Expertise
Research specialties are fisheries, coral reef health, marine protected areas, marine
life, and fisheries ecology.
Biography
Area: Ecology and Management of Tropical Fisheries and Coral Reefs
Abstract of Research: One primary research area addresses the effectiveness of Marine Fishery Reserves
as management tools for enhancing and protecting fishery and marine resources. Several
studies focus on the effect of MPA's on fish assemblages inside and outside MPA's
including measuring critical population parameters of grouper spawning aggregations
such as breeding population density, size structure and sex ratios. Other areas of
fishery related research include identifying essential fish habitats for reproduction
and settlement of reef fishes, spatial and temporal variation in larval fish supply,
settlement and post-settlement processes, and quantitative assessment of seagrass
beds and mangrove lagoons as nursery habitats for fisheries production. The other
primary area of research involves monitoring the effects of land development, sedimentation
and water quality on coral abundance, diversity and condition. Large-scale assessments
of coral reefs and associated fish assemblages have been conducted throughout the
US and British Virgin Islands have helped to determine patterns in coral reefs.
Publications:
- Roy A. Armstrong, Hanumant Singh, Juan Torres, Richard S. Nemeth, Ali Can, Chris Roman, Ryan Eustice, Lauren Riggs, Graciela Garcia-Moliner (2006)
Characterizing the deep insular shelf coral reef habitat of the Hind Bank marine conservation
district (US Virgin Islands) using the Seabed autonomous underwater vehicle. Continental Shelf Research 26: 194Ð205
- Nemeth, R.S., (2005) Linking larval history to juvenile demography in the bicolor damselfish Stegastes partitus (Perciformes: Pomacentridae). Int. J. Trop. Biol. 53 (Suppl. 1): 155-163.
- Nemeth, R.S., (2005) Population characteristics of a recovering US Virgin Islands red hind spawning aggregation
following protection . Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 286: 81Ð97.
- Whiteman, E.A, C.A. Jennings, R.S. Nemeth, (2004) Sex structure and potential female fecundity in a Epinephelus guttatus spawning aggregation: applying ultrasonic imaging Journal of Fish Biology. 66, 983Ð995.
- Nemeth, R.S., A. Quandt, L. Requa, P. Rothenberger and M. Taylor. (2002). A rapid assessment of
coral reefs in the Virgin Islands (Part 1: stony corals and algae). Atoll Res. Bull.
(in press).
- Nemeth, R.S., L.D. Whaylen and C. Pattengill-Semmens. (2002). A rapid assessment of coral reefs
in the Virgin Islands (Part 2: fishes). Atoll Res. Bull. (in press).
- Nemeth, R.S., and J. Sladek Nowlis. (2001) Monitoring the effects of land development on the near-shore
reef environment. Bull. Mar. Sci. 69(2):759-775.
- Nemeth, R.S., (2000) The effects of sedimentation from coastal development on coral bleaching.
Proceedings of the 6th Non-Point Source Pollution Conference. December 6-7, 2000.
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Pp. 1-12.
- Nemeth, R.S., (1999) Monitoring Water Quality and Sedimentation from Land Development to Evaluate
Best Management Practices. Proceedings of the 5th Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference.
May 19 - 20, 1999 St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Pp. 1-11.
- Nemeth, R.S., (1998) The effect of natural variation in substrate architecture on the survival
of juvenile bicolor damselfish. Environ. Biol. Fishes. 53:129-141.
- Tolimieri, N., P.F. Sale, R.S. Nemeth, K.B. Gestring. (1998) Replenishment of populations of Caribbean reef fishes: are
spatial patterns of recruitment consistent through time? J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.
230:55-71.
- Nemeth, R.S., (1997) Spatial patterns of bicolor damselfish populations in Jamaica and St. Croix
are determined by similar post-settlement processes. Proc. 8th. Int. Coral Reef Symp.1:1017-1022
- Armstrong, D.A., P.A. Dinnel, J.M. Orensanz, J.L. Armstrong, T.L. McDonald, R.F. Cusimano,
R.S. Nemeth, M.L. Landolt, J.R. Skalski, R.F. Lee, and R.J. Huggett. (1995) Status of selected
bottomfish and crustacean species in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez
oil spill. P.G. Wells, J.N. Butler and J.S. Hughes, eds. In: Exxon Valdez oil spill:
fate and effects in Alaskan waters. ASTM, Philadelphia. pp 485-547.
- Quinn, T.P., R.S. Nemeth, and D.O. McIsaac. (1991) Patterns of homing and straying by fall chinook salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Lower Columbia River. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 120:150-156.
