Lisa Needles

Research Interests:

My research interests focus on marine ecology and conservation, specifically in the context of invasive species and novel ecosystems. My current research examines the factors and processes that affect community resistance to invasion and shape community assemblages. Additionally, I am interested in the impacts invasive species have on food web dynamics of the recipient community.

Education:

Ph.D., Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2013
M.S., Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, 2007
M.A.T., Science and Mathematics Education, Oregon State University, 1997
B.S., Zoology, University of California, Davis, 1990

Professional Appointments:

Lecturer, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo 2012-Present

Current Research Projects:

• Effects of top down control of community invasibility in a marine fouling communities
• Changing the menu: impact of invasive species on food web dynamics
• Using ecosystem based management and tradeoff analysis in managing for multiple services in bay and estuarine ecosystems

Selected Recent Publications:

Needles, L.A. and D.E. Wendt (in revision). Big changes to a small bay: Introduced species and long-term compositional shifts to the fouling community of Morro Bay (CA). Biological Invasions.

Needles, L.A., S.E. Lester, R. Ambrose, A. Andren, M. Beyeler, M. Connor, J. Eckman, B. Costa-Pierce, S.D. Gaines, K. Lafferty, H. Lenihan, J. Parrish, M.S. Peterson, A. Scaroni, J. Weis, D.E. Wendt (in revision). Managing bay and estuarine ecosystems for multiple services. Estuaries and Coasts.

Woodson C.B., D.I. Eerkes-Medrano, A. Flores-Morales, Foley M.M., S.K. Henkel, M. Hessing-Lewis, D. Jacinto, L.A. Needles, M.T. Nishizaki, J. O'Leary, C.E. Ostrander, M. Pespeni, K.B. Schwager, J.A. Tyburczy, K.A. Weersing, A.R. Kirincich, J.A. Barth, M.A. McManus, L. Washburn (2007). Local diurnal upwelling driven by sea breezes in northern Monterey Bay. Continental Shelf Research 27:2289-2302.

Presentations:

Wendt, DE, LA Needles and S Johnson (2010) Making the Right Connections: Research and Teaching at the Cal Poly Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, California State University Board of Trustees' Meeting, January 27, 2010.

Needles, LA, MW Cadotte, DE Wendt and SD Gaines. (2009) Scale dependent controls of community invasion and formation in marine fouling communities. Sixth International Conference on Marine BioInvasions. Portland, OR.

Needles, LA, MW Cadotte, DE Wendt and SD Gaines. (2009) Scale dependent controls of community invasion and formation in marine fouling communities. Western Society of Naturalists, Monterey, CA.

Needles, LA and DE Wendt (2006). Big changes to a small bay: Exotic species in the invertebrate community of Morro Bay over thirty years. Western Society of Naturalists. Redmond, WA.

Needles, LA and DE Wendt (2004) Has Morro Bay (California) been invaded? Initial characterization of the non-indigenous invertebrate macro-fouling community. Western Society of Naturalists. Sonoma, CA. (Poster)

Undergraduate Students:

• Caitrin Phillips
• Emily Wilson