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
Testing the effect of habitat structure and complexity on nekton assemblages using experimental oyster reefs
Structurally complex habitats are often associated with more diverse and abundant species assemblages in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Biogenic reefs formed by the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) are complex in nature and are recognized for their potential habitat value in estuarine systems along the US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Few studies, however, have examined the r
Authors
Austin T. Humphries, Megan K. LaPeyre, Matthew E. Kimball, Lawrence P. Rozas
The effect of structural complexity, prey density, and "predator-free space" on prey survivorship at created oyster reef mesocosms
Interactions between predators and their prey are influenced by the habitat they occupy. Using created oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reef mesocosms, we conducted a series of laboratory experiments that created structure and manipulated complexity as well as prey density and “predator-free space” to examine the relationship between structural complexity and prey survivorship. Specifically, volume
Authors
Austin T. Humphries, Megan La Peyre, Gary A. Decossas
Nekton community response to a large-scale Mississippi River discharge: Examining spatial and temporal response to river management
Freshwater flow is generally held to be one of the most influential factors affecting community structure and production in estuaries. In coastal Louisiana, the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion (CFD) is managed to control freshwater discharge from the Mississippi River into Breton Sound basin. Operational since 1991, CFD has undergone several changes in management strategy including pulsed spring f
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, Megan La Peyre
Relating large-scale climate variability to local species abundance: ENSO forcing and shrimp in Breton Sound, Louisiana, USA
Climate creates environmental constraints (filters) that affect the abundance and distribution of species. In estuaries, these constraints often result from variability in water flow properties and environmental conditions (i.e. water flow, salinity, water temperature) and can have significant effects on the abundance and distribution of commercially important nekton species. We investigated links
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, Megan K. LaPeyre, B.D. Keim
The combined influence of sub-optimal temperature and salinity on the in vitro viability of Perkinsus marinus, a protistan parasite of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica
Perkinsus marinus is a major cause of mortality in eastern oysters along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. It is also well documented that temperature and salinity are the primary environmental factors affecting P. marinus viability and proliferation. However, little is known about the effects of combined sub-optimal temperatures and salinities on P. marinus viability. This in vitro study ex
Authors
M.K. La Peyre, S.M. Casas, W. Gayle, Jerome F. La Peyre
Using Gambusia affinis growth and condition to assess estuarine habitat quality: A comparison of indices
Numerous indices have been used to estimate fish growth and condition however, differences in sensitivity and reliability of the methods have hampered efforts to identify appropriate indicators for routine evaluation of habitat quality in the field. We compared common morphometric (length, weight, somatic growth, length-weight condition) and biochemical (RNA:DNA ratio, relative DNA content, energy
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, M.K. La Peyre
Evaluating ecological equivalence of created marshes: comparing structural indicators with stable isotope indicators of blue crab trophic support
This study sought to examine ecological equivalence of created marshes of different ages using traditional structural measures of equivalence, and tested a relatively novel approach using stable isotopes as a measure of functional equivalence. We compared soil properties, vegetation, nekton communities, and δ13C and δ15N isotope values of blue crab muscle and hepatopancreas tissue and primary prod
Authors
Chris Llewellyn, Megan K. LaPeyre
Defining restoration targets for water depth and salinity in wind-dominated Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. coastal marshes
Coastal wetlands provide valued ecosystem functions but the sustainability of those functions often is threatened by artificial hydrologic conditions. It is widely recognized that increased flooding and salinity can stress emergent plants, but there are few measurements to guide restoration, management, and mitigation. Marsh flooding can be estimated over large areas with few data where winds have
Authors
J.A. Nyman, Megan K. LaPeyre, Andral W. Caldwell, Sarai C. Piazza, C. Thom, C. Winslow
Defining optimal freshwater flow for oyster production: effects of freshet rate and magnitude of change and duration on eastern oysters and Perkinsus marinus infection
In coastal Louisiana, the development of large-scale freshwater diversion projects has led to controversy over their effects on oyster resources. Using controlled laboratory experiments in combination with a field study, we examined the effects of pulsed freshwater events (freshet) of different magnitude, duration, and rate of change on oyster resources. Laboratory and field evidence indicate that
Authors
Megan K. LaPeyre, B. Gossman, Jerome F. La Peyre
Short- and long-term response of deteriorating brackish marshes and open-water ponds to sediment enhancement by thin-layer dredge disposal
Artificial sediment enhancement using a thin layer of dredged material has been suggested as a means to increase elevation and create soil conditions conducive to increased marsh structure and function in deteriorating marshes. Using a chronosequence approach, we examined the effects of sediment enhancement in deteriorating marsh and open-water pond habitats located in six brackish marshes. Sedime
Authors
M.K. La Peyre, B. Gossman, Bryan P. Piazza
The effect of Hurricane Katrina on nekton communities in the tidal freshwater marshes of Breton Sound, Louisiana, USA
Hurricanes are climatically-induced resource pulses that affect community structure through the combination of physical and chemical habitat change. Estuaries are susceptible to hurricane pulses and are thought to be resilient to habitat change, because biotic communities often return quickly to pre-hurricane conditions. Although several examples provide evidence of quick recovery of estuarine nek
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, M.K. La Peyre
Assessing functional equivalency of nekton habitat in enhanced habitats: Comparison of terraced and unterraced marsh ponds
A primary goal of many coastal restoration programs is to increase nekton habitat in terms of both quantity and quality. Using shallow water ponds rehabilitated with a technique called marsh terracing, we examined the quality of nekton habitat created, using and comparing several metrics including nekton density and diversity, functional group composition, and weight-length relationships as indire
Authors
M.K. La Peyre, B. Gossman, J.A. Nyman
