Assistant Professor of Marine Biology
Laboratory of marine invertebrate ecophysiology
Intertidal ecophysiology, marine invertebrate physiology, marine invertebrate behavior and ecology
Department of Earth and Biological Sciences
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA 92350 USA
Phone: (909) 558-1000, extension 48903
Fax: (909) 558-0259
Email: sdunbar@llu.edu
2002 PhD, marine biology, Central Queensland University, Australia
1990 BEd, secondary, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
1989 BSc, biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Research interests
My most recent focus has been on marine turtles around the island of Roatan, in Honduras. As highly endangered species, both the hawksbill and the green turtle are in need of conservation efforts to enhance and protect their dwindling populations. I, along with a number of volunteers and the assistance of the Reef House Dive Resort, have been working towards tagging and obtaining measurements for marine turtles captured by local fishermen. Long-term goals include beginning educational efforts about the local marine turtle population, looking at various physiological features of the captured marine turtles, tracking migration movements with satellite tags, and monitoring nesting beaches.
Another main research interest is the ecophysiology of tropical marine invertebrates. I am especially interested in how marine invertebrates respond and adapt to the stresses of tropical intertidal zones as they face rapid fluctuations in temperature, salinity, oxygen availability, and the dynamics of exposure.
Although I have an interest in many marine invertebrates, the organisms that intrigue me most are hermit crabs. I am amazed at the extremely wide range of habitats in which hermit crabs can be found--literally from pole to pole--and their resilience amidst extreme environmental conditions. The fact that most hermit crabs must acquire increasingly larger shell resources for protection, growth, and reproductive success makes for very interesting studies on their intra- and interspecific interactions.
I also have a strong interest in the biodiversity and ecology of marine invertebrate cryptofauna of the tropics, in general, and especially of the Indo-Pacific, a region well deserving of more investigation than has taken place in the past.
Perumal, V., Dunbar, S. G., and Cowles, D. L. Submitted. Responses to salinity of color polymorphs in two populations of the sea star, Pisaster ochraceus.
Revell, T. K. and Dunbar, S. G. In Press. The energetic savings of sleep versus temperature in the desert iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis, at three ecologically relevant temperatures. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, A XX: XXX-XXX.
Nisani, Z., Dunbar, S. G., Hayes, W.K. 2007. Cost of venom regeneration in Parabuthus transvalicus (Arachnida: Buthidae). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A, 147: 509-513.Dunbar, S. G. In Prep. Osmoregulatory responses of the tropical hermit crab, Clibanarius taeniatus (Decapoda: Anomura) to changes in ambient water salinity.
Dunbar, S. G. 2005. Respiratory responses of Clibanarius taeniatus and Clibanarius virescens (Decapoda: Diogenidae) to changes in ambient water temperature. Nauplius, Vol. 13(1): 45 - 56.
Dunbar, S. G. and Coates, M. 2004. Differential tolerance of body fluid dilution in two species of tropical hermit crabs: not due to osmotic/ionic regulation. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (A), Vol. 137(2): 321 - 337.
Dunbar, S. G., Coates, M. and Kay, A. 2003. Marine hermit crabs as indicators of freshwater inundation on tropical shores. Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 60(1): 27 - 34.
Dunbar, S. G. 2001. Respiratory, Osmoregulatory and Behavioural Determinants of Distribution of Two Tropical Marine Hermit Crabs. PhD Thesis. Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD. 322 p.
Dunbar, S. G. and Coates, M. 2000. Range extension and new host records of the ectoparasite Pseudostegias setoensis Shiino, 1933 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Bopyridae). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 124(1): 49.
Conference abstracts
Dunbar, S.G, Breman, J. and Stevenson, L. Development of the Turtle Awareness and Protection Studies (TAPS) program on Roatan, Honduras. 27th International Sea Turtle Symposium. 22 - 28, February, 2007. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA.Bacchus, M-L.C., Dunbar, S.G and Self-Sullivan, C. Characterization of resting holes and their daily and nightly use by Antilean manatees Trichechus manatus manatus in the Drowned Cayes, Belize. The 10th Congress of the Mesoamerican Society for Biodiversity and Conservation. 28 October - 3, November, 2006. Antigua, Guatemala.
Nisani, Z., Dunbar, S.G., and Hayes, W.K. The metabolic cost of regenerated Parabuthus transvaalicus venom and its protein content. 13th Annual Meeting of the American Arachnological Society. 17 - 21, June, 2006. College of Notre Dame, Maryland, USA.
Dunbar, S.G. and Sjoboen, A.D. The Roatan apid Assessment Project for Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus of Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras. The 9th Congress of the Mesoamerican Society for Biodiversity and Conservation. 21 - 25, November, 2005. La Ceiba, Honduras.
