Max C. N. Castorani

Max C. N. Castorani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. As a marine ecologist, he focuses on population and community ecology in coastal ecosystems such as kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and oyster reefs. His research combines long-term observations, experiments, and models to address biodiversity patterns and inform coastal conservation.

• Ph.D., University of California, Davis and San Diego State University, 2014

Research Interests: The lab investigates ecological dynamics across multiple spatial scales, including disturbance ecology, nutrient cycling, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem recovery. Key habitats studied are kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and oyster reefs, with interdisciplinary collaborations in biogeochemistry, oceanography, and mathematical modeling.

Publication Trends: Recent work emphasizes disturbance regimes in coastal ecosystems, meta-analysis of restoration success, and spatial synchrony mechanisms. Studies often integrate climate change impacts, invasive species interactions, and ecological modeling.

Teaching: He teaches courses in Fundamentals of Ecology, Coastal and Estuarine Ecology, Spatial Ecology, and Messy Data: Statistical Methods in Ecology.

Research Group: The lab operates in the Department of Environmental Sciences, conducting interdisciplinary research that connects ecological theory with conservation applications.