Michael Boller, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Rhode Island

My doctoral research explores the biomechanics of flexible marine macroalgae by examining how both biological and physical aspects of an organism interact with the flows in which they live. These interactions are ecologically important because they allow many species to thrive in the physically harsh rocky intertidal environment. Three possible mechanisms of this interaction are the reconfiguration of the organisms via the change in shape and size as water velocity increases, variation in the morphology and mechanical properties among individuals and species, and modification of the flow environment through canopy formation. Additionally, these three mechanisms are proposed to be interdependent, e.g. variation in the material properties of an alga should influence how it reconfigures and may affect the mechanics of the canopy. My research directly addresses these three mechanisms and some of the interactions among them by 1) developing a mechanistic model of drag generation/reconfiguration for macroalgae using Chondrus crispus as a model species, 2) examining the relationships among morphology, solid mechanics and reconfiguration in a variety of intertidal macroalgae, and 3) measuring in situ hydrodynamic forces on a canopy forming macroalga to test the effectiveness of canopies in ameliorating hydrodynamic force in the rocky intertidal.
 

This page maitained by Michael Boller.
Last Updated November 23, 2004.