MEET THE LAB
This image was graciously provided by K.D Sherman
The DECO Lab at Concordia University is located on the unceded and traditional lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation and peoples who are recognized as the stewards of Tiohtià:ke/Montréal.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Principal Investigator
Dr. Nicola S. Smith (she/her)
I specialize in marine invasions on coral reefs and am now exploring this system in the context of climate change. I also examine the effects of other human-caused and natural drivers of change like fishing, diseases and hurricanes on Caribbean coral reefs. I was born and raised in The Bahamas but work and live in Canada. My early life experiences growing up in a small island state where people's livelihoods, identity, and culture are tightly linked to the ocean inform the types of questions that I ask and the types of solutions that I propose.
GRAD STUDENTS
PhD Student
Brielle Comartin
My research examines the role of herbivores, invasive species, and marine heatwaves (MHWs) in ecological cascades and coral reef resilience in the Caribbean. To do this, I will determine if the interaction between MHWs and invasive lionfish can cascade down marine food webs in the Bahamas, ultimately decreasing primary productivity. Secondly, I will examine if nutrient-enrichment from territorial damselfish mediates coral resilience to MHWs in The Bahamas. Overall, my research will advance understanding of the critical ecosystem functions provided by herbivorous coral reef fishes and reveal how climate change and invasive species interact to alter these dynamics.
MSc Student
Melanie Giquel
I am interested in marine ecosystems, changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning due to climate change, and research that drives conservation policy in marine systems. My research evaluates the potential for fish-mediated coral resilience to marine heatwaves. Specifically, I aim to quantify the effects of damselfish presence on herbivory and corallivory in Caribbean coral reefs.
MSc Student
Samuel Evan Gonzalez-Fleurant
I love the ocean, and it has been important to me since I was a small child. As such, I've always been interested in doing marine research. My research focuses on the behaviour of prey species in response to native and non-native predators. Specifically, non-consumptive effects (NCEs), which are changes in fish behaviour and traits due to predation threat. My goal is to help us understand how different factors influence the strength of NCEs, using a marine system.
MSc Student
Andrew Kemp
My research focuses on the impacts of multiple stressors on the behavioural and functional responses of the invasive round goby. Through laboratory experiments, I examine how elevated temperature and varying social group dynamics individually and simultaneously affect goby predatory behaviour. My goal is to understand how goby predation patterns will shift under climate warming and along different stages of invasion, which will allow us to predict ecosystem impacts and conservation implications.
UNDERGRAD RESEARCH HONOUR'S PROJECTS & ASSISTANTS
Undergrad Honour's Research Student
Krystal Truong
My study looks at how climate change stressors, such as ocean warming and hurricanes, affect herbivorous fish communities on coral reefs in the Bahamas. I am examining a comprehensive dataset from the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) comprising over 382 reef sites, with data on the biomass and density of important herbivorous species. I will explore how these climate stressors affect herbivore communities over time. I hope that his research helps us better understand how different climate stresses affect coral reef ecosystems and how herbivorous fish help reefs stay resilient.
Research Assistant
Divya Petitjean
I am a research assistant with a background in Environmental Sciences. I have a strong interest in marine biology and ocean-related research. I am particularly fascinated by coastal and marine ecosystems and how they respond to climate change. Being a certified scuba diver has deepened my connection to the marine environment and reinforced my desire to combine field-based experience with scientific research.
Undergrad Honour's Research Student
Shaun Levine
My research examines whether marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Bahamas are effective at promoting healthier populations of mesopredators on coral reefs, or if they are more of an example of 'paper-parks'. To do so, I will analyze a multi-year dataset provided by the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) which recorded grouper and snapper density and biomass across hundreds of study sites. I use statistical models to quantify the effects of MPA presence, as well as specific attributes of MPAs such as MPA age and no-take designation, on mesopredator populations.
Lab Alumni
Graduate Students
Iris George, MSc. (2023-2025)
Katelyn (Katie) Moffat, MSc. (2023-2025)
Undergraduate Honour Students
Amirreza Khp (2023-2024)
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A. Khodaparast Kelidbari, et al. Applying machine learning tools for automated behaviour classification in invasive lionfish and comparison with human observations, 28 July 2025, https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7153188/v1
Aspen Aldridge (2023-2024)
Research Assistants
Tafari Smith (Summer 2024)