Elizabeth Whitman

I am broadly interested in the foraging ecology and in-water behavior of marine turtles. In Abaco, Bahamas I am studying the top-down and bottom-up factors that may affect green turtle (Chelonia mydas) distributions through surveys of habitat, food availability, predators (sharks) and green turtle densities. I am also studying the top-down effects of green turtle grazing in seagrass communities using a multi-year megagrazer exclosure experiment.  In the French Antilles (Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Martin) I am expanding this work to investigate the role that green turtles may play in the spread of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulate. I work closely with non-profit organizations such as Friends of the Environment on Abaco, to share scientific knowledge with local communities and inspire future generations. Contact: elizabeth.whitman@fiu.edu