Erick Morales Oyola

Advisors: Dr. Deron Burkepile and Dr. Kyle Emery

Research: My research interests center on coastal and coral reef ecology, particularly how habitat change and land–sea connectivity shape biodiversity, food webs, and ecosystem resilience. My work brings together field ecology, remote sensing, and spatial analysis across coastal California and French Polynesia. In Moorea, I am developing research that combines environmental DNA and shelter experiments to understand how coral and algal habitats support small, often overlooked reef fishes and their roles in reef food webs. I also work on drone-based monitoring of coastal vegetation, including surf grass and dune plants, with a broader interest in making ecological monitoring more accessible and useful for conservation and restoration.