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School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

The School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesPeopleSoMAS PeopleRobert Cerrato

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Office: Dana Hall 121A

Phone: 631-632-8666



Robert Cerrato

Professor

Education:

Ph.D.1980

- Yale University

Research Topics:

Benthic ecology, population and community dynamics.

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  • Bio/Research

    Bio/Research

    I am a quantitative field ecologist interested in the patterns and drivers of populations and communities in space and time.  My primary research areas have involved: 1) linking age structure, growth, other demographic, physiological, and life history characteristics of species to varying environmental conditions, 2) determining the effects of suspension feeders on trophic structure in shallow embayments, and 3) relating community structure in space and time to major environmental factors, including those associated with climate.  The populations and communities I study are primarily benthic, but there are exceptions (e.g., giant squid, white perch).  My research is inherently interdisciplinary and collaborative, and I especially enjoy developing and addressing questions with colleagues in a variety of disciplines (e.g., fisheries ecology, geology, physiological ecology, plankton ecology, archaeology).  My interest is to investigate natural biotic systems at realistic spatial and temporal scales, an approach that usually requires extensive field and laboratory work.

    Currently and on the horizon over the next few years are several projects to utilize or generate data sets with rich spatial-temporal resolution.  The goal is to assess the vulnerability of species, trophic interactions, and communities with respect to stressors ranging from eutrophication, habitat alteration, and overfishing to climate change.  These projects are utilizing a variety of emerging field and lab techniques (e.g., fine-scale acoustic telemetry, stable isotopes), modelling (e.g., state-space), and multivariate statistical analyses (e.g., spatial-temporal direct analyses).

  • Publications

    Publications

    Foley M., K.A. Lato, M. Fuirst, R.R. Veit, R.M. Cerrato, L.H. Thorne (2025) Spatial and temporal predictability drive foraging movements of coastal birds. Movement Ecology 13: 5 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00531-y

    Shipley, O.N., A. Nicoll, R.M. Cerrato, K.J. Dunton, B.J. Peterson, M. Sclafani, C. Bangley, M.T. Balazik, M. Breece, B.V. Cahill, D.A. Fox, B.I. Gahagan, J. Kneebone, F. Leone, M. Manz, M. Ogburn, W.C. Post, B. Scannell, M.G. Frisk (2024) Evaluating the performance of  fine-scale acoustic positioning system for monitoring temperate fish behavior in relation to offshore marine developments. Animal Biotelemetry 12:36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-024-00386-x

    Cerrato, R.M, R.D. Flood, J. Bopp, H.J. Bokuniewicz (2024) Extent of benthic habitat disturbance by offshore infrastructure. J. Mar. Sci. and Eng. 12(12): 2142. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12122142

    Czaja, R., E. Pales Espinosa, R.M. Cerrato, and B. Allam (2024) Carryover effects and feeding behavior of Atlantic surfclams in response to climate change. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 573: 152002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2024.152002

    Czaja R., B. Beal, K. Pepperman, E. Pales Espinosa, D. Munroe, R.M. Cerrato, E. Busch, B. Allam (2023) Interactive roles of temperature and food availability in predicting habitat suitability for marine invertebrates. Est. Coast. Shelf Sci 293: 108515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2023.108515

    Czaja, R., E. Pales Espinosa, R. Cerrato, K. Lwiza, and B. Allam (2023) Using meta-analysis to explore the roles of global upwelling exposure and experimental design decisions in bivalve ocean acidification studies. Science of the Total Environment 902: 165900.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165900

    Brianik C.J., J. Bopp. C. Piechocki, N. Liang, S. O’Reilly, R.M. Cerrato, B. Allam (2023) Infection prevalence, intensity, and tissue damage caused by the parasitic flatworm, Bdelloura candida, in the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus). Hydrobiologia 850: 3655-3669. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-023-05273-9

    Czaja R., R. Holmberg, E. Pales Espinosa, D. Hennen, R. Cerrato, K. Lwiza, J. O’Dwyer, B. Beal, H. Zuklie, K. Root, B. Allam (2023) Behavioural and physiological effects of ocean acidification and warming on larvae of a continental shelf bivalve: dispersal and energy budgetimplications. Mar. Poll. Bull. 192: 115048.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115048

    Czaja, R.E., D. Hennen, R.M. Cerrato, K. Lwiza, E. Pales- Espinosa, J. O'Dwyer, B. Allam (2023) Using LASSO regularization to predict recruitment under CMIP6 climate scenarios in a coastal fishery with spatial oceanographic gradients. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences80(6): 1032-1046. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2022-0091

