Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) eat hundreds of fruits a day.
Kevin Lafferty
Dr. Keving Lafferty is a Senior Ecologist with the Western Ecological Research Center.
His main interest lies in how parasites affect ecosystems and, in turn, how ecosystems affect parasites. He is also involved in research on the conservation of marine resources, investigating strategies for protecting endangered shorebirds, fish and abalone. He has also assessed the effects of marine reserves.
Dr. Lafferty received his Ph. D. in Ecological Parasitology in 1991 at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and took a post doc with the National Marine Sanctuary and a research position at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is presently a Marine Ecologist for the USGS at the Channel Islands Field Station. As a UCSB adjunct faculty member, the university's Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology generously provides for Dr. Lafferty's office and laboratory space in the Marine Lab. He advises graduate students in Marine Ecology, but has no formal teaching assignments.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Conservation biology
- Invasive species ecology
- Nearshore marine ecology
- Parasite ecology
- Wetland ecology
Science and Products
Tracking Bats and Coronaviruses
Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to tracking bats and coronaviruses. Select tabs above for related items.
Ecology of Infectious Diseases
The public is most familiar with parasites' role in spreading infectious diseases to people and domestic animals. In tropical developing countries, malaria, schistosomiasis, and other infectious diseases cause significant human suffering. While most related studies focus on treating patients, Dr. Kevin Lafferty is studying how ecology of the local environment affects transmission of infectious...
Ecology of California's Sandy Beaches
WERC's Dr. Kevin Lafferty studies the food webs of California's sandy beaches, which support a network of wildlife from predators to prey. Species that depend on this habitat include the endangered western snowy plover.
Palmyra National Wildlife Refuge Ecology
Palmyra Atoll is a low-lying coral atoll and National Wildlife Refuge located south/southwest of Hawaii near the equator in the central Pacific Ocean. USGS is a member of the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium, which fosters collaborative multi- and inter-disciplinary studies by U.S. Department of the Interior agencies (USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), academic institutions, and non...
Santa Barbara Field Station
The Santa Barbara Channel area extends from the steep Santa Ynez Mountains on the north to the Channel Islands and adjacent continental shelf on the south and from Point Conception east to the Hueneme submarine canyon. This dynamic landscape, characterized by diverse ecosystems and both urban and rural populations, faces increasing environmental stress due to development, climate change, and...
Kelp Forest Community Ecology
The near shore waters along the coast of southern California host one of the most productive marine ecosystems on earth: giant kelp forests. These complex environments provide habitat, food, and hiding places for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals, but are easily disturbed by both natural events and human activities. Strong storms, fluctuating water temperatures, coastal development...
Densovirus Calculated as Culprit Killing Sea Stars
A prime suspect has been identified as a probable cause of the "Sea Star Wasting Disease," a mysterious epidemic that has been killing these animals in droves along the U.S. and Canadian Pacific Coast. Researchers from Cornell University, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and other institutions published their findings on this "sea star associated densovirus (SSaDV)" in the December 2014 issue of...
Does Biodiversity Protect Humans Against Infectious Disease?
Conserving nature can improve human lives. From forest watersheds that perform natural filtration of drinking water to coral reefs that break tsunami waves before they flatten seaside villages, intact ecosystems provide innumerable services to human society. Might biodiversity be healthy for the ecosystem and also protect people against infectious diseases? While most disease ecologists would say...
Wild Macaw Eating Fruits by the Beach
Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) eat hundreds of fruits a day.
Vibrantly colored sea stars
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Baby Spider Monkey Snacking While Clinging to Mom
Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) are omnivores, often feeding on fruits and insects.
Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) are omnivores, often feeding on fruits and insects.
This Fish Gets to Taste What is Tasting it
This cymothoid isopod (Nerocila californica) chews on the tongue of its mullet host (Mugil cephalus).
This cymothoid isopod (Nerocila californica) chews on the tongue of its mullet host (Mugil cephalus).
Exit Glacier, Alaska (In Full Retreat)
USGS ecologist Kevin Lafferty visits the Exit Glacier in Alaska.
USGS ecologist Kevin Lafferty visits the Exit Glacier in Alaska.
Sea Star Succumbing to Sea Star Wasting Disease
Unlike their smiling cartoon brethren on television, since 2013, real-life sea stars have been suffering from a wasting disease epidemic in which they lose limbs and literally disintegrate in a matter of days.
Unlike their smiling cartoon brethren on television, since 2013, real-life sea stars have been suffering from a wasting disease epidemic in which they lose limbs and literally disintegrate in a matter of days.
Giant Sea Star (Pisaster giganteus)
In contrast to pale, sick specimens, healthy sea stars are vibrantly colored, active predators, like this giant sea star (Pisaster giganteus) with a captured cowrie snail.
In contrast to pale, sick specimens, healthy sea stars are vibrantly colored, active predators, like this giant sea star (Pisaster giganteus) with a captured cowrie snail.
Sea Star Death from Sea Star Wasting Disease
Sea urchins crawl upon the disintegrated corpse of a sea star that succumbed to Sea Star Wasting Disease—a smattering of unrecognizable white matter.
Sea urchins crawl upon the disintegrated corpse of a sea star that succumbed to Sea Star Wasting Disease—a smattering of unrecognizable white matter.
Sunflower Sea Star (Pycnopodium helianthoides)
The sunflower sea star (Pycnopodium helianthoides) can be found in a variety of colors in the wild, like this healthy specimen with a lavender hue.
The sunflower sea star (Pycnopodium helianthoides) can be found in a variety of colors in the wild, like this healthy specimen with a lavender hue.
Purple Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus)
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Science and Products
Tracking Bats and Coronaviruses
Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to tracking bats and coronaviruses. Select tabs above for related items.
Ecology of Infectious Diseases
The public is most familiar with parasites' role in spreading infectious diseases to people and domestic animals. In tropical developing countries, malaria, schistosomiasis, and other infectious diseases cