Dr. Kough’s research will focus on the connectivity of queen conch in the Caribbean, describing how otherwise separate habitats are linked, working alongside a team of citizen scientists to survey previously undescribed conch populations throughout the Bahamas, taking measurements of adult population size and structure.

CHICAGO – Shedd Aquarium, a global leader in research and conservation, announces the hiring of Andrew Kough, Ph.D. as a postdoctoral research associate for the aquarium’s Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research. Dr. Kough will lead field work in the Bahamas assessing the larval transport of queen conch ( Lobatus gigas) and how it informs conservation management.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Kough to our team of researchers doing critical conservation work around the globe,” said Dr. Charles Knapp, vice president of conservation and research at the aquarium. “Shedd has a long-standing history of marine research and protection in the Bahamas and we look forward to expanding our collaborative research in the country. Current trends suggest that the queen conch fishery in the Bahamas is declining precipitously and now is the time to act. Dr. Kough’s work will help inform efforts to protect this species.”

Dr. Kough’s research will focus on the connectivity of queen conch in the Caribbean, describing how otherwise separate habitats are linked, working alongside a team of citizen scientists to survey previously undescribed conch populations throughout the Bahamas, taking measurements of adult population size and structure. These data will inform virtual models of queen conch larval dispersal that predict which populations exchange larvae, and guide conservation planning. Dr. Kough’s research is in partnership with the Bahamas National Trust, Bahamas Department of Marine Resources, and Community Conch–a nonprofit organization that aims to protect queen conch in the Bahamas.

Conch disperse in the open ocean as miniature members of the plankton, called larvae. The small size of the larvae is a challenge to researchers because of their size relative to the large ocean. While scientists cannot follow or put tags on such small subjects, computer models are used to move larvae within simulated ocean currents and describe their journey. Understanding larval dispersal of any marine species is critical for conservation because it informs strategies such as placement of marine protected areas and region-wide management plans.

“Having earned my dissertation investigating larval connectivity in the Caribbean, I’m excited to return as part of Shedd’s research team,” said Dr. Kough. “Protecting queen conch’s critical habitats and identifying dispersal pathways is key to replenishing the species. By capitalizing on my previous research on spiny lobster, I look forward to this unique opportunity to describe larval transport and help influence conservation efforts.”

Dr. Kough is no stranger to Bahamian species conservation, having earned his doctorate studying Caribbean spiny lobster. He was part of a team of ecologists, oceanographers and biologists that combined the latest ocean circulation models, larval biology and population demographics to understand spiny lobster population dynamics. Dr. Kough will use similar research techniques while focusing on queen conch, as he did with spiny lobster, and will synthesize data to create a model that describes the factors that affect the species dispersal, their population structure and the ramifications for management and conservation.

Prior to joining Shedd, Dr. Andrew Kough earned his doctorate in Marine Biology and Fisheries at the University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

Shedd’s Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research focuses on local and global field research, on-site research, and conservation awareness and action. The center is committed to creating and supporting strong programs that build connections between our animals and their counterparts in the wild. Shedd’s conservation work includes more than two decades of research on Bahamian rock iguanas, one of the world’s most critically endangered lizards, as well as studies of endangered arapaima in Guyana, migratory fish, endangered Nassau grouper, endangered species and rusty crayfish in the Great Lakes region and seahorses in Southeast Asia.