Christopher Wells

Christopher Wells is a Research Fellow at Bowdoin College's Biology Department, specializing in marine community ecology with a focus on anthozoan biology. His research investigates coral reef dynamics, particularly the decline of Caribbean hard corals and the ecological success of soft corals. Education includes a PhD from the University of Washington and undergraduate degrees from the University of New Hampshire.

Research interests center on bioenergetics of cnidarians, invasive species impacts in marine ecosystems, and trophic interactions in subtidal environments. Recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on Caribbean octocoral ecology, using molecular and field methods to study recruitment bottlenecks and predator-mediated community structure.

Fieldwork spans Washington state's coastal ecosystems and the Gulf of Maine, examining introduced species and coral-anemone life history strategies. Media coverage highlights novel findings like anemone consumption of terrestrial arthropods, revealing unexpected marine-terrestrial trophic links.