UROP Project

Trophic ecology of deep sea sharks through stomach contents analysis

biology; marine; shark; ecology; gut contents
Research Mentor: Dr. Johanna McNutt, she, her
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: jmcnutt@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: biology and related majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 6, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable

Project Description

Trophic ecology is thought to be an important factor in structuring zonation of deep demersal fishes, and fishes may partition food resources when coexisting in the same depth habitat or may partition habitat to avoid competition for food resources. The basic biology and ecology of deepwater sharks is poorly known, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), yet these organisms are likely important mesopredators in deep demersal food webs. Dogfish inhabit upper to mid-slope depths and dominate the shark fauna in eastern DeSoto Canyon, while gulper sharks dominate mid to lower slope depths in the west. Smoothhounds occupy shallower shelf-edge to upper slope depths. Investigating the trophic ecology of these relatively abundant mesopredators over a continental shelf-upper continental slope-lower continental slope gradient and between more closely and more distantly related species will fill gaps in ecological knowledge of these species and provide a useful framework for asking questions about drivers of community structure such as competition for resources. Trophic ecology will be investigated using stomach contents. UROP students will dissect shark stomachs and learn to identify contents to the lowest possible taxon, enter data and organize photographs of stomach contents, calculate diet metrics and compare diets between species using stomach contents analysis. We will discuss literature together to help students understand the larger context for this research.

Research Tasks: literature review
stomach dissection
prey identification
data entry
data analysis

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: dissection skills recommended / willingness to build dissection skills required
microscope skills recommended / willingness to build microscope skills required
attention to detail required
tidiness required
organizational skills required
good communication skills required
time management skills required

Mentoring Philosophy

I have found that a collaborative approach to mentoring is most beneficial for keeping students on track to meet goals and for supporting their growth in research. I assess mentoring needs at the start of the relationship through one on one conversations. We will discuss the students’ experience and goals, project needs, students’ expectations of my mentoring, team dynamics with other working group members and will use IDPs. I create structure for feedback sessions so students know what to expect and can reflect on their needs. I approach feedback with a growth mindset, recognizing that students are learning and emphasizing what they are doing well as well as ways that they can improve or still need to learn. I am honest with students about my needs and limitations as a mentor, for example, I prefer to have some time to think about a question rather than answering in a moment when I am engaged with other aspects of my job. I recognize the importance of providing training, being present for questions as well as giving students some time to work independently to build their confidence, make mistakes, and recover from those mistakes. I think that building a positive scholarly relationship with students includes spending time working together in the lab, discussing literature to enhance their understanding of the context for the research and support their intellectual curiosity, providing training that allows students to learn how to work independently, and being available and approachable for questions and problems that arise.

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