Research Experience

My expertise in Environmental & Social Science research is diverse. The following publications & research experiences are grouped by research theme. Please note, the following do not capture the array of research I've conducted in preparation for media production projects. To get a sense of those topics, please visit the Media & Communication page.

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Conservation Policy & Social Ecology​

Research Experience:

• Social-ecological assessment of Parrot fish fisheries (Cape Eleuthera Institute, Bahamas)

• Cruise ship pollution policy in waters under Canada's jurisdiction

• Embedding information literacy & science communication into undergraduate science curricula

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Publications:

2024: Stand.earth and CPAWS-BC, Cruising on Pollution Loopholes: Revealing the Giant Loopholes in Canada's Cruise Ship Pollution Regulations ​

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Restoration & Community Ecology

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Research Experience:​

• Coral reef restoration ecology: exploring community dynamics on restored coral reefs (Key Largo, FL, USA)

• Sponge patch reef diversity and distribution (Bonaire, Netherlands)

• Acidification and thermal stress on coral physiology and associated microbiome (Mote Marine Laboratory, FL, USA)

• Invasive species physiology & fisheries processes (Cape Eleuthera Institute, Bahamas)

Publications:

2025: Garg, A. & Green (In Press), S.J. “Non-linear effects of substrate composition on species attraction and retention to biogenic habitat patches”

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2022: Garg, A. & Green, S.J. “An integrative method for enhancing the ecological realism of aquatic artificial habitat designs using 3D scanning, printing, molding and casting” Frontiers in Built Environment, Coastal and Offshore Engineering

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2021: Garg, A. “Disentangling the relative effects of structural complexity and substrate composition on fish habitat selection in coral reef environments” MSc thesis, University of Alberta Libraries

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2020: Trehern, R.H., Raguse, C., Garg, A., Hauptman, H., Bigelow, W.F., Brooks, A, Van Leeuwen T.E. Hawkes, L., “The effect of salinity on behavioural interactions between native Schoolmaster snapper (Lutjanus apodus) and invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.)” Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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2020:  Trehern, R.H., Garg, A., Bigelow, W.F., Hauptman, H., Brooks, A., Hawkes, L., Van Leeuwen T.E. “Low salinity negatively affects metabolic rate, food consumption, digestion, and growth in invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.)” Marine Ecology Progress Series 

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2019: Orrell, D., Schneider, E., Eisenbach, O., Garg, A., Bigelow, W., Hauptmann, H., Simon, F., Cartwright, J., O’shea, O., McGraw, I.J., Van Leeuwen, T.E. “From individual to ecosystem: evaluating the effects of the stone crab (Menippe mercenaria) fishery process using simulated fishery scenarios in the laboratory” Caribbean Naturalist 63:1-17

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Environmental Science​

Research Experience:

• Dendrochronology: Investigating the bark beetle outbreak and red spruce susceptibility by reconstructing past climate signatures (Fundy National Park NB, unceded Wabanaki territory)

• Botanical & Lichen biogeographical mapping: mapping the distribution of native plant species and upper inter-tidal lichen diversity (Chignecto Isthmus NS, Mi'kma'ki and unceded Wabanaki territory)

• Phytoplankton biogeochemistry: assessing the major macro-molecular pools of marine phytoplanton with implications for marine food webs under climate changes​

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Publications:

2019: Liefer, J.D., Garg, A., Fyfe, M.H., Irwin, A.J., Benner, I., Brown, C.M., Follows, M.J., Omta, AW., Finkel, Z.V. “The macromolecular basis of phytoplankton C: N: P under nitrogen starvation” Frontiers in Microbiology 763:1-16

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2018: Liefer, J.D., Garg, A., Campbell, D.A., Irwin, A.J., Finkel, Z.V. “Nitrogen starvation induces distinct photosynthetic responses and recovery dynamics in diatoms and prasinophytes” PLoS ONE 13(4)

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