Stephanie Archer

Assistant Professor
sarcher@lumcon.edu
985-851-2838
Archer Benthic Ecology Lab Website
@ArcherEcology
ORCID

Education · Research Interests · Current Projects · Teaching · Research Group · Selected Publications

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D., 2015, Zoology, NC State University
  • M.S., 2009, Ecology, Utah State University
  • B.S., 2004, Ecology, University of Georgia

RESEARCH INTERESTS

I am an ecologist with a research program focused on exploring the fundamental principles that underpin the structure and function of biogenic habitats (e.g. sponge grounds, coral reels, oyster reefs, seagrass beds). I use a combination of observational and experimental approaches to elucidate the role that habitat forming species play in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function in the Anthropocene. I apply the findings of my research to tackle pressing issues in marine conservation by working directly with fisheries and resource managers to identify habitats in need of protection and developing monitoring methods grounded in cutting edge research. To this end my research is focused in three broad areas: 1) revealing the factors that maintain biodiversity and ecosystem function, 2) identifying drivers of decline in biogenic habitats, and 3) developing monitoring and restoration techniques for biogenic habitats.

CURRENT PROJECTS

  • Developing passive acoustic methods to monitor reef habitats
  • Determining the prevalence and impacts of anthropogenic noise in reef habitats
  • Evaluating the role of ecological memory in ecosystem response to multiple stressors
  • Assessing the impacts of Hurricane Dorian on the coastal ecosystems of the Northwestern Bahamas
  • Developing new markets to increase demand for Invasive Carp

TEACHING

  • LUMCON Semester Course: The Ocean and Society
  • LUMCON Semester Course: Changing Coastal Oceans
  • LUMCON Summer Field Course: Caribbean Marine Ecology
  • Mentor: LUMCON REU program
  • Mentor: LUMCON STEM Prep Program
  • Mentor: LUMCON Graduate Fellow in Residence Program

RESEARCH GROUP

  • Katharine Schlachter – Research Associate I
    • B.S. Environmental and Biological Conservation, University of Virginia
  • Grace Hancock – Research Technician
  • Siyah Yongue – Master’s Student
    • Louisiana State University
    • A.A. Marine Science, Santa Fe College
    • B.A. Marine Science, University of Florida
  • Allison Noble – PhD Student
    • Louisiana State University
    • M.Sc. Marine Biology, Northeastern University
    • B.S. Marine Biology, Northeastern University
  • Yanila Salas-Ortiz – PhD Student
    • University of New Orleans
    • B.S. Chemistry, University of New Orleans

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

*see website for a complete list

  • Loh, TL, SK Archer, and A Dunham. 2019. Monitoring program design for data‐limited marine biogenic habitats: A structured approach. Ecology and Evolution. 9:7346-7359. DOI:10.1002/ece3.5261
  •  Grant, N., E. Matveev, A. S. Kahn, S. K. Archer, A. Dunham, R. J. Bannister, D. Eerkes-Medrano, and S. P.  Leys. 2019. Effect of suspended sediments on the pumping rates of three species of glass sponge in  situ. Marine Ecology Progress Series 615:79-100. DOI: 10.3354/meps12939
  • Archer, SK, WD Halliday, A Riera, X. Mouy, JWF Chu, MK Pine, A Dunham, and F Juanes. 2018. The first description of a glass sponge reef soundscape reveals fish calls and elevated sound pressure levels. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 595:245-252 DOI:10.3354/meps12572
  • Archer, SK, AS Kahn, SP Leys, T Norgard, F Girard, CP Du Preez, and A Dunham. 2018. Pyrosome  consumption by benthic organisms during blooms in the NE Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. Ecology    99:981-984. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2097
  • Archer, SK, JL Stevens, RE Rossi, KO Matterson, and CA Layman. 2017. Abiotic conditions drive significant variability in microbial activity and nutrient processing in a common Caribbean sponge,  Ircinia felix. Limnology and Oceanography 62: 1783–1793. DOI:10.1002/lno.10533
  • Archer, SK, JE Allgeier, BX Semmens, SA Heppell, CV Pattengill-Semmens, AD Rosemond, PG Bush, CM McCoy, BC Johnson, and CA Layman. 2015. Hot moments in spawning aggregations: Implications for ecosystem-scale nutrient cycling. Coral Reefs 34(1):19-23. DOI: 10.1007/s00338-014-1208-4