Broadly I am interested in understanding the factors that influence foundation species community structure and function. For my Master's I determined the impact of rhodolith structural loss on associated epiphytic algae, invertebrate, and fish communities due to mooring disturbance (Gabara et al. 2018 MEPS) and used stable isotopes to understand energy flow within rhodolith beds (Gabara 2020 Marine Biology). More recently, I have sought to understand the community level impacts of kelp forest deforestation across the Aleutian islands using (1) stable isotopes of consumers to make comparisons of community wide dietary niche breadth across a range in kelp forest fragmentation and biodiversity (Gabara et al. 2021, Ecosphere) and (2) estimated changes to allocation of growth and defense for macroalgae within kelp forests and sea urchin barrens (Gabara et al. 2020 Marine Biology). I am resubmitting work (3) trying to understand ecosystem connectivity and the impact of invasive fox predators on seabirds and their nutrient inputs to kelp forests. Finally, I am also intersted in fear ecology and at UC Davis I worked with Dr. Brian Gaylord on the contrasting responses of red and white abalone to a predatory sea star and this work is still in preparation.
I am currently an EPSCoR coastal margins postdoctoral researcher. Im part of a team trying to predict the impacts of glacial melt on nearshore communities by using sites that span a gradient in glacial cover. Here is a video of the overall project.
2021 Gabara SS, Konar BH, Edwards MS (2021) Kelp Forest Deforestation Leads to Community-Wide Dietary Niche Contraction. Ecosphere 12(2): e03361. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3361
2020 Dolinar D, Steller DL, Gabara SS, Beckley B, Kim J, Edwards MS (2020) Impacts of Boat Mooring Disturbance on Productivity and Respiration in Catalina Rhodolith Beds. Ciencias Marinas 46(4):253–267. https://doi.org/10.7773/cm.v46i4.3135
Gabara SS, Weitzman BP, Konar BH, Edwards MS (2020) Macroalgal defense phenotype correlates with herbivore abundance. Marine Biology 167: 179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-020-03787-7
Edwards MS, Konar BH, Kim J-H, Gabara SS, Sullaway G, McHugh T, Spector M, Small S (2020) Marine deforestation leads to widespread loss of ecosystem function. PLoS ONE 15(3): e0226173. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226173
Gabara SS (2020) Trophic structure and potential carbon and nitrogen flow of a rhodolith bed at Santa Catalina Island inferred from stable isotopes. Marine Biology 167: 30 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3635-9
2018 Gabara SS, Hamilton SL, Edwards MS, Steller DL (2018) Rhodolith structural loss decreases abundance, diversity, and stability of benthic communities at Santa Catalina Island, CA. Marine Ecology Progress Series 595:71-88 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12528
2014 Gabara, Scott Stanley, "Community Structure and Energy Flow within Rhodolith Habitats at Santa Catalina Island, CA" (2014). Master's Theses. Paper 4495. http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4495
In review or in preparation Gabara SS (In prep. for resubmission, MEPS) Spatial variation of Aleutian Island Archipelago kelp stable isotope values and elemental concentrations
Gabara SS, Konar BH, Edwards MS (In prep. for resubmission, Proceedings B) Terrestrial invasive predators reduce ornithogenic subsidies to marine forests
Gabara SS, Mehta RS (In prep., Environmental Biology of Fishes) Stable isotopes from different tissues reveal seasonal dietary niche shifts of California morays Gymnothorax mordax