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School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

The School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesPeopleSoMAS PeopleDavid Taylor (Test)

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Daniel Holstein

Adjunct Faculty

Associate Professor (Fall 2025)

Education:

Ph.D.2013

- University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

Research Topics:

seascape ecology, including invertebrate reproduction, larval dispersal, metapopulation modeling, and the spatial ecology of environmental change

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  • Bio/Research

    Bio/Research

    Our research revolves around the concept of connected metapopulations. Metapopulations are networks of connected sub-populations. But what connects them? For many marine organisms, these sub-populations are connected by larvae dispersing on ocean currents. In others, adult individuals may move between populations. How connected a metapopulation is – or will be in the future – can determine whether or not it will persist in time and space. We're interested in the application of metapopulation theory to the study and conservation of marine and coastal organisms, and in developing a metapopulation theory of the coastal ocean. Among many ongoing projects, we have an NSF-funded project modeling the effects of climate change on the dispersal and persistence of Florida’s stone crab.

    Ecological & simulation modeling

    Marine larvae are tiny, and notoriously difficult to keep track of. How do we know where larvae from one reef will end up? How do we know where adults on another reef came from? What proportion of adults were born and live in the same place? One way to tackle this complicated set of questions is through larval dispersal modeling. We integrate organismal and larval biology with hydrodynamic models, and use Lagrangian particle tracking to develop probabilities of dispersal and connectivity between habitats.

    Animal reproductive & larval biology

    For marine organisms that disperse as larvae, we have an opportunity to inform connectivity and metapopulation modeling by looking at  adult reproductive strategy and fecundity, and larval biology and behaviors. For example, we collect coral tissues and utilize reproductive histology and microscopy to investigate the development of gametes in corals in different environments. We also measure minute behaviors of marine larvae throughout development to inform our biophysical modeling.

    Emergent coral disease

    The Seascape Ecology Lab is a part of an NSF EEID-funded effort to understand the transmission and spread of a Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in the US Virgin Islands, as well as in Florida with support from Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection. We are looking at multi-species disease signs in coral tissues, and modeling the spread of this disease through coral metacommunities. Previous funding has included three years of support from the Louisiana State Board of Regents to integrate models of coral reproduction, disease, and metapopulation persistence, and NSF RAPID support.

    Coral reefs & refugia

    Refuges, or refugia, are habitats that are consistently removed from a stress or perturbation. In the case of coral reefs, deeper mesophotic reefs may be one example. Their depth and distance from shore allows corals and associated plants and animals to live in slightly cooler, darker, and less polluted water. But in order for refuges to support metapopulation persistence, connectivity - or the exchange of larvae - must occur at levels that exceeds extinction rates. We're interested in the characterization and mapping of reef refugia, how environmental conditions on mesophotic reefs affects the physiology of reef organisms, and population and community dynamics in these under-explored ecosystems.

    Marine reserve design

    Through a partnership with Rare’s Fish Forever Initiative (NGO), the Seascape Ecology Lab aids in the design of equitable and fishable marine managed areas in the Philippines, Mozambique, Indonesia, and Central America.

  • Publications

    Publications

    *Student or committee membership, †award or recognition



    2024

    Limer B*, Payne O*, Brancato A*, Mitchell M*, Abu-Kubie C*, Figueiredo J, Holstein DM (2024) Life history and early ontogeny determine vertical swimming behaviors in the larvae of Caribbean corals. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 578:152035. DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2024.152035.

    Dobbelaere T. Dekens A, Saint-Amand A, Alaerts L, Holstein DM, Hannert E. (2024) Hurricane Irma enhanced coral connectivity and superspread disease among Florida’s coral reefs. Global Change Biology 2024:30(6):e17382. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17382.†

    Canty SWJ, Nowakowski AJ, Cox CE, Valdivia A, Holstein DM, Limer B*, Lefcheck JS, Craig N, Drysdale I, Giro A, Soto M, McField M (2024) Interplay of management and environmental drivers shift size structure of reef fish communities. Global Change Biology 2024:30:e17257. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17257.

    Papke E, Carreiro A, Dennison C, Deutsch J, Isma LM, Meiling SS, Rossin A*, Baker AC, Brandt M, Garg N, Holstein DM, Traylor-Knowles T, Voss JD, Ushijima B (2024) Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease: A review of emergence, impacts, etiology, diagnostics, and intervention. Frontiers in Marine Science 10:1321271. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1321271.

    2023

    Beavers K, Van Buren E, Rossin A*, Emery M, Velgia A, Karrick C, MacKnight N, Dimos B, Meiling S, Smith T, Apprill A, Muller E, Holstein DM, Correa A, Brandt M, Mydlarz L. (2023) Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease induces transcriptional signatures of in situ degradation of dysfunctional Symbiodiniaceae. Nature Communications 14:2915. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38612-4.

