Andrew Richard Thompson

My research focusses on determining why the distribution and abundance of aquatic species varies through space and time. I have pursued this general question in Appalachian streams, urbanized Los Angeles streams, coral reefs, and the California Current Ecosystem at spatial scales from cm to 1000s of km and temporal scales from seconds to millions of years. I'm now mostly working to elucidate factors affecting fish recruitment and assemblage dynamics using CalCOFI ichthyoplankton samples. Specifically, I am currently focusing on three main topics: 1) Determining the mechanisms that drive recruitment fluctuation in rockfishes (Sebastes spp.), northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) and Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax); 2) Characterizing fish assemblage dynamics and drivers of assemblage change in the California Current Ecosystem; and 3) Evaluating patterns and processes of biogeographic shifts in fish assemblages off the west coasts of the United States and Baja California, Mexico.