, P.E., Graiff, K., Hyrenbach, K.D., Howard, D. (2010) Summary of data analysis and mapping of Black-footed Albatross overlap with California logbook trawl and longline catches, from Point Arena to Point Conception (2004 – 2005). Results of a research collaboration through the Nancy Foster Scholarship

Papers and Materials for General Audiences:
Lee, E., McCormack, P., Michael, P.E., Molloy, S., Mustonen, T., Possingham, H. (2016) The language of science: Indigenous rights to participate [square brackets], May (10) 22-23

Marrero, M., Hester, M., Hyrenbach, K.D., Michael, P.E., Adams, J., Keiper, C., Stock, J., Collins, A., Alvarez, T. (2012) Winged Ambassadors: ocean literacy through the eyes of an albatross. Current: The Journal of Marine Education 28(2) 26-30

Lesson plans for teachers grades 6 - 8 with extensions to 9 - 12: Marrero, M., Hester, M., Hyrenbach, K.D., Michael, P.E., Adams, J., Keiper, C., Stock, J., Collins, A., Alvarez, T. Winged ambassadors: ocean literacy through the eyes of an albatross. Released August 2012: http://www.downloadwingedambassadors.org/

Web-page on Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN): Hester, M., Adams, J., Michael, P.E., Hyrenbach, K. D., Vanderlip, C., Keiper, C., Carver, M. Tracking black-footed
albatross movements and conservation. Posted March 2012 http://www.sanctuarysimon.org/projects/project_info.php?projectID=100305

Web-page on SIMoN: Michael, P.E., Jahncke, J., Hyrenbach, K. D. Modeling black-footed albatross dispersion in Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries. Posted July 2011 http://sanctuarysimon.org/projects/project_info.php?projectID=100387