Megan La Peyre, PhD
Assistant Unit Leader - Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Research Interests
Megan's research focuses on estuarine ecology. Her lab is engaged in field and laboratory studies examining fish and invertebrate use of natural, restored and created shallow estuarine habitats including the ecology and ecosystem function of oyster reefs.
Teaching Interests
Megan teaches classes related to restoration of estuarine coastal systems, and natural resources policy.
Professional Experience
Assistant Unit Leader, Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2000-
Education and Certifications
Ph D Louisiana State University 2000
MS College of William and Mary 1995
BA Duke University 1992
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 87
Measuring carbon and nitrogen bioassimilation, burial, and denitrification contributions of oyster reefs in Gulf coast estuaries
The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the reefs they create provide significant ecosystem services. This study measured their possible role in nutrient mitigation through bioassimilation, burial, and oyster-mediated sediment denitrification in near-shore shallow water (< 1 m water depth) and deep-water (> 1 m water depth) oyster reefs in Louisiana. Nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in shell and
Authors
P. Westbrook, L. Heffner, Megan K. La Peyre
Submerged aquatic vegetation mapping in coastal Louisiana through development of a spatial likelihood occurrence (SLOO) model
Determining the spatial distribution of coastal foundation species is essential to accurately determine restoration goals, predict the ecological effects of climate change, and develop habitat management strategies. Mapping the distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) species assemblages, which provide important habitat resource and ecological services in Louisiana, has been difficult du
Authors
Kristin DeMarco, Brady Couvillion, Stuart Brown, Megan La Peyre
A multiscale natural community and species-level vulnerability assessment of the Gulf Coast, USA
Vulnerability assessments combine quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of species or natural communities to current and future threats. When combined with the economic, ecological or evolutionary value of the species, vulnerability assessments quantify the relative risk to regional species and natural communities and can enable informed prior
Authors
Joshua S. Reece, Amanda Watson, Patricia (Soupy) Dalyander, C. Edwards, Laura Geselbracht, Megan K. LaPeyre, Blair Tirpak, John M. Tirpak, Mark Woodrey
Combined effects of temperature and salinity on the physiology of two geographically-distant eastern oyster populations
Understanding why a species occupies a certain geographic range and predicting how they will be affected by climate change require characterizing physiological traits in geographically-distant populations. The objective of this study was to perform a direct comparison of two eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations that occupy contrasting temperature and salinity habitats, New Brunswick,
Authors
S. M. Casas, R. Filgueira, R. Lavaud, L. A. Comeau, Megan La Peyre, J. F. La Peyre
Quantifying salinity and season effects on eastern oyster clearance and oxygen consumption rates
There are few data on Crassostrea virginica physiological rates across the range of salinities and temperatures to which they are regularly exposed, and this limits the applicability of growth and production models using these data. The objectives of this study were to quantify, in winter (17 °C) and summer (27 °C), the clearance and oxygen consumption rates of C. virginica from Louisiana across a
Authors
S.M. Casas, Romain Lavaud, Megan K. LaPeyre, L. A. Comeau, R. Filgueira, Jerome F. LaPeyre
Interactive effects of water temperature and salinity on growth and mortality of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica: A meta-analysis using 40 years of monitoring data
Despite nearly a century of exploitation and scientific study, predicting growth and mortality rates of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) as a means to inform local harvest and management activities remains difficult. Ensuring that models reflect local population responses to varying salinity and temperature combinations requires locally appropriate models. Using long-term (1988 to 2015)
Authors
Michael R. Lowe, Troy Sehlinger, Thomas M. Soniat, Megan K. LaPeyre
Integrating the effects of salinity on the physiology of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the northern Gulf of Mexico through a Dynamic Energy Budget model
We present a Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model for the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, which enables the inclusion of salinity as a third environmental variable, on top of the standard foodr and temperature variables. Salinity changes have various effects on the physiology of oysters, potentially altering filtration and respiration rates, and ultimately impacting growth, reproduction and mo