    Viehman TS, Lenihan H, Rosman JH, Storalzzi CD, Goergen EA, Canals MF, Groves SH, Holstein DM, Bruckner AW, Carrick JV, Haus BK, Royster JB, Duvall M, Torres W, Hench JL (2023) Coral restoration for coastal resilience integrating ecology, hydrodynamics, and engineering at multiple scales. Ecosphere e4517. DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4517.

    Muenzel D, Critchell K, Cox C, Campbell S, Jakub R, Chollett I, Krueck N, Holstein DM, Treml E, Beger M (2023) Comparing spatial conservation prioritization methods using site versus spatial dependency-based connectivity. Conservation Biology e14008. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14008

    2022

    Studivan MS, Baptist M, Molina V, Riley S, First M, Soderberg N, Rubin E, Rossin A*, Holstein DM, Enochs IC (2022) Transmission of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) in simulated ballast water confirms the potential for ship-born spread. Scientific Reports 12:19248. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21868-z

    Krueck N, Tong CZ , Cox C, Treml E, Critchell K, Chollett I, Adhuri DS, Beger M, Muenzel D, Holstein D, Campbell S, Jakub R (2022) Benefits of measurable population connectivity metrics for area-based marine management. Marine Policy 144, 105210. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2022.105210

    Huntley N, Brandt M, Becker C, Miller, CA, Meiling S, Correa A, Holstein DM, Muller E, Mydlarz L, Smith T, Apprill A. (2022) Experimental transmission of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease results in differential microbial responses within coral mucus and tissue. ISME Communications 2(1):1-11. DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00126-3

    Holstein DM, Smith TB, van Hooidonk R, Paris CB (2022) Predicting coral metapopulation decline in a changing thermal environment. Coral Reefs. DOI: 10.1007/s00338-022-02252-9.

    Veglia AJ, Beavers K, Van Burent EW, Meiling SS, Muller EM, Smith TB, Holstein DM, Apprill A, Brandt ME, Mydlarz LD, Corea AMS (2022) Novel Alphaflexiviridae genomes with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD)-affected, disease-exposed, and unexposed coral colonies in the US Virgin Islands. Microbiology Resource Announcements 11(2):e01199-21. DOI: 10.1128/mra.01199-21.

    Dobbelaere T, Holstein DM, Muller EM, Gramer LJ, McEachron L, Williams SD, Hanert E (2022) Connecting the dots: Transmission of stony coral tissue loss disease from the Marquesas to the Dry Tortugas. Frontiers in Marine Science 9:778938. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2022.778938.

    Studivan MS, Rossin AM*, Rubin E, Soderberg, N, Holstein DM, Enochs IC (2022) Reef sediments can act as a stony coral tissue loss disease vector. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:815698. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.815698.

    2021

    Leinbach SE, Speare KE, Rossin AM*, Holstein DM, Strader ME (2021) Coral recovery, but at a cost: energetic and reproductive consequences of divergent bleaching responses. Scientific Reports 11:23546. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02807-w.

    Enochs I, Toth L, Kirkland A, Manzello D, Kolodziej G, Morris J, Holstein DM, Schlenz A, Randal C, Mate J, Leichter J, Aronson R (2021) Upwelling and the persistence of coral-reef frameworks in the eastern tropical Pacific. Ecological Monographs e01482.

    Liang JH, Liu J, Benfield M, Justic D, Holstein DM, Liu B, Hetland R, Kobashi D, Dong C, Dong W (2021) Including the effects of subsurface currents on buoyant particles in Lagrangian particle tracking models: Model development and its application to the study of riverborne plastics over the Louisiana/Texas Shelf. Ocean Modeling 167:101879. DOI: 10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101879.

    Holstein DM1, Martindale RC1, Voss JD, Knowlton N, Weiss A, Correa AMS1 (2021) Editorial: Gulf of Mexico Reefs: Past, Present and Future. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:713058. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.713058.

    Egan KE*, Viehman TS, Holstein DM, Poti M, Groves SH, Smith TB (2021) Predicting the distribution of threatened orbicellid corals in shallow and mesophotic reef ecosystems. Marine Ecology Progress Series 667:61-81. DOI: 10.3354/meps13698.

    Meiling SS, Muller EM, Lasseigne D, Rossin A*, Veglia A, MacKnight N, Dimos B, Huntley N, Correa AMS, Smith TB, Holstein DM, Mydlarz LD, Apprill A, Brandt ME (2021) Variable species responses to experimental stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) exposure. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:670829. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.670829.

    Bloomberg J*, Holstein DM (2021) Mesophotic coral refuges following multiple disturbances. Coral Reefs 40(3):821-834. DOI: 10.1007/s00338-021-02087-w.

