Sharks – Predator or Prey?
Sara Casareto, Ph.D. Candidate
Marine Community and Behavioral Ecology Lab at
Florida International University
Sara Casareto discusses the complex role sharks play in marine ecosystems, how this influences their management, and her work in the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Recorded Webinar:
R/V ANGARI Expeditions:
Select Supplemental Content:
[READING] ANGARI Foundation – Meet Sara Casareto
[VIDEO SHORT] Monterey Bay Aquarium – Sharks: The Real Story
[INFOGRAPHIC] RBNERR, NERR, UNH, NOAA, FDEP – Getting the Water Right in the Rookery Bay Estuary
[READING] FDEP & NOAA – Rookery Bay Research Reserve Finding Solutions – Shark Nurseries
[READING] Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve – Management Plan – December 2022
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PRESENTER BIO
Sara Casareto’s work focuses on behavioral ecology and trophic interactions. Her current research centers around elasmobranch biology and ecology, looking at different factors that affect juvenile shark behavior and decision making in coastal waters. The specific questions she is interested in involve risk from larger sharks, abiotic factors like salinity and temperature, and the presence/absence of different shark species. Originally from Maryland, Sara has been in Florida since 2016. She holds a B.S. in Biology-Marine Science from the University of Tampa and has studied marine species ranging from sharks to photosynthetic sea slugs. Sara hopes to further her career in predator-prey interactions to help elucidate management and conservation strategies for shark and ray populations. A passionate educator, Sara is involved in outreach through National Geographic, The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, ANGARI’s Coastal Ocean Explorers: Sharks program and social media.
Ocean Expert Exchange is a live educational webinar series featuring experts in marine science and technology, many of whom have participated in expeditions onboard R/V ANGARI. The 30-minute live events welcome audiences of all ages and include a presentation on the speaker’s area of expertise followed by Q&A with participants. The series is co-hosted by ANGARI Foundation and the University of Florida Thompson Earth Systems Institute’s Scientist in Every Florida School program.