Anya Dunham (Epelbaum)

Image Melissa O'Hara
Research Scientist

Dr. Dunham leads the Habitat Ecology Program. Her research focuses on developing novel conceptual approaches, methods, and tools for assessing and monitoring the structure and functioning of marine habitats and fish and invertebrate communities they support. Her work advances applied ecological research, informs marine spatial planning, and supports marine policy development.

Education and awards

Ph.D. , Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO), 2005

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Pacific Biological Station, 2008

BSc , Moscow State University, 1999

M.Sc., Moscow State University, 2002

Key publications

Primary Publications:

  1. Iacarella JC, Burke L, Clyde G, Wicks A, Clavelle T, Dunham A, Rubidge E, Woods P (2023) Application of AIS- and flyover-based methods to monitor illegal and legal fishing in Canada’s Pacific marine conservation areas. Conservation Science and Practice (accepted on March 15, 2023)
  2. Iacarella JC, Burke L, Clyde G, Wicks A, Clavelle T, Dunham A, Rubidge E, Woods P (2023) Monitoring temporal and spatial trends of illegal and legal fishing in marine conservation areas across Canada’s three oceans Conservation Science and Practice (accepted on March 3, 2023)
  3. Dunham A, Dunham J, Rubidge E, Iacarella J, Metaxas A. (2020) Contextualizing ecological performance monitoring: re-thinking monitoring in marine protected areas. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 30: 2004–2011.
  4. Iacarella J, Lyons D, Burke L, Davidson I, Therriault T, Dunham A, DiBacco C. (2020) Shifting climate and vessel traffic create networks of invasion in marine protected areas. Journal of Applied Ecology 57:1793–1805.
  5. Iacarella J, Burke L, Davidson I, DiBacco C, Therriault T, Dunham A. (2020) Unwanted networks: vessel traffic heightens the risk of invasions in marine protected areas. Biological Conservation 245: 108553.
  6. Stevenson A, Archer S, Schultz JA, Dunham A, Marliave J, Martone P, Harley CDG. (2020) Warming and acidification threaten Aphrocallisets vastus filtration and reef formation. Scientific Reports 10(1):8176.
  7. Archer SK, Kahn A, Thiess M, Law L, Leys SP, Johannessen S, Layman CA, Burke L,, Dunham A (2020) Foundation species abundance influences food web topology on glass sponge reefs. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:549478. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.549478
  8. Archer SK, Dennison G, McAuley L, Byers S, Dunham A. (2020) Invertebrate settlement and diversity on a glass sponge reef. Canadian Field-Naturalist 134(1): 1–15.
  9. Loh T-L, Archer SK, Dunham A (2019) Monitoring program design for data‐limited marine biogenic habitats: A structured approach. Ecology and Evolution 9:7346-7359.
  10. Guillas KC, Kahn AS, Grant N, Archer SK, Dunham A, Leys SP (2019) Settlement of juvenile glass sponges and other invertebrate cryptofauna on the Hecate Strait glass sponge reefs. Invertebrate Biology 138: e12266.
  11. Grant N, Matveev E, Kahn AS, Archer SK, Dunham A, Bannister R, Eerkes-Medrano D, and Leys SP. (2019) Effect of suspended sediments on the pumping rates of three species of glass sponge in situ. Marine Ecology Progress Series 615: 79-100.
  12. Iacarella JC, Saheed D, Dunham A, Ban N. (2019) Non-native species are a global issue for marine protected areas. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 17:495-501.
  13. Iacarella JC, Davidson I, Dunham A. (2019) Biotic exchange from movement of 'static' maritime structures. Biological Invasions 21: 1131-1141.
  14. Dunham A, Archer SK, Davies S, Burke L, Mossman J, Pegg J. (2018) Assessing ecological role of deep-water biogenic habitats: Glass sponge reefs in the Salish Sea. Marine Environmental Research 141: 88-99.
  15. Archer SK, Halliday WD, Riera A, Mouy X, Chu JWF, Dunham A, Juanes F. (2018) The first description of a glass sponge reef soundscape reveals fish calls and elevated sound pressure levels. Marine Ecology Progress Series 595: 245-252
  16. Archer SK, Kahn AS, Leys SP, Norgard T, Girard F, Du Preez C, and Dunham A. (2018) Pyrosome consumption by benthic organisms during blooms in the northeast Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. Ecology 99(4): 981-984
  17. Dunham A, Pegg JR, Carolsfeld W, Davies S, Murfitt I, and Boutillier J. (2015) Effects of submarine power transmission cables on a glass sponge reef and associated megafaunal community. Marine Environmental Research 107: 50-60
  18. Marshall RD and Dunham A. (2013) Effects of culture media and stocking density on biofouling, shell shape, growth, and survival of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and the Manila clam (Venerupis philippinarum) in suspended culture. Aquaculture 406/407: 68-78
  19. Dunham A, Gurney-Smith HJ, Plamondon N, Yuan S, and Pearce CM. (2013) Aquaculture potential of the basket cockle (Clinocardium nuttallii). Part 2: Effects of stocking density and depth on second-year grow-out performance of three size cohorts in intertidal and off-bottom suspended culture. Aquaculture Research 44: 1277-1299
  20. Dunham A, Gurney-Smith HJ, Plamondon N, Yuan S, and Pearce CM. (2013) Aquaculture potential of the basket cockle (Clinocardium nuttallii). Part 1: Effects of stocking density on first-year grow-out performance in intertidal and off-bottom suspended culture. Aquaculture Research 44: 1236-1253
  21. Rolheiser KC, Dunham A, Switzer SE, Pearce CM, and Therriault TW. (2012) Assessment of chemical treatments for controlling Didemnum vexillum, other biofouling, and predatory sea stars in Pacific oyster aquaculture. Aquaculture 365/365: 53-60
  22. Dunham A and Marshall RD. (2012) Using stocking density modifications and novel growth medium to control shell deformities and biofouling in suspended culture of bivalves. Aquaculture 324/325: 234-241
  23. Switzer SE, Therriault TW, Dunham A, and Pearce CM. (2011) Assessing potential control options for the invasive tunicate Didemnum vexillum in shellfish aquaculture. Aquaculture 318: 145-153
  24. Epelbaum A, Pearce CM, Yuan S, Plamondon N, and Gurney-Smith HJ. (2011) Effects of stocking and substratum on survival, growth, shell morphology, and burrowing behaviour of juvenile basket cockle, Clinocardium nuttallii: implications for nursery seed production and field outplanting. Aquaculture Research 42: 975-986
  25. Epelbaum A, CM Pearce, DJ Barker, A Paulson, TW Therriault (2009) Susceptibility of non-indigenous ascidian species in British Columbia (Canada) to invertebrate predation. Mar Biol 156: 1311-1320
  26. Epelbaum A, LM Herborg, TW Therriault, CM Pearce (2009) Temperature and salinity effects on growth, survival, reproduction, and potential distribution of two non-indigenous botryllid ascidians in British Columbia. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 369: 43-52
  27. Epelbaum A, TW Therriault, A Paulson, CM Pearce (2009) Botryllid tunicates: culture techniques and experimental procedures. Aquatic Invasions 4: 111-120
  28. Epelbaum A, CM Pearce, TW Therriault (2008) A case of atrial siphon duplication in Styela clava (Tunicata: Ascidiacea). J Mar Biol Assoc UK 2 – Biodiversity Records, online.
  29. Epelbaum A, RR Borisov, NP Kovatcheva (2007) Ontogeny of light response in the early life history of the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus (Anomura: Lithodidae). Mar Behav Physiol 40: 35–44
  30. Borisov R, A Epelbaum, N Kryakhova, A Tertitskaya, N Kovatcheva (2007) Cannibalistic behaviour in red king crabs reared under artificial conditions. Rus J Mar Biol 33: 227-231
  31. Kovatcheva NP, A Epelbaum, AV Kalinin, RR Borisov, RO Lebedev (2006) Early life history stages of the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus (Tilesius, 1815): biology and culture. Moscow. VNIRO Publishing. 116 pp.
  32. Epelbaum A, RR Borisov (2006) Feeding behavior and functional morphology of the feeding appendages of red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus larvae. Mar Biol Res 2: 77–88
  33. Epelbaum A, RR Borisov, NP Kovatcheva (2006) Early development of the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus from the Barents Sea reared in the laboratory: morphology and behavior. J Mar Biol Ass UK 86: 317–333
  34. Epelbaum A, NP Kovatcheva (2005) Daily food intakes and optimal food concentrations for red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) larvae fed Artemia nauplii under laboratory conditions. Aquacult Nutr 11: 455–461