    Shipley O.N., P.J. Manlick, A. Newton, P. Matich, M. Camhi, R.M. Cerrato, M.G. Frisk, G.A. Henkes, J. LaBelle, J.A. Nye, H. Walters, S.D. Newsome, J.A. Olin (2022) Energetic consequences of resource use diversity in a marine carnivore. Oecologia 200: 65-78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-022-05241-5

    Bopp, J., J.A. Olin, M. Sclafani. B.J. Peterson, M.G. Frisk, and R.M. Cerrato (2022) Contrasting trophic niche and resource use dynamics across multiple American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) populations and age groups. Estuaries and Coasts 46: 227-245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-022-01116-3

    Hahn, M.A., A. Piecyk, F. Jorge, M. Kalbe, R. Cerrato, N.M. Dheilly (2022) Host phenotype and microbiome varies with infection status, parasite origin and parasite microbiome composition. Molecular Ecology: 31: 1577-1594. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16344

    Bopp, J., M. Sclafani, M. Frisk, K. McKown, C. Ziegler-Fede, D. Smith, R. Cerrato (2021) Telemetry reveals migratory drivers and disparate space-use patterns across seasons and demographics in horseshoe crabs. Ecosphere 12(10):e03811. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3811

    Dolan T.E., M.G. Frisk, R. Cerrato, A.E. McElroy (2021) Environmental factors modify post-settlement survival and growth of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) in the absence of predation. Marine Ecology Progress Series 676: 57-75.

    Molina A., R.M. Cerrato, J.A. Nye (2021) Population level differences in overwintering survivorship of blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus): a caution on extrapolating climate sensitivities along latitudinal gradients. PLoS ONE 16(9): e0257569. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257569

    Dolan T.E., M.G. Frisk, R. Cerrato, A.E. McElroy, L.A. Hice-Duntonb, and C. Ziegler Fede (2021) Winter Flounder navigate the post-settlement gauntlet with a bet-hedging strategy. Marine and Coastal Fisheries13:435–449. https://doi.org/10.1002/mcf2.10168

    Roose, H, G. Paterson, M.G. Frisk, R.M. Cerrato, P. Nitschke, J.A. Olin (2021) Regional variation in mercury bioaccumulation among NW Atlantic Golden (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and Blueline (Caulolatilus microps) Tilefish. Env. Pollution 284: 117177.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117177

    Shipley, O.N., J. Kelly, J.J. Bizzarro, R.M. Cerrato, J.A. Olin, M. Power, M.G. Frisk (2021) Evolution of Eltonian niche traits accross diverse Rajidae populations. Ecosphere 12(2):e03368. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3368

    Olin, J.A., O.N. Shipley, R.M. Cerrato, P. Nitschke, C. Magen, M.G. Frisk (2020) Separation of Eltonian niches among sympatric Tilefishes provides insight into potential drivers of co-occurrence in the NW Atlantic. Ecology and Evolution 10:10886-10898, https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6745

    Younes, A.F., R.M. Cerrato, and J.A. Nye (2020) Overwintering survivorship and growth of young-of- the-year black sea bass Centropristis striata. PLoS ONE 15(8): e0236705. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236705

    Siskey, M.R. M.G. Frisk, R.M, Cerrato, K.E. Limburg (2020) Redefining spatial population structure of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus): implications for stock assessment and management. Can. J. Fish. Aq. Sci. 77 (7): 1189-1200. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2019-0279

    Olin, J.A., R. M. Cerrato, J.A. Nye, S. R. Sagarese, M. Sclafani, J.P. Zacharias, and M.G. Frisk (2020) Evidence for ecosystem changes within a temperate lagoon following a hurricane-induced barrier island breach. Estuaries and Coasts 43: 1625-1639.

    Flanagan, A.M., R.D. Flood, N.P. Maher, and R.M. Cerrato (2019) Quantitatively characterizing benthic community-habitat relationships in soft-sediment, nearshore environments to yield useful results for management. J. Env. Management 249, https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109361

    Bopp, J., M. Sclafani, D. Smith, K. McKown, R. Sysak, R. Cerrato (2019) Geographic-specific capture-recapture models reveal contrasting migration and survival rates of adult horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).  Estuaries and Coasts42: 1570-1585.

    Ingram E. C., R. M. Cerrato, K. J. Dunton, and M. G. Frisk (2019) Endangered Atlantic sturgeon in the New York Wind Energy Area: implications of future development in an offshore wind energy site. Scientific Reports9: 12432, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48818-6.

