#Sciencedeskdigs: Crab Larvae

NPS Photo/M.Reed

We check in with Tracy Ziegler, a Marine Ecologist, to ask what’s up with the tiny vials on her desk.

What is it?
These are spiny lobster and crab larvae specimens from my Ph.D. research in fisheries science. I have always loved water because I grew up in the Chesapeake Bay area. When I was 7 years old, my Dad asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told him that I wanted to be on the Chesapeake everyday. He said, “then you want to be a marine biologist.” And that is exactly what I became and I haven’t looked back since. I help parks protect important marine species, like the spiny lobster, by working on projects that deal with:

• Harmful algal blooms,
• Marine invasive species,
• and Ocean acidification.

Ocean acidification affects marine species like lobsters and crabs because the higher acidity of the ocean makes it more difficult for crustaceans to develop a healthy calcium carbonate shell.

Describe your workspace:
“I love my office. It’s functional and inviting!”