Authors
Romain Lavaud, Megan K. LaPeyre, Sandra M. Casas, C. Bacher, Jerome F. La Peyre
Suitability of oyster restoration sites along the Louisiana coast: Examining site and stock × site interaction
Recognition of the global loss of subtidal oyster reefs has led to a rise in reef restoration efforts, including in the Gulf of Mexico. Created reef success depends entirely on selecting a location that supports long-term oyster growth and survival, including the recruitment and survival of on-reef oysters. Significant changes in estuarine salinity through management of freshwater inflows and thro
Authors
Lindsay Schwarting Miller, Jerome F. La Peyre, Megan K. LaPeyre
Gulf Coast vulnerability assessment: Mangrove, tidal emergent marsh, barrier islands and oyster reef
Climate, sea level rise, and urbanization are undergoing unprecedented levels of combined change and are expected to have large effects on natural resources—particularly along the Gulf of Mexico coastline (Gulf Coast). Management decisions to address these effects (i.e., adaptation) require an understanding of the relative vulnerability of various resources to these stressors. To meet this need, t
Authors
Amanda Watson, Joshua Reece, Blair Tirpak, Cynthia Kallio Edwards, Laura Geselbracht, Mark Woodrey, Megan K. LaPeyre, Patricia (Soupy) Dalyander
Predicting the impacts of Mississippi River diversions and sea-level rise on spatial patterns of eastern oyster growth rate and production
There remains much debate regarding the perceived tradeoffs of using freshwater and sediment diversions for coastal restoration in terms of balancing the need for wetland restoration versus preserving eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) production. Further complicating the issue, climate change-induced sea-level rise (SLR) and land subsidence are also expected to affect estuarine water quality.
Authors
Hongqing Wang, Q. Chen, Megan La Peyre, Kelin Hu, Jerome F. La Peyre
Estimating the impact of oyster restoration scenarios on transient fish production
Oyster reef restoration projects are increasing in number both to enhance oyster density and to retain valuable ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs. Although some oyster restoration projects have demonstrated success by increasing density and biomass of transient fish, it still remains a challenge to quantify the effects of oyster restoration on transient fish communities. We developed a b
Authors
Elizabeth McCoy, Stuart R. Borrett, Megan K. LaPeyre, Bradley J. Peterson
A primer to living shorelines
No abstract available.
Authors
Donna Marie Bilkovic, Molly M. Mitchell, Jason D. Toft, Megan K. LaPeyre
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 87
Measuring carbon and nitrogen bioassimilation, burial, and denitrification contributions of oyster reefs in Gulf coast estuaries
The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the reefs they create provide significant ecosystem services. This study measured their possible role in nutrient mitigation through bioassimilation, burial, and oyster-mediated sediment denitrification in near-shore shallow water (< 1 m water depth) and deep-water (> 1 m water depth) oyster reefs in Louisiana. Nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in shell and
Authors
P. Westbrook, L. Heffner, Megan K. La Peyre
Submerged aquatic vegetation mapping in coastal Louisiana through development of a spatial likelihood occurrence (SLOO) model
Determining the spatial distribution of coastal foundation species is essential to accurately determine restoration goals, predict the ecological effects of climate change, and develop habitat management strategies. Mapping the distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) species assemblages, which provide important habitat resource and ecological services in Louisiana, has been difficult du
Authors
Kristin DeMarco, Brady Couvillion, Stuart Brown, Megan La Peyre
A multiscale natural community and species-level vulnerability assessment of the Gulf Coast, USA
Vulnerability assessments combine quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of species or natural communities to current and future threats. When combined with the economic, ecological or evolutionary value of the species, vulnerability assessments quantify the relative risk to regional species and natural communities and can enable informed prior
Authors
Joshua S. Reece, Amanda Watson, Patricia (Soupy) Dalyander, C. Edwards, Laura Geselbracht, Megan K. LaPeyre, Blair Tirpak, John M. Tirpak, Mark Woodrey
Combined effects of temperature and salinity on the physiology of two geographically-distant eastern oyster populations
