Doug Rasher, Phd

Education

B.S., Zoology, Michigan State University, 2005

Ph.D., Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012

Research Interests

Doug Rasher is a marine ecologist. His research spans multiple ecosystems ranging from tropical coral reefs to cold-water kelp forests, but his work is unified by one common aim: to reveal the causes and consequences of “state shifts” in reef ecosystems.

Through 15 years of research, Rasher and his colleagues have revealed that abrupt state shifts – where an ecosystem loses its habitat-forming, foundational species (e.g., coral or kelp) – can be triggered by ocean warming, declines of large consumers (and a “trophic cascade”), or the interplay among those processes. As such, he and his team study the drivers and impacts of state shifts using a tiered, collaborative and interdisciplinary approach – blending large-scale field observations with mechanistic experiments, cutting-edge sample analyses, and computer models.

More, because state shifts can reverberate to impact a variety of broader ecosystem attributes – including reef rebound potential, fish-habitat associations, and the energetics of coastal food webs – Rasher and his team study the drivers and impacts of habitat loss through a lens of species interactions, and do so across spatial scales (from millimeters to kilometers) and trophic levels (from microbes to megafauna).

The ultimate goal of Rasher’s research program is to reveal how predator loss and climate change are reshaping reef ecosystems in the Anthropocene. Such knowledge can inform regional management strategies, in ways that maximize the functioning of modern reefs and the services they provide to humanity.

Currently, the Rasher Lab is composed of postdoctoral scholars, PhD students, and undergraduate student interns. If you would like to collaborate or seek training with Dr. Rasher, please send an email.