{"id":35073,"date":"2026-02-06T17:04:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T22:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=35073"},"modified":"2026-02-06T17:04:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T22:04:59","slug":"ucf-researchers-travel-to-south-pacific-for-diving-research-expedition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-researchers-travel-to-south-pacific-for-diving-research-expedition\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Researchers Travel to South Pacific for Diving\u00a0Research Expedition\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Led by a UCF faculty member, a global team of researchers is\u00a0using innovative genetic analysis to\u00a0uncover how\u00a0countless\u00a0drifting fish larvae\u00a0connect\u00a0distant reefs.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published:\u00a0February\u00a06,\u00a02025\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/Expediton-Feature-1024x683.png\" alt=\"A scuba diver equipped with underwater photography gear swims above a coral reef in clear blue water.\" class=\"wp-image-35079\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/Expediton-Feature-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/Expediton-Feature-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/Expediton-Feature-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/Expediton-Feature-299x199.png 299w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/Expediton-Feature.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Pennsylvania State University doctoral student Vanessa Garcia photographing benthic communities in the waters of Fiji. Photo credit: Maria Beger.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Countless larvae move through the ocean currents every day, and UCF researchers are taking a closer look at how these larvae travel and keep distant reefs connected. Led by Associate Professor of Biology Michelle Gaither, DisKer (Dispersal Kernel), a collaborative research project that examines the movements of these tiny larvae, utilizes innovative genetic and oceanographic modeling methods. Its success is rooted in partnerships with researchers that span across continents. Together, they are working to track these connections and strengthen the understanding of how reefs across the Pacific are connected by dispersal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With funding from the National Science Foundation, her research group traveled to the South Pacific this past summer to work with local community members, scuba divers, and an interdisciplinary group of researchers from France, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How UCF Leverages Global Research Partnerships<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>UCF Postdoctoral Researcher and Marine Biologist, Melanie <a>Heckwolf<\/a>, says that understanding how far fish larvae disperse can help us understand our larger ocean ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUp to millions of larvae are released into the ocean and move with the ocean currents until they settle on a reef, sometimes hundreds of kilometers away from their parents,\u201d Heckwolf says. \u201cTheir spatial distribution is an important metric for our basic understanding of marine ecology and evolution as well as for management and conservation of marine resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She shares that the DisKer project is groundbreaking due to its size and its genetic approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Historically larval dispersal kernels are often studied through the use of computer models,\u201d Heckwolf says. \u201cThere are very few empirical measurements of marine dispersal kernels due to the cost and infeasibility of current genetic tagging methods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"910\" height=\"684\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition2.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people, including one in scuba gear, examine and sort objects on a table outdoors near a beach under a simple wooden shelter.\" class=\"wp-image-35075 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 910px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 910\/684;aspect-ratio:1.330433463153103;width:456px;height:auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition2.jpg 910w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition2-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition2-299x225.jpg 299w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>(Left to right) Vanessa Garcia (tan shirt), Ella Adams-Herrmann, Maria Beger, Ada Sokach (Vanuatu Fisheries) and Melanie Heckwolf processing DNA samples after a dive. Photo credit: Michelle Gaither.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Heckwolf explains that tracking these\u00a0tiny larvae has posed challenges, but the team has come up with a clever solution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen imagining a dispersal kernel of countless tiny eggs, or tiny fish larvae that are transparent, it becomes easy to understand how hard it may be to follow them through the ocean for hundreds of kilometers,\u201d she says. \u201cTo date, less than ten species across just five seascapes have been assessed with [parentage-based] methods. DisKer\u2019s approach offers a clever workaround. Rather than looking for fish larvae or eggs directly, we sample adult fish from different reefs and genetically determine their migration patterns. This helps to answer the question \u2018Where are the offspring of these parents going?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DisKer\u00a0uses an indirect approach based on population genetics\u00a0to track larvae, allowing the team to estimate dispersal patterns across three archipelagos and seven reef-fish species.\u00a0According to\u00a0Heckwolf, this strategy significantly reduces the cost,\u00a0time\u00a0and effort of sampling, while producing\u00a0high quality\u00a0data for reef connectivity and dispersal.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Collaboration\u00a0and\u00a0Community Involvement<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Heckwolf\u00a0says that fieldwork for the project relied on deep collaboration with local communities.\u00a0<a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWithout the local knowledge of where to find our target species, the support of local fishers\u00a0in catching fish and the help of the fisheries departments,\u00a0this project would not have been possible,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This research project\u00a0benefits\u00a0from the global collaboration of scientists whose shared insights significantly\u00a0impact\u00a0their work.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"315\" height=\"236\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition3.jpg\" alt=\"A diverse group of adults and children pose together on rocky ground near the ocean under a cloudy sky.