Book Chapters:

1. Conway KW, Dunham A, Archer S, Burke L, Kung R, and Shaw J. (2019) Sponge reefs on the Northeast Pacific margin: geomorphic and biological variability. In: Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat: GeoHab Atlas of seafloor geomorphic features and benthic habitats (ed. P. Harris, E. Baker). Elsevier Publishing, USA.

2. Stevens BG, Dunham A, Kittaka J, Kovatcheva N, Persselin S, van der Meeren G. (2014) Aquaculture and stock enhancement of king crabs. In: King Crabs of the World: Biology and Fisheries Management, p. 404-448

 

Departmental Reports:

  1. DFO (2020) Ground-truthing the latest set of suspected glass sponge reefs in Howe Sound: Reef delineation and status assessment DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2020/026

  2. Benoît HP, Dunham A, Macnab P, Rideout R, Wareham V, Clark D, Duprey N, Mark S, Maldemay É.-P. Richard M, Clark C, Wilson B. (2019) Elements of a framework to support decisions on authorizing scientific surveys with bottom contacting gears in protected areas with defined benthic conservation objectives. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2019/011

  3. Dunham A, Mossman J, Archer S, Pegg J, Davies S, Archer E. (2018) Glass sponge reefs in the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound: status assessment and ecological monitoring advice. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2018/010

  4. DFO (2018). Framework to support decisions on authorizing scientific surveys with bottom contacting gears in protected areas with defined benthic conservation objectives. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2018/043

  5. DFO (2018). Glass sponge aggregations in Howe Sound: locations, reef status, and ecological significance assessment. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2018/032

  6. DFO (2018). Ecological risk assessment and selection of risk-based indicators for the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs Marine Protected Area. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2018/040

  7. DFO (2018). Indirect effects of bottom-contact fishing activities (by trap gear) on sponge reefs in the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp.2018/042

  8. Stewart HL, Nomura M, Piercey GE, Dunham A, and Lelliott TL (2013) Ecological effects of blue LED lights used in aquaculture. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3057: iv + 26 p.

Other:

Spatial data layer for glass sponge reefs in the Salish Sea. Available online in Open Access as Online Supplement S1 to Dunham et al. (2018).

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Guide – An Interpretive Guide for Identifying and Reporting AIS in the British Columbia Marine Environment (2007) DFO, the Province of British Columbia, and BC Shellfish Growers Association.