Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution, Rice University, 2022
M.Sc. in Biological Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 2016
Research Interests
Coral reef conservation
Microbial ecology
Cryptic diversity
Environmental change
Research Description
The Grupstra Reef Symbiosis Lab focuses on understanding the complex and dynamic relationships between organisms that underpin coral reef ecosystems. Our interdisciplinary research integrates ecology, molecular biology, and evolutionary theory to explore how these partnerships shape the resilience and functioning of coral reefs in the face of environmental changes.
Our lab employs a combination of field surveys, manipulative experiments, and molecular approaches to address key questions in coral reef ecology and symbiosis. We conduct extensive field surveys in diverse reef environments, from pristine locations to extreme, naturally hot, reefs, as well as areas impacted by human activities. In the lab, we use physiology and state-of-the-art molecular techniques to dissect the complex interactions between reef organisms.
Publications
We are currently focused on two main lines of research:
Disentangling microbial partners and holobiont adaptations that cryptic coral lineages to survive in distinct environments, including in extreme reefs.
Understanding how beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms in fish feces affect coral holobiont assembly and responses to environmental change.
Grupstra CGB; Gómez-Corrales M; Fifer J; Aichelman HE; Meyer-Kaiser KS; Prada C; Davies SW. 2024. Integrating cryptic diversity into coral evolution, symbiosis, and conservation. Nature ecology & Evolution. https://rdcu.be/dywh2
Grupstra CGB; Howe-Kerr LI; Van der Meulen JA; Veglia AJ; Coy SR; Correa AMS. 2023. Consumer feces impact coral health in guild-specific ways. 2023. Frontiers in Marine Biology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1110346
Grupstra CGB; Lemoine NP; Cook CN; Correa AMS. 2022. Thank you for biting: Dispersal of beneficial microbiota through "antagonistic" interactions. Trends in Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2022.03.006
