Dr. Heather L. Spalding
Associate Professor

Education
Post-doctoral Fellow: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Ph.D - University of Hawaii, Manoa
M.S. - San Francisco State University
B.S. - Southampton College, Long Island University
Research Interests
-Factors affecting the diversity, ecology, and physiology of marine macroalgal assemblages
-Macroalgae in mesophotic coral ecosystems
-Invasive algal community dynamics
-Longitudinal studies on intertidal macroalgal communities
Courses Taught
BIOL 112: Evolution, Form and Function of Organisms
BIOL 303: Phycology
Publications
Veazey L*, Williams O, Wade R, Toonen RJ, Spalding HL (2019) Present-day distribution and potential spread of invasive green alga Avrainvillea amadelpha. Frontiers in Marine Science. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00402, *Graduate student mentee
Sherwood AR, Showe-Mei L, Wade RM, Spalding HL, Smith CM, Kosakdi RK (2019) Characterization of Martensia (Delesseriaceae; Rhodophyta) from shallow and mesophotic habitats in the Hawaiian Islands: description of four new species. European Journal of Phycology, doi:10.1080/09670262.2019.1668062
Padilla-Gamiño JL, Roth MS, Rodrigues LJ, Bradley CJ, Bidigare RR, Gates RD, Smith CM, Spalding HL. (2019) Ecophysiology of mesophotic reef building corals in Hawai‘i is influenced by symbiont-host associations, photoacclimatization, trophic plasticity, and adaption. Limnology and Oceanography doi:10.1002/lno.11164
Foster A*, Spalding HL, Cox TE, La Valle F, Philippoff J. (2019) The invasive green alga Avrainvillea sp. transforms native epifauna and algal communities on a hard substrate reef. Phycological Research 67: 164-169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pre.12359 *Undergraduate mentee
Wade R, Spalding H, Peyton K, Foster K, Sauvage T, Ross M, Sherwood A (2018) A new record of Avrainvillea cf. erecta (Berkeley) A. Gepp & E. S. Gepp (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) from urbanized estuaries in the Hawaiian Islands. Biodiversity Data Journal 6: e21617
Wainwright BJ, Zahn LZ, Spalding HL, Sherwood AR, Smith CM, Amend AS (2017) Fungi associated with mesophotic macroalgae from the ‘Au‘au Channel, west Maui are differentiated by host and overlap with terrestrial communities. PeerJ 5: e3532 *Top 5 most viewed article in subject area for 2017
Cox TE, Spalding HL, Foster MS (2017) Spatial and temporal variation of diverse intertidal algal assemblages in Southwest O‘ahu. Marine Ecology 38: e12429
Langston R, Spalding HL (2017) A survey of fishes associated with Hawaiian deep-water Halimeda kanaloana (Bryopsidales: Halimedaceae) and Avrainvillea sp. (Bryopsidales: Udoteaceae) meadows. PeerJ 5: e3307.
Sansone FJ, Spalding HL, Smith CM (2017) Sediment biogeochemistry in mesophotic meadows of calcifying macroalgae. Aquatic Biogeochemistry: 1-24. doi:10.1007/s10498-017-9315-9
Spalding HL, O’Kelly CJ, Smith CM, Sherwood AR (2016) New Ulvaceae (Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta) from mesophotic ecosystems across the Hawaiian Archipelago. Journal of Phycology. 52: 40-53 *Nominated for Provasoli Award for Best Paper
Pyle RL, Boland R, Bolick H, Bowen BW, Bradley CJ, Kane C, Kosaki RK, Langston R, Longenecker K, Montgomery AD, Parrish FA, Popp BN, Rooney J, Smith CM, Wagner D, Spalding HL (2016) A comprehensive investigation of mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Hawaiian Archipelago. PeerJ 4:e2475
Wagner D, Barkman A, Spalding HL, Calcinai B, Godwin SL (2016) A photographic guide to the benthic flora and fauna from mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series ONMS-16-04
Tsuda RT, Spalding HL, Sherwood AR (2015) New species records of marine benthic algae in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands). Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 116: 41-47
Costa B, Kendall M, Parrish F, Rooney J, Boland R, Chow M, Lecky J, Montgomery A, and Spalding H (2015) Identifying suitable locations for mesophotic hard corals offshore of Maui, Hawai‘i. PLoS one 10(7): e0130285
Ainsworth TD, Bridge T, Torda G, Raina JB, Gates R, Padilla-Gamiño J, Spalding HL, Smith C, Woosley ES, Krause L, Bourne D G , Bongaerts P, Hoegh-Guldberg O, and Leggat W (2015) The coral core microbiome identifies rare bacterial taxa as ubiquitous endosymbionts. ISME. 17 April 2015; doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.39
