Kendra L. Daly

Kendra L. Daly is a Professor in Biological Oceanography at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science, specializing in zooplankton ecology across Gulf of Mexico and Antarctic ecosystems. Her research examines how physical and biological factors control zooplankton distribution and their roles in marine food webs, biogeochemical cycles, and fisheries oceanography, with emphasis on low-oxygen regions and oil spill impacts.

Dr. Daly earned her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in 1995. Her research integrates field studies with advanced technologies like the SCINI remotely operated vehicle and SIPPER imaging systems. Current projects include analyzing Apalachicola Bay zooplankton dynamics, Deepwater Horizon oil spill effects on Gulf ecosystems, and Antarctic predator-prey interactions in McMurdo Sound.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) Long-term ecological consequences of the Deepwater Horizon spill on Gulf of Mexico food webs, particularly zooplankton resilience and marine oil snow formation; (2) Southern Ocean ecosystem dynamics focusing on krill populations and climate change impacts; (3) Development of ocean observatory technologies for real-time ecosystem monitoring. Her work increasingly bridges observational data with predictive modeling of marine processes.

Dr. Daly has received significant recognition:

• 2015 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

She leads major research initiatives including the C-IMAGE project (22 Gulf of Mexico cruises) and Antarctic ecosystem studies, securing funding from NSF and other agencies. Her leadership extends to national science infrastructure:

• Chair of Ocean Observatories Initiative Facilities Board (OOIFB)
• Secretary of AGU Biological Oceanography Section
• Member of Ocean Networks Canada International Science Advisory Board
• NSF Regional Class Research Vessel Science Oversight Committee

Dr. Daly directs the Zooplankton Ecology Lab, which maintains extensive field datasets and collaborates with the USF Southern Ocean Science group on Antarctic research. Her lab utilizes the Shadowed Image Particle Profiling Evaluation Recorder (SIPPER) for plankton imaging and contributes to global databases like KRILLBASE for Southern Ocean ecosystem analysis.