Current Projects

NOAA Climate Integrated Modeling

Alaska Climate Integrated Modeling (ACLIM) & Gulf of Alaska CLIM

Working as a postdoctoral scholar with the Integrated Marine Fisheries Lab at Oregon State University to advance NOAA’s climate-integrated ecosystem modeling initiatives for North Pacific fisheries. These projects integrate climate projections with ecosystem models to understand how changing ocean conditions—including temperature, acidification, and productivity shifts—affect fish populations, community structure, and fisheries management strategies in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.

The work combines statistical modeling, time-series analysis, and dynamic ecosystem simulations to provide science-based advice for sustainable fisheries management under climate change. This research directly supports the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in developing climate-informed management approaches.

Madison Bargas is in my lab.

Collaborators: Dr. Cheryl Barnes (OSU), Dr. Jon Reum (NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center)
Funding: NOAA Fisheries
Learn more: ACLIM Project | GOACLIM Project

Temperate Mesophotic Ecosystems

Uncovering the functioning and importance of temperate mesophotic ecosystems

Part-time collaboration with the Marine Ecology and Ecosystem Modelling Lab at Victoria University of Wellington on a Marsden Fund-supported project investigating temperate mesophotic reefs (30-150m depth). These twilight-zone ecosystems remain poorly understood despite potentially serving as critical refugia for marine biodiversity and contributing to fisheries productivity.

The project combines ROV surveys, fish community data, and ecosystem modeling to quantify how mesophotic habitats support fish populations and connect to shallower reef systems. By integrating empirical field data with size-structured models, we’re exploring how depth gradients, light availability, and habitat complexity shape community dynamics and ecosystem services in New Zealand’s temperate waters.

PI: Dr. Alice Rogers (Victoria University of Wellington)
Funding: Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden Fund
Duration: 2023-2026

MizerReef R Package

Open-source ecosystem modeling tool for coral reef fisheries

Developing and maintaining MizerReef, an open-source R package that extends the mizer framework for size-structured multispecies modeling to coral reef ecosystems. The package enables researchers and managers to explore complex relationships between habitat structure, predator-prey dynamics, fish community composition, and fisheries outcomes.

MizerReef incorporates coral reef-specific processes including: - Habitat complexity effects on predator-prey interactions - Benthic-pelagic coupling - Spatial heterogeneity in reef structure - Fisheries selectivity patterns for reef species - Climate impacts on habitat and productivity

The tool supports scenario testing for fisheries management, habitat restoration, and climate adaptation strategies. It’s designed to be accessible for both research and applied management contexts, with extensive documentation and example applications.

Status: Active development and maintenance
Repository: github.com/cmbeese/MizerReef
Base Framework: Mizer (Blanchard et al. 2014)
Applications: PhD dissertation research, fisheries management scenario testing, coral reef conservation planning