Myra Finkelstein Bio: Myra Finkelstein received a B.S. in Zoology…

Myra Finkelstein




Bio:
Myra Finkelstein received a B.S. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis in
1990 and for the subsequent seven years worked with various non-profit organizations on
marine conservation issues. She received a Ph.D. in Ocean Sciences from the University
of California, Santa Cruz in 2003. Dr. Finkelstein's dissertation research focused on
toxicology in top-level marine predators; she examined the impacts of pollution (e.g.,
PCBs, DDE, mercury) on the health status of pelagic seabirds. Upon completion of her
Ph.D., Dr. Finkelstein has, through the aid of a Switzer Environmental Leadership Grant,
worked with the American Bird Conservancy to translate her dissertation research into
policy change for seabird conservation. Dr. Finkelstein's research interests span across
the fields of oceanography, toxicology, and conservation biology. During her David H.
Smith Conservation Fellowship, Dr. Finkelstein will work with Dr. Dan Doak (University
of California, Santa Cruz), Dr. Paul Sievert (University of Massachusetts Amherst and
USGS), and Dr. Michael Fry (American Bird Conservancy) to understand the effects of
interacting threats on albatross survival.

Project Title:
Understanding the effects of interacting threats on the survival of long-lived species

Abstract. To be effective, conservation biology must span across multiple disciplines to
generate research with direct conservation applications. One tool that many conservation
biologists employ to assess and interpret population trends is population viability analysis
(PVA). PVAs are valuable because they can predict the impact of threats on population
survival and also how populations recover once these threats are eliminated.
Traditionally, PVAs have been used to explore the impact of discrete threats, such as
habitat loss and over-harvesting, on the future status of populations. However, these
analyses are one-dimensional: wild populations face multiple interacting threats (e.g.,
habitat destruction, pollution, introduced species) that together affect their long term
survival. I propose to expand upon the traditional use of PVAs by simultaneously
examining how several interacting threats affect the population viability of a group of
imperiled species with a particular focus on contaminant effects. Specifically, I will
conduct a comparative evaluation of impacts such as bycatch from fisheries, contaminant
exposure, and habitat destruction on the viability of albatrosses, a group of highly
endangered, long-lived seabirds. My proposed research will allow me to bridge the fields
of ecology, conservation biology, and toxicology, thus allowing a more comprehensive
approach to endangered species evaluation and management.