Research Overview
My research lies at the intersection of biological oceanography, zooplankton ecology, deep-sea biology, and molecular ecology. I study how environmental gradients—such as oxygen availability, depth, and light—shape mesozooplankton communities and ecosystem function in the deep ocean. I examine abundance, biomass, community composition, and diversity across the mesopelagic, bathypelagic, and abyssopelagic zones, with a focus on diel vertical migration behaviors and biogeochemical cycling in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). My work also assesses the potential impacts of deep-sea mining on midwater communities while contributing to biodiversity assessments and species discovery in these vulnerable ecosystems.
A central theme in my research is the protection of biodiversity, from terrestrial ecosystems affected by urbanization to deep-sea habitats facing industrial threats. My early work in reptile urban ecology explored how human development alters species distributions and behavior, while my current research in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) investigates how midwater zooplankton communities may respond to anthropogenic disturbances in the deep ocean. By integrating ecological and molecular approaches, my research provides critical insights into how these ecosystems function and how they may be impacted by human activities.
My Journey
Undergraduate Research
I began my research career at the University of Arizona, where I earned a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Honors) and Molecular and Cellular Biology, with minors in Marine Science and Biochemistry. My research experiences spanned plant ecology, molecular biology, and field-based ecological studies, providing me with a strong foundation in biological sciences.
My first hands-on research experience was in a plant ecology and evolution lab, where I developed fundamental laboratory skills and learned from graduate mentors. I later transitioned to herpetology research, joining the University of Arizona Herpetology Lab, where I studied the effects of urbanization on reptile communities. Supported in part by a UA NASA Space Grant, my honors thesis, Long-term Effects of Urbanization on Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) Relative Abundance, analyzed 17 years of survey data to assess how increasing development influenced Gila Monster populations. Using Poisson regression models, I identified housing density and precipitation as key drivers of encounter rates over time. This research provided insights into how urban expansion impacts herpetofauna and has broader implications for wildlife conservation in human-modified landscapes.
Graduate Research
As an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, my research focuses on mesozooplankton communities in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a region targeted for polymetallic nodule mining. Using molecular and morphotaxonomic techniques, I examine how environmental gradients—particularly OMZs, depth, and seasonality—shape zooplankton biodiversity and distribution. My work also investigates vertical migration patterns, contributions to carbon and nitrogen flux, and species most at risk from anthropogenic disturbances. By providing baseline ecological data, I help inform conservation and management efforts for midwater ecosystems in the deep ocean.
Publications
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Cazares, A., R. Cazares, R.W. Hansen (2020) Diadophis punctatus regalis (Regal Ringneck Snake) and Salvadora grahamiae grahamiae (Mountain Patch-nosed Snake) diet and predation. Herpetological Review 51(3):616.
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Cazares, A., J. Bosak, D. Huerta, R. Tuijl-Goode, and M. Goode (2020) Hypsiglena chlorophaea (Desert Nightsnake) diet. Herpetological Review 51(3):619-620.
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Hansen, R.W., R. Cazares, and A. Cazares (2015) Lampropeltis zonata (California Mountain Kingsnake) predation. Herpetological Review 46(4):645-646.
* Name change from A. Cazares to A.E. Cazares-Nuesser in 2024.
Presentations
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Cazares, A.E., J.C. Drazen, and E. Goetze. “Seasonal changes in zooplankton DVM and active export in an oxygen minimum zone.” 15th International Conference on Copepoda, June 2024, Hiroshima, Japan. (Poster)
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Cazares, A.E., G. Stedman, J.C. Drazen, and E. Goetze. “Zooplankton ecological baselines in the Eastern Tropical Pacific amidst deep-sea mining risks.” ICES/PICES 7th International Zooplankton Production Symposium, March 2024, Hobart, Tasmania. (Oral)
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Matthews, S.A., K. Kaminsky, A.E. Cazares, J. Questel, L. Blanco-Bercial, J. Hirai, and M.D. Ohman. “Distributional ranges of mesopelagic zooplankton across the North Pacific Basin.” ICES/PICES 7th International Zooplankton Production Symposium, March 2024, Hobart, Tasmania. (Oral)
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Dowd, M., Cazares, A. E., Goetze, E., Drazen, J., and Popp, B. N. “Trophic Ecology Within and Below the Oxygen Minimum Zone.” Ocean Sciences Meeting, February 2024, New Orleans, LA. (Oral)
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Cazares, A.E., G. Stedman, J.C. Drazen, and E. Goetze. “Ecological Baselines for Midwater Mining Impacts: Zooplankton Ecology in the Eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone.” Ocean Sciences Meeting, March 2022, Honolulu, HI. (Poster, Virtual)
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Cazares, A.E., D.G. Huerta, and M.J. Goode. “Stone Canyon Snake and Gila Monster Research.” Future for Nature Academy, Leiden University Institute of Biology, October 2019, Leiden, Netherlands. (Invited Talk)
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Cazares, A.E., D.G. Huerta, J. Bosak, and M.J. Goode. “Effects of Urbanization on Gila Monsters in Arizona.” Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2019, Snowbird, UT. (Oral)
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Cazares, A.E., L. Samora, C. Brenton, S. Ginar, A. Schiavoni, C. Smith, and M.J. Goode. “Urban Ecology of Desert Spiny Lizards on The University of Arizona Campus.” Biology of Lizards, May 2018, Rodeo, NM. (Poster)