My research interests lie in linking large scale ecological studies with rigorous small-scale investigations and experiments to gain a mechanistic understanding of the effect of disturbance on tropical marine ecosystems. I am particularly interested in how habitat types are changing over time, the consequences of this change to associated communities, and the long-term prognosis for the resilience and management of ecosystem services. Accordingly, I have also investigated the effectiveness of management for mitigating human disturbance, with a focus on the conservation and fishery benefits of marine reserves.