Dr. Joe Reustle is a marine ecologist and the PI of the Reustle Estuarine Ecology Lab (REEL) at HU MES. Dr. Reustle’s research investigates species-interactions and how they influence community dynamics and assemblages. Specifically, Dr. Reustle’s research focuses on community-level consequences for shifts in species-interactions due to (1) climate change and environmental perturbations (i.e., drought/flood, high intensity storm-events), (2) changes in predator/parasite field (i.e., reason for and consequences of changes in abundance of predator(s) and parasites), and (3) changes in sensory regime and behavior (i.e., changes in the visual or chemosensory profile; altered fear response to predators and/or parasites). Dr. Reustle’s research intersects with and has expanded into habitat restoration and assessment where Dr. Reustle is interested in restoring habitat and ecosystem services. Dr. Reustle incorporates field and laboratory studies at the species, population, and community level to manipulate and better understand the mechanisms and consequences of changes in community dynamics.