    Bond, M., J. Valentin-Albanese, E. Babcock, M. Heithaus, D. Grubbs, R. Cerrato, B. Peterson,  E. Pikitch, D. Chapman (2019) Top predators induce habitat shifts in prey within marine protected areas. Oecologia190: 375-385.

    McCartin, K., A. Jordaan, M. Sclafani, R. Cerrato, M.G. Frisk (2019) A New Paradigm in Alewife Migration: Oscillations Between Spawning Grounds and Estuarine Habitats. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 148:605-619.

    Shipley, O.N., J.A. Olin, M. Power, R.M. Cerrato, M.G. Frisk (2019) Questioning assumptions of trophic behavior in a marine predator guild. Ecography 42: 1037-1049.

    Donaton, J., K. Durham, R.M. Cerrato, J.Schwerzmann, L. Thorne (2019) Long-term changes in loggerhead sea turtle diet indicate shifts in the benthic community associated with warming temperatures. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 218: 139-147.

    Wang C., Cerrato RM, Fisher NS (2018) Temporal changes in 137Cs concentrations in fish, sediments, and seawater off Fukushima Japan. Environmental Science and Technology 52: 13119-13126.

    Nye, J.A., M.G. Frisk, R.M. Cerrato, M. Sclafani, C.N. Flagg, S.R. Sagarese and J.A. Olin (2018) Effects of a storm-induced barrier breach on community assemblages and ecosystem structure within a temperate lagoonal estuary: A post Hurricane Sandy analysis. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCBN/NRR—2018/1702. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. 49 pp.

    Phillips, J.M., V. M. Bricelj, M. Mitch, R.M. Cerrato, S. MacQuarrie, L.B. Connell (2018) Biogeography of resistance to paralytic shellfish toxins in softshell clam, Mya arenaria (L.), populations along the Atlantic coast of North America. Aquatic Toxicology 202: 196-206.

    Hornstein, J., E. Pales Espinosa, R.M. Cerrato, K.M.M. Lwiza, B. Allam (2018) The influence of temperature stress on the physiology of the Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A 222: 66-73.

    Flanagan A.M., R.D. Flood, M.G. Frisk, C.D. Garza, G.R. Lopez, N.P. Maher, R.M. Cerrato (2018) The relationship between observational scale and explained variance in benthic communities. PLoS ONE 13(1): e0189313. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189313

    Martinez, C., Duplisea, D., Cerrato, R., Frisk, M (2017) Exploration of interspecific abundance-occupancy relationships using empirically derived simulated communities. PLoS ONE 12(1): e0170816. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170816

    Lee C-S., Lutcavage M.E., Chandler E., Madigan, D.J., Cerrato R.M., Fisher N.S (2016) Declining mercury concentrations in bluefin tuna reflect reduced emissions into the North Atlantic. Env. Sci. Tech. 50(23): 12825-12830.

    Pales Espinosa, E., R.M. Cerrato, G. Wikfors, B. Allam (2016) Modeling food choice in suspension-feeding bivalves, Crassostrea virginica and Mytilus edulis.  Mar. Biol. 163: 40-53.

    Sagarese, S.R., M.G. Frisk, R.M. Cerrato, K.A. Sosebee, J.A. Musick, and P.J. Rago (2016) Diel variations in survey catch rates and survey catchability of Spiny Dogfish Squalusacanthias and their pelagic prey in the Northeast US continental shelf large marine ecosystem. Marine and Coastal Fisheries 8: 244-262.

    Sagarese, S.R., M.G. Frisk, R.M. Cerrato, K.A. Sosebee, J.A. Musick, and P.J. Rago (2015) Spatio-temporal overlap of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and commercial fisheries in the northeast US shelf large marine ecosystem. Fish. Bull. 113: 101-120.

    Flanagan, A.M. and R.M. Cerrato (2015) Testing the utility of the classic Folk (1954) grain size classes in quantitatively describing benthic community structure in soft-sediment, estuarine environments. Continental Shelf Research 109: 55-66.

    Yencho, M.A., A. Jordaan, R.M.Cerrato, H. Baumann, and M.G. Frisk (2015) Growth and mortality in coastal populations of Winter Flounder: Implications for recovery of a depleted population.  Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 7: 246-259.

    Gallagher, B.K., L.A. Hice, A.E. McElroy, R.M. Cerrato, and M.G. Frisk (2015) Factors Influencing Daily Growth in Young-of-the-Year Winter Flounder along an Urban Gradient Revealed Using Hierarchical Linear Models. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science, 7: 200-219.

    McCauley, M.M., R.M. Cerrato, M. Sclafani, M.G. Frisk. Diel behavior in White Perch (Morone americana) revealed using acoustic telemetry (2014) Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 143: 1330-1340.

     
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