Simpson Expands Cherry Lab Research into Belize

This past week, Dr. Lorae’ Simpson was in the field in Belize with collaborators, Steve Canty (Smithsonian Marine Conservation program), Dr. Michael Steinberg and Jordan Cissell (University of Alabama), to start work on a new research project. They were working with the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), an in-country partner, surveying cays that serve as bird rookies. The group collected soil and vegetation samples and mapped mangrove and seagrass beds in an attempt to better understand how bird rookeries alter mangrove structure and sediment dynamics in ways that may lead to changes in cay viability. 

Members of the UA, Smithsonian, and TIDE collaborative team in Belize.