Dive into marine science topics with the Ocean Expert Exchange series hosted by Scientist in Every Florida School and the ANGARI Foundation.  Join us on these virtual experiences to deepen your knowledge of the marine world through livestream on Zoom and YouTube.

Sara Casareto discusses the complex role sharks play in marine ecosystems, how this influences management and conservation, and her work in the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

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Topic: Sharks-Predators or Prey?

Speaker: Sara Casareto, Ph.D. Candidate- Marine Community and Behavioral Ecology Lab at Florida International University

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.

K-12 Resources: Extension Activities

Fall Series Schedule:

Sept. 28  – Dolphin Research and Conservation

Oct. 26 – Sharks-Predators or Prey?

Nov. 30 – Secrets of Sargassum