Source-Sink Dynamics and Habitat Modeling of Northern Sand Lance on Stellwagen Bank and Nantucket Shoals

Summary

This team of biologists seeks to address the lack of knowledge on the ecological role of the northern sand lance in the Gulf of Maine. Ecological hotspots off Massachusetts’s shores such as the Nantucket Shoals region and Stellwagen Bank are critical foraging grounds for such iconic marine species such as humpback whales, bluefin tuna, and cod, and the sand lance is one reason these hotspots exist. As management efforts are increasingly directed towards entire ecosystems rather than single species, focused research on the more influential components of these ecosystems, such as sand lance, can provide a major contribution.