Understanding why a species occupies a certain geographic range and predicting how they will be affected by climate change require characterizing physiological traits in geographically-distant populations. The objective of this study was to perform a direct comparison of two eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations that occupy contrasting temperature and salinity habitats, New Brunswick,
Authors
S. M. Casas, R. Filgueira, R. Lavaud, L. A. Comeau, Megan La Peyre, J. F. La Peyre
Quantifying salinity and season effects on eastern oyster clearance and oxygen consumption rates
There are few data on Crassostrea virginica physiological rates across the range of salinities and temperatures to which they are regularly exposed, and this limits the applicability of growth and production models using these data. The objectives of this study were to quantify, in winter (17 °C) and summer (27 °C), the clearance and oxygen consumption rates of C. virginica from Louisiana across a
Authors
S.M. Casas, Romain Lavaud, Megan K. LaPeyre, L. A. Comeau, R. Filgueira, Jerome F. LaPeyre
Interactive effects of water temperature and salinity on growth and mortality of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica: A meta-analysis using 40 years of monitoring data
Despite nearly a century of exploitation and scientific study, predicting growth and mortality rates of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) as a means to inform local harvest and management activities remains difficult. Ensuring that models reflect local population responses to varying salinity and temperature combinations requires locally appropriate models. Using long-term (1988 to 2015)
Authors
Michael R. Lowe, Troy Sehlinger, Thomas M. Soniat, Megan K. LaPeyre
Integrating the effects of salinity on the physiology of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the northern Gulf of Mexico through a Dynamic Energy Budget model
We present a Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model for the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, which enables the inclusion of salinity as a third environmental variable, on top of the standard foodr and temperature variables. Salinity changes have various effects on the physiology of oysters, potentially altering filtration and respiration rates, and ultimately impacting growth, reproduction and mo
Authors
Romain Lavaud, Megan K. LaPeyre, Sandra M. Casas, C. Bacher, Jerome F. La Peyre
Suitability of oyster restoration sites along the Louisiana coast: Examining site and stock × site interaction
Recognition of the global loss of subtidal oyster reefs has led to a rise in reef restoration efforts, including in the Gulf of Mexico. Created reef success depends entirely on selecting a location that supports long-term oyster growth and survival, including the recruitment and survival of on-reef oysters. Significant changes in estuarine salinity through management of freshwater inflows and thro
Authors
Lindsay Schwarting Miller, Jerome F. La Peyre, Megan K. LaPeyre
Gulf Coast vulnerability assessment: Mangrove, tidal emergent marsh, barrier islands and oyster reef
Climate, sea level rise, and urbanization are undergoing unprecedented levels of combined change and are expected to have large effects on natural resources—particularly along the Gulf of Mexico coastline (Gulf Coast). Management decisions to address these effects (i.e., adaptation) require an understanding of the relative vulnerability of various resources to these stressors. To meet this need, t
Authors
Amanda Watson, Joshua Reece, Blair Tirpak, Cynthia Kallio Edwards, Laura Geselbracht, Mark Woodrey, Megan K. LaPeyre, Patricia (Soupy) Dalyander
Predicting the impacts of Mississippi River diversions and sea-level rise on spatial patterns of eastern oyster growth rate and production
There remains much debate regarding the perceived tradeoffs of using freshwater and sediment diversions for coastal restoration in terms of balancing the need for wetland restoration versus preserving eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) production. Further complicating the issue, climate change-induced sea-level rise (SLR) and land subsidence are also expected to affect estuarine water quality.
Authors
Hongqing Wang, Q. Chen, Megan La Peyre, Kelin Hu, Jerome F. La Peyre
Estimating the impact of oyster restoration scenarios on transient fish production
Oyster reef restoration projects are increasing in number both to enhance oyster density and to retain valuable ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs. Although some oyster restoration projects have demonstrated success by increasing density and biomass of transient fish, it still remains a challenge to quantify the effects of oyster restoration on transient fish communities. We developed a b
Authors
Elizabeth McCoy, Stuart R. Borrett, Megan K. LaPeyre, Bradley J. Peterson
A primer to living shorelines
No abstract available.
Authors
Donna Marie Bilkovic, Molly M. Mitchell, Jason D. Toft, Megan K. LaPeyre