Sophie George

Sophie George

Associate Professor
Biology Department, Georgia Southern University

Expertise:
Marine Ecologist

Issues of Interest:
Biology of the local sand dollar Mellita isometra: Environmental effects, such as effect of pollutants, fluctuating salinity, algal diet on the population structure and reproduction of these sand dollars. The use of artificial diets for edible sea urchins

Current Projects and Activities:

East coast of the United States

• Population dynamics of the sand dollar Mellita isometra
• The ectosymbiont crab Dissodactylus mellitae - sand dollar M. isometra relationship: is egg production of the sand dollar affected? *
• The effect of salinity and algal diet on larval growth and development of the sand dollar M. isometra.*
• Dietary assimilation of pollutants by the sand dollar M. isometra and maternal transfer to offspring. (In collaboration with Dr. Keith Maruya at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography)
• Effect of carotenoids and nucleotides on egg production and larval development of an edible sea urchin.* (In collaboration with Dr. John Lawrence at the University of South Florida)

West coast of the United States

• The effect of fluctuating salinity on growth, development and survival of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus*
• Egg quality, larval growth and phenotypic plasticity in a forcipulate seastar*

*Asterisks indicate manuscripts in preparation or recent publications

Location:
Coastal Intertidal and subtidal zones

Project Links:

Homepage:
http://www.bio.georgiasouthern.edu/bio-home/George-Sophie/George-homepage.html