\" class=\"wp-image-35076 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 315px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 315\/236;aspect-ratio:1.3347969264544457;width:370px;height:auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition3.jpg 315w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition3-299x224.jpg 299w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The DisKer research team visits a Fijian village and poses for a photo with the locals, hosts, and fishery officer. \u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cDisKer\u00a0has a large, interdisciplinary and international team, which includes researchers from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and the South Pacific, along with community involvement from the areas where we have conducted research,\u201d\u00a0Heckwolf\u00a0says. \u201cOur work was made possible by working with French researchers in New Caledonia and fisheries officers in Vanuatu and Fiji. We spent a lot of time presenting our work to local communities to gain their support and obtain permission to work on the local reefs.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLater in the project we will host a workshop and present our data to the respective fisheries departments. The goal of our collaboration is to use the data we produced to inform resource management and conservation decisions.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>UCF\u2019s Growing Scientific\u00a0Diving Program<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"990\" height=\"660\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition5.jpg\" alt=\"A coral reef underwater with various corals and small fish swimming around, set against a backdrop of blue ocean water.\" class=\"wp-image-35077 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition5.jpg 990w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition5-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition5-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition5-299x199.jpg 299w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 990px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 990\/660;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Reefs photographed in the waters of Fiji by the DisKer research team, many of these species are endemic. Photo credit: Maria Beger.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Gaither says UCF involvement\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0have been possible without the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ehs.ucf.edu\/diving-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UCF Scientific Diving Program<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPrior to 2020 there was no mechanism at UCF to regulate scuba diving as a research activity. Now, through the UCF dive program, we can support underwater research for students, faculty, and staff. While most dive-related research opportunities are focused\u00a0in\u00a0Florida,\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0supported research expeditions to the Caribbean, Eastern Pacific and across the Indo-Pacific,\u201d Gaither says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its launch, the program has trained 66 UCF Divers including graduate students and faculty\u200bmembers across an array of disciplines including biology, environmental science, and engineering. Moreover, as a program they have\u00a0logged over 1200 dives with zero safety incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Carrying Forward a Legacy of Student Research\u00a0Opportunities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Doctoral student Ella Adams-Herrmann says working on the\u00a0DisKer\u00a0project with\u00a0a team of international\u00a0researchers has given her the opportunity to gain experience outside of the classroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing part of the\u00a0DisKer\u00a0research has been the best outcome I could have asked for,\u201d she says. \u201cI have been able to work in the field with some really inspiring professors, postdocs and grad students.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"465\" height=\"310\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition6.jpg\" alt=\"A man stands outdoors smiling next to a bronze statue, with trees, water, and a sailboat visible in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-35078 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition6.jpg 465w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition6-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/02\/expedition6-299x199.jpg 299w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 465px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 465\/310;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Dr. Eric Crandall of Pennsylvania State University passed away in fall of 2024 before fieldwork began. Crandall was described by his fellow researchers as a true inspiration and the key to ensuring this project was made possible.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Gaither says the\u00a0DisKer\u00a0team\u00a0is\u00a0influenced by the legacy\u00a0of\u00a0the late\u00a0Dr. Eric Crandall, a biology professor from Pennsylvania State University.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe was\u00a0the\u00a0inspiration\u00a0behind the project and was essential in getting everyone together and obtaining the funding,\u201d Gaither says. \u201cHis intelligence, kindness and commitment to local community involvement have inspired and\u00a0accompanied\u00a0us throughout our\u00a0expedition. The team is committed to conducting the project in the way he had envisioned it.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Led by a UCF faculty member, a global team of researchers is\u00a0using innovative genetic analysis to\u00a0uncover how\u00a0countless\u00a0drifting fish larvae\u00a0connect\u00a0distant reefs.\u00a0 Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published:\u00a0February\u00a06,\u00a02025\u00a0 Countless larvae move through the ocean currents every day, and UCF researchers are taking a closer look at how these larvae travel and keep distant reefs connected. Led by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":250,"featured_media":35079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[34,38,39,40,28,29],"tags":[437,736,5518,2856],"class_list":["post-35073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biology-departments","category-breaking-news","category-faculty-news","category-graduate-student-news","category-top-news","category-ucf-news","tag-biology","tag-college-of-sciences","tag-michelle-gaither","tag-research"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UCF Researchers Travel to South Pacific for Diving\u00a0Research Expedition\u00a0 - College of Sciences News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-researchers-travel-to-south-pacific-for-diving-research-expedition\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UCF Researchers Travel to South Pacific for Diving\u00a0Research Expedition\u00a0 - College of Sciences News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Led by a UCF faculty member, a global team of researchers is\u00a0using innovative genetic analysis to\u00a0uncover how\u00a0countless\u00a0drifting fish larvae\u00a0connect\u00a0distant reefs.\u00a0 Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published:\u00a0February\u00a06,\u00a02025\u00a0 Countless larvae move through the ocean currents every day, and UCF researchers are taking a closer look at how these larvae travel and keep distant reefs connected. 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