    Pittman SJ, Yates K, Bouchet PJF, Alvarez-Berastegui D, Andréfouët S, Bell SS, Berkström C, Boström C, Brown C, Connolly R, Devillers R, Eggleston D, Gilby BL, Gullström M, Halpern B, Roldan MH, Holstein DM, Hovel K, Huettmann F, Jackson E, James WR, Kellner J, Kot CY, Lecours V, Lepcszyk C, Nagelkerken I, Nelson J, Olds AD, Santos R, Scales KL, Schneider D, Schilling H, Simenstad C, Suthers IM, Treml E, Wedding L, Yates P, Young M (2021) Seascape ecology: Identifying research priorities for an emerging ocean sustainability science.Marine Ecology Progress Series 663:1-29. DOI: 10.3354/meps13661. Selected as Feature Article†.

    2020

    Dobbelaere T, Muller E, Gramer LJ, Holstein DM, Hanert E (2020) Coupled epidemio-hydrodynamic modeling to understand the spread of a deadly coral disease in Florida. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:591881. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2020.591881.

    Limer BD*, Bloomberg J*, Holstein DM (2020) The influence of eddies on coral larval retention in the Flower Garden Banks. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:372. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2020.00372.

    Schulze A, Erdner DL, Grimes CJ, Holstein DM, Miglietta MP (2020) The complex ecological roles of oil and gas structures in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:447. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2020.00447.

    2019

    Baeza AJ, Holstein DM, Umaña-Castro R, Mejía-Ortíz L (2019) Population genetics and biophysical modeling inform metapopulation connectivity of the Caribbean king crab Maguimithrax spinosissimus. Marine Ecology Progress Series 610:83-97. DOI: 10.3354/meps12842.

    Sellers J*, Holstein DM, Botha TL, Sikkel P (2019) Lethal and sublethal impacts of a micropredator on post-settlement Caribbean reef fishes. Oecologia. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-081-4262-8. Highlighted Student Research†.

    Holstein DM, Fletcher P, Groves SH, Smith TB (2019) Ecosystems services of mesophotic coral reefs and a call for better accounting. In: Puglise, KA, Bridge, T (Eds.). Coral Reefs of the World Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems. Springer.

    Smith TB, Brandt ME, Brandtneris VW, Ennis RS, Groves SH, Habtes S, Holstein DM, Kadison E, Nemeth RS (2019) United States Virgin Islands. In: Puglise, KA, Bridge, T (Eds.). Coral Reefs of the World: Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems. Springer.

    Smith TB, Holstein DM, Ennis R (2019) Disturbance in mesophotic coral ecosystems and strategies for conservation and management. In: Puglise, KA, Bridge, T (Eds.). Coral Reefs of the World: Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems. Springer.

    2018

    Groves SH, Holstein DM, Enochs IC, Kolodzeij G, Manzello DP, Brandt ME, Smith TB (2018) Growth rates of Porites astreoides and Orbicella franksi in mesophotic habitats surrounding St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Coral Reefs 37(2);345-354. DOI: 10.1007/s00338-018-1660-7.

    2017

    Chollett I, Garavelli L, Holstein DM, Cherubin L, Box SJ (2017) A case for redefining the boundaries of the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion. Coral Reefs 36(4):1039-1046. DOI: 10.1007/s00338-017-1595-4.

    2016

    Smith TB, Brandtneris VW, Canals MC, Brandt ME, Martens J, Brewer R, Kadison E, Kammann M, Keller J, Holstein DM (2016) Potential structuring forces on a shelf edge upper mesophotic coral ecosystem in the US Virgin Islands. Frontiers in Marine Science 3:115. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2016.00115.

    Holstein DM, Smith TB, Paris CB (2016) Depth-independent reproduction in the reef coral Porites astreoides from shallow to mesophotic zones. PLOS ONE 11(1): e0146068. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0146068.

    Holstein DM, Paris CB, Vaz A, Smith TB (2016) Modeling vertical coral connectivity and mesophotic refugia. Coral Reefs 35:23, DOI: 10.1007/s00338-015-1339-2. Winner of ISRS Best Paper Award†.

    Holstein DM, Smith TB, Appeldoorn RS (2016) Chapter 5. Ecosystem services provided by mesophotic coral ecosystems. In: Baker, EK, Puglise, KA and Harris, PT (Eds.). (2016). Mesophotic coral ecosystems — A lifeboat for coral reefs? (pp. 26-27). The United Nations Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal, Nairobi and Arendal.

    Smith TB, HolsteinDM (2016) Chapter 3.4. Mesophotic Reefs Examined: The United States Virgin Islands, USA. In: Baker, EK, Puglise, KA and Harris, PT (Eds.). (2016). Mesophotic coral ecosystems — A lifeboat for coral reefs? (pp. 63-66). The United Nations Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal, Nairobi and Arendal.

    2015

    Holstein DM, Smith TB, Gyory J, Paris CB (2015) Fertile fathoms: Deep reproductive refugia for threatened shallow corals. Scientific Reports 5: 12407, DOI: 10.1038/srep12407.

    2014

    Holstein DM, Paris CB, Mumby PJ (2014) Consistency and inconsistency in multispecies population network dynamics of coral reef ecosystems. Marine Ecology Progress Series 499:1-18, DOI: 10.3354/meps10647. Selected as Feature Article†.
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