Anastasia Dulskiy
Research Interests
Nutrient pollution represents a major threat to the health of coastal ecosystems worldwide, negatively impacting fisheries, tourism, and human health. In North Carolina, hard-bottom habitats colonized by the temperate coral Oculina arbuscula are essential refuges and nursery habitats for fish pertinent to coastal fisheries industries, but the effects of nutrient pollution on these habitats are not well-understood. My research investigates the effects of nutrient pollution on the microbial ecology of O. arbuscula. By elucidating the impacts of nutrient pollution down to the microbial level, this work will further our understanding of nutrient cycling in temperate coral ecosystems and help inform coastal management in NC.