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 87
Testing the effect of habitat structure and complexity on nekton assemblages using experimental oyster reefs
Structurally complex habitats are often associated with more diverse and abundant species assemblages in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Biogenic reefs formed by the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) are complex in nature and are recognized for their potential habitat value in estuarine systems along the US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Few studies, however, have examined the r
Authors
Austin T. Humphries, Megan K. LaPeyre, Matthew E. Kimball, Lawrence P. Rozas
The effect of structural complexity, prey density, and "predator-free space" on prey survivorship at created oyster reef mesocosms
Interactions between predators and their prey are influenced by the habitat they occupy. Using created oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reef mesocosms, we conducted a series of laboratory experiments that created structure and manipulated complexity as well as prey density and “predator-free space” to examine the relationship between structural complexity and prey survivorship. Specifically, volume
Authors
Austin T. Humphries, Megan La Peyre, Gary A. Decossas
Nekton community response to a large-scale Mississippi River discharge: Examining spatial and temporal response to river management
Freshwater flow is generally held to be one of the most influential factors affecting community structure and production in estuaries. In coastal Louisiana, the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion (CFD) is managed to control freshwater discharge from the Mississippi River into Breton Sound basin. Operational since 1991, CFD has undergone several changes in management strategy including pulsed spring f
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, Megan La Peyre
Relating large-scale climate variability to local species abundance: ENSO forcing and shrimp in Breton Sound, Louisiana, USA
Climate creates environmental constraints (filters) that affect the abundance and distribution of species. In estuaries, these constraints often result from variability in water flow properties and environmental conditions (i.e. water flow, salinity, water temperature) and can have significant effects on the abundance and distribution of commercially important nekton species. We investigated links
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, Megan K. LaPeyre, B.D. Keim
The combined influence of sub-optimal temperature and salinity on the in vitro viability of Perkinsus marinus, a protistan parasite of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica
Perkinsus marinus is a major cause of mortality in eastern oysters along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. It is also well documented that temperature and salinity are the primary environmental factors affecting P. marinus viability and proliferation. However, little is known about the effects of combined sub-optimal temperatures and salinities on P. marinus viability. This in vitro study ex
Authors
M.K. La Peyre, S.M. Casas, W. Gayle, Jerome F. La Peyre
Using Gambusia affinis growth and condition to assess estuarine habitat quality: A comparison of indices
Numerous indices have been used to estimate fish growth and condition however, differences in sensitivity and reliability of the methods have hampered efforts to identify appropriate indicators for routine evaluation of habitat quality in the field. We compared common morphometric (length, weight, somatic growth, length-weight condition) and biochemical (RNA:DNA ratio, relative DNA content, energy
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, M.K. La Peyre
Evaluating ecological equivalence of created marshes: comparing structural indicators with stable isotope indicators of blue crab trophic support
This study sought to examine ecological equivalence of created marshes of different ages using traditional structural measures of equivalence, and tested a relatively novel approach using stable isotopes as a measure of functional equivalence. We compared soil properties, vegetation, nekton communities, and δ13C and δ15N isotope values of blue crab muscle and hepatopancreas tissue and primary prod
Authors
Chris Llewellyn, Megan K. LaPeyre
Defining restoration targets for water depth and salinity in wind-dominated Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. coastal marshes
Coastal wetlands provide valued ecosystem functions but the sustainability of those functions often is threatened by artificial hydrologic conditions. It is widely recognized that increased flooding and salinity can stress emergent plants, but there are few measurements to guide restoration, management, and mitigation. Marsh flooding can be estimated over large areas with few data where winds have
Authors
J.A. Nyman, Megan K. LaPeyre, Andral W. Caldwell, Sarai C. Piazza, C. Thom, C. Winslow
Defining optimal freshwater flow for oyster production: effects of freshet rate and magnitude of change and duration on eastern oysters and Perkinsus marinus infection
In coastal Louisiana, the development of large-scale freshwater diversion projects has led to controversy over their effects on oyster resources. Using controlled laboratory experiments in combination with a field study, we examined the effects of pulsed freshwater events (freshet) of different magnitude, duration, and rate of change on oyster resources. Laboratory and field evidence indicate that
Authors
Megan K. LaPeyre, B. Gossman, Jerome F. La Peyre
Short- and long-term response of deteriorating brackish marshes and open-water ponds to sediment enhancement by thin-layer dredge disposal
Artificial sediment enhancement using a thin layer of dredged material has been suggested as a means to increase elevation and create soil conditions conducive to increased marsh structure and function in deteriorating marshes. Using a chronosequence approach, we examined the effects of sediment enhancement in deteriorating marsh and open-water pond habitats located in six brackish marshes. Sedime
Authors
M.K. La Peyre, B. Gossman, Bryan P. Piazza
The effect of Hurricane Katrina on nekton communities in the tidal freshwater marshes of Breton Sound, Louisiana, USA
Hurricanes are climatically-induced resource pulses that affect community structure through the combination of physical and chemical habitat change. Estuaries are susceptible to hurricane pulses and are thought to be resilient to habitat change, because biotic communities often return quickly to pre-hurricane conditions. Although several examples provide evidence of quick recovery of estuarine nek
Authors
Bryan P. Piazza, M.K. La Peyre
Assessing functional equivalency of nekton habitat in enhanced habitats: Comparison of terraced and unterraced marsh ponds
A primary goal of many coastal restoration programs is to increase nekton habitat in terms of both quantity and quality. Using shallow water ponds rehabilitated with a technique called marsh terracing, we examined the quality of nekton habitat created, using and comparing several metrics including nekton density and diversity, functional group composition, and weight-length relationships as indire
Authors
M.K. La Peyre, B. Gossman, J.A. Nyman