Hirschfeld Maximilian

My research has focused on the understanding of ecological mechanisms driving animal behaviour and individual fitness and how these affect marine populations and their health and long-term resilience. Projects on a variety of emblematic marine animals, including turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas and sharks, were developed in collaboration with managing authorities to maximize the benefit of results for conservation. For example, scientific results from studying juvenile shark movements, has led to the protection of nursery areas in the recently reviewed Galapagos Marine Reserve zoning. My current research aims to study genetic population connectivity of demersal shark populations to identify stock structure and inform management.