Dunbar, S.G. and Perumal, V. The Roatan Rapid Assessment Project for Queen Conch, Strombus gigas of Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras. The 9th Congress of the Mesoamerican Society for Biodiversity and Conservation. 21 - 25, November, 2005. La Ceiba, Honduras.
Dunbar, S. G. The Roatan Rapid Assessment Project for the common hermit crabs of Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras. The 9th Congress of the Mesoamerican Society for Biodiversity and Conservation. 21 - 25, November, 2005. La Ceiba, Honduras.
Ford, R. E., Soret, S., Dunbar, S., Waife, S., Mazinga, G. and Gonzalez, G. Launching an undergraduate Earth system science curriculum with a focus on global sustainability: the Loma Linda University experience. The Geological Society of America Annual Meeting and Exposition. 7 - 10, November, 2004. Denver Colorado.
Dunbar, S. G. Respiratory responses of the tropical hermit crabs, Clibanarius taeniatus and Clibanarius virescens to changes in ambient water temperature: hot times and heavy breathing. 3rd Brazilian Crustacean Congress and 2004 TCS Summer Meeting. 24 - 28, October, 2004. Florianopolis, Brazil.
Sjoboen, A. D. and Dunbar, S. G. Preliminary comparisons of Pagurus samuelis (Decapoda: Anomura) populations from north and south Monterey Bay, California. 3rd Brazilian Crustacean Congress and 2004 TCS Summer Meeting. 24 - 28, October, 2004. Florianopolis, Brazil.Dunbar, S. G. and Nyborg, T. G. Three specimens of hermit crabs found associated with their host gastropod shell from the Pliocene San Diego Formation, California and a reassessment of the paucity of fossil hermit crabs associated with gastropod shells in the fossil record. 2003 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting and Exposition. 2 - 5, November, 2003. Seattle, Washington.
Dunbar, S. G., Harris, L., Ware, R. R., Tudge, C. C. and Lee, R. E. Marine Cryptofauna Survey of Yaqara, Fiji: Finding the Fauna Before and After Development. European Marine Biodiversity Symposium. 8 - 12, September, 2003
Dunbar, S. G., Coates, M. and Kay, A. Marine hermit crabs as indicators of freshwater inundation on tropical shores. Fifth International Crustacean Congress and the 'Summer' 2001 Meeting of The Crustacean Society. 9 - 13 July, 2001. Melbourne, Australia.
Dunbar, S. G. Respiratory, osmoregulatory and behavioural adaptations to tropical intertidal stress as determinants of distribution in tropical marine hermit crabs. Proceedings of International Conference On Integrated Coastal Area Management and its Integration with Marine Sciences. 25 - 30 September, 2000. St. Petersburg, Russia.
Dunbar, S. G., Coates, M. and McKillup, S. C. Respiratory, osmoregulatory and behavioural responses to tropical intertidal stress as determinants of distribution in two species of marine hermit crabs. The 1999 Australian Marine Sciences Association Conference. 6 - 9 July, 1999, Melbourne, Australia.
Web publications
Dunbar, S. G. 2003. Hermit Crabs As Indicators.
Recent Grants
PI- Hawksbill Nesting Beach Reconnaissance Project on Roatan, Honduras. 2007. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.
PI- A Proposal for Two Workshops to Facilitate Positive Change Among Indigenous Fishers of the Bay Islands, Honduras. 2007. SWOT Outreach Grant (Conservation International).
PI- Roatan Rapid Assessment Project for Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, Bay Islands, Honduras. 2005. United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Manejo Integrado de Recursos Ambientales (MIRA).
PI- Roatan Rapid Assessment Project for Queen Conch, Strombus gigas, Bay Islands, Honduras. 2005. United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Manejo Integrado de Recursos Ambientales (MIRA).
PI- The Yaqara Bay Biodiversity Inventory Project Proposal for Funding Support. 2004. The Yaqara Group Ltd.
PI- A Proposal for Funding Support of the "These Are My Oceans" (TAMO) Program of the Yaqara Bay Biodiversity Inventory Project. 2004. Fiji Water.
Co-PI- A proposal to participate in the NASA/USRA Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century Program by the Loma Linda University (LLU) School of Science and Technology (SST).NASA/USRA.
Students
Wendy Billock - Second-year PhD student. Principal advisor.
Katsura Matsuda - MS student. Principal advisor. Completed.
Marie-Lys Bacchus - Third-year MS student. Principal advisor. Completed.
Janelle Shives - Third-year MS student. Principal advisor. Completing.
April Sjoboen - Second-year MS student. Principal advisor. Completing.
Viren Perumal - MS student. Principal advisor. Completed
Neville Trimm - PhD student. Research committee. Completed.
John Scarbrough - PhD student. Research committee. Completed.
Torrey Nyborg - PhD student. Research committee.
Amy Utt - MS student. Research committee.
Zia Nisani - PhD student. Research committee.
Leroy Leggitt - PhD student. Research committee. Completed.
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Last Revised: Wed, May 30, 2007