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Lesley Thorne

Associate Professor

Associate Dean of Research

Education:

Ph.D.2010

- Duke University

Research Topics:

Bio-physical and trophic interactions in marine ecology, application of spatial analysis, landscape ecology techniques to marine conservation

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  • Bio/Research

    Bio/Research

    I am broadly interested in ecological questions in coastal and pelagic systems, and much of my research focuses on understanding links between environmental variability, foraging behavior and population processes, and on elucidating biophysical interactions driving the habitat use and foraging ecology of different marine predators (primarily marine mammals and seabirds). Research in my lab uses a combination of boat-based measurements, telemetry techniques, satellite data and spatial analyses to address questions in marine ecology, and is primarily focused on issues with a direct application in conservation.

  • Publications

    Publications

    Stepanuk, J., A.J. Read, R.W. Baird, D.L. Webster, and L.H. Thorne, 2018. Spatiotemporal patterns of overlap between short-finned pilot whales and the U.S. pelagic longline fishery in the Mid-Atlantic Bight: An assessment to inform the management of fisheries bycatch. Fish Res, 208: 309-320 [PDF]

    Thorne, L.H., Foley, H.J., Baird, R.W., Webster, D.L., Swaim, Z.T. and Read, A.J., 2017. Movement and foraging behavior of short-finned pilot whales in the Mid-Atlantic Bight: importance of bathymetric features and implications for management. Mar Ecol Prog Ser., 584: 245-257. [PDF]

    Foley, C.M., Lynch, M.A., Thorne, L.H. and Lynch, H.J., 2017. Listing Foreign Species under the Endangered Species Act: A Primer for Conservation Biologists. BioScience [PDF].

    Thorne, L.H., M.G. Connors, E.L. Hazen, S.J. Bograd, D.G. Foley, M.A. Kappes, H.M. Kim, D.P. Costa and S.A. Shaffer (2016) Effects of El Niño-driven changes in wind patterns on North Pacific albatrosses. J. R. Soc. Interface, 13:119 [PDF]

    Lynch, M.A., Foley, C.M., Thorne, L.H. and Lynch, H.J. (2016) Improving the use of biological data in Antarctic management. Antarctic Science. doi:10.1017/S0954102016000353.[PDF]

    Thorne, L.H., E.L. Hazen, S.J. Bograd, D.G. Foley, M.G. Connors, M.A. Kappes, H.M. Kim, Y.Tremblay, D.P. Costa and S.A. Shaffer (2015) Foraging behavior links climate variability and reproduction in North Pacific albatrosses. Move. Ecol, 3:27 [PDF]

    Belkin, I.M., Hunt, G.L., Hazen, E.L., Zamon, J.E., Schick, R.S., Prieto, R., Brodziak, J., Teo, S.L. Thorne, L.H., Bailey, H., Sachihiko, I., Munk, P., Musyl, M.K., Willis, J.K., and W. Zhang (2014) Fronts, fish and predators. Deep-Sea Res. Pt. II. 107: 1-2. [PDF]

    Thorne, L.H. and A.J. Read (2013) Fine-scale biophysical interactions drive prey availability at a migratory stopover site for Phalaropus spp. in the Bay of Fundy, Canada. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 487: 261-273. [PDF]

    Waples, D.M., L.H. Thorne, L.W. Williams, E.K. Burke, K.W. Urian and A.J. Read (2013) A field test of acoustic deterrent devices used to reduce interactions between bottlenose dolphins and a coastal gillnet fishery in North Carolina, USA. Biol Conserv. 157: 163-171. [PDF]

    Thorne, L.H., D.W. Johnston, D.L. Urban, R.W. Baird, S. Yin, S. Rickards, M.H. Deakos, A.A. Pack and M.C. Hill (2012) Predictive modeling of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands: implications for management. PLoS ONE. 7(8): e43167. [PDF]

    Dunn, D.C., K. Stewart, R.K. Bjorkland, M. Haughton, S. Singh-Rentond, R. Lewison, L.H. Thorne and P.N. Halpin (2009) A regional analysis of coastal and domestic fishing effort in the wider Caribbean. Fish Res. 102(1-2): 60-68. [PDF]

    Nowacek, D.P., L.H. Thorne, D.W. Johnston and P. L. Tyack (2007) Responses of cetaceans to anthropogenic noise: an update and evaluation of potential physiological consequences. Mam Rev 37(2): 81-115. [PDF]

    Johnston D.W., L.H. Thorne and A.J. Read (2005) Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) exploit a tidally-driven island wake ecosystem in the Bay of Fundy. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 305: 287-295. [PDF]

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