Pochon X, Forsman ZH, Spalding HL, Padilla-Gamino J, Smith CM, Gates RD (2015) Depth specialization in mesophotic corals (Leptoseris spp.) and associated algal symbionts in Hawai‘i. Royal Society Open Science. 2:140351
Roth MS, Padilla-Gamiño J, Pochon X, Bidigare RR, Gates RD, Smith CS, Spalding HL (2015) Fluorescent protein expression in mesophotic reef-building corals. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 521: 63-79
Wagner D, Kosaki RK, Spalding HL, Whitton R, Pyle RL, Sherwood AR, Tsuda RT, Calcinai B (2014) Mesophotic surveys of the flora and fauna at Johnston Atoll, Central Pacific Ocean. Marine Biodiversity Records 7:1-10
Zechman FW, Verbruggen H, Leliaert F, Ashworth M, Buccheim MA, Fawley MW, Spalding H, Pueschel CM, Buccheim JA, Verghese B, Hanisak MD (2010) An unrecognized lineage of green plants persists in deep marine waters. Journal of Phycology 46: 1288-1295. *Provasoli Award for Best Paper
Rooney J, Donham E, Montgomery A, Spalding HL, Parrish FA, Boland R, Fenner D, Gove J, Vetter O (2010) Mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Coral Reefs 29: 361-367
Kahng SE, Garcia-Sais JR, Spalding HL, Brokovich E, Wagner D, Weil E, Hinderstein L, Toonen RJ (2010) Community ecology of mesophotic coral reef ecosystems. Coral Reefs 29: 255-275
Spalding HL, Gupta A, Barshis D, Knope ML, Tice KA (2010) K-12 science education and “broader impacts”. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 8: 217-218
BOOK CHAPTERS & CONTRIBUTIONS
Spalding HL, Copus JM, Bowen BW, Kosaki RK, Longenecker K, Montgomery AD, Padilla-Gamiño JL, Parrish FA, Roth MS, Rowley SJ, Toonen RJ, Pyle RL (2019) The Hawaiian Archipelago. In: Loya Y, Puglise KA, Bridge TCL (eds) Mesophotic coral ecosystems. Springer, New York
Spalding HL, Amando-Filho G, Ballantine D, Frederiq S, Leichter J, Nelson W, Slattery M, Tsuda R (2019) Distribution and diversity of mesophotic macroalgae. In: Loya Y, Puglise KA, Bridge TCL (eds) Mesophotic coral ecosystems. Springer, New York
Easton EE, Gorny M, Mecho A, Sellanes J, Gaymer C, Spalding HL, Aburto J. (2019) Chilean mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Salas y Gómez Ridge. In: Loya Y, Puglise KA, Bridge TCL (eds) Mesophotic coral ecosystems. Springer, New York
Rowley SJ, Spalding HL (2019). Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems in Pohnpei. In: Loya Y, Puglise KA, Bridge TCL (eds) Mesophotic coral ecosystems. Springer, New York
Baker E, Puglise K, Colin PL, Harris PT, Kahng SE, Rooney J, Sherman C, Slattery M, Spalding HL (2016) Chapter 2. What are mesophotic coral ecosystems? in Baker, E.K., Puglise, K.A. and Harris, P.T. (eds.) Mesophotic Reefs – A Life Boat For Coral Reefs? The United Nations Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal, Nairobi and Arendal.
Andradi-Brown D, Laverick J, Bejarano I, Bridge T, Colin PL, Eyal G, Jones R, Kahng S, Reed J, Smith T, Spalding HL, Weil E, Wood E (2016) Chapter 6. Threats to mesophotic coral ecosystems and management options. in Baker, E.K., Puglise, K.A. and Harris, P.T. (eds.) Mesophotic Reefs – A Life Boat For Coral Reefs? The United Nations Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal, Nairobi and Arendal.
Sinniger F, Ballantine DL, Bejarano I, Colin PL, Pochon X, Pomponi SA, Puglise KA, Pyle RL, Reaka ML, Spalding HL, Weil E (2016) Chapter 4. Biodiversity of mesophotic coral ecosystems. in Baker, E.K., Puglise, K.A. and Harris, P.T. (eds.) Mesophotic Reefs – A Life Boat For Coral Reefs? The United Nations Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal, Nairobi and Arendal.
Costa BM, Kendall MS, Rooney J, Parrish FA, Boland RC, Chow M, Lecky J, Montgomery A, Spalding H (2012) Prediction of mesophotic coral distributions in the ‘Au‘au Channel, Hawai‘i. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 149. 44 pp.
Spalding H (2008) Halimeda meadows in Hawai‘i. in Vermeij M. (ed) Coral Reefs of Maui: status, stressors and suggestions. 60 pp.
Smith J, Spalding H, Okano R, Smith CM (2008) The Seaweed and Seagrass Communities of Moloka‘i. pp. 59-66. in Field, M.E., Cochran, S.A., Logan, J.B., and Storlazzi, C.D., (eds.), The Coral Reef of South Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i – Portrait of a Sediment-threatened Fringing Reef. USGS Scientific Investigations Report, 2007-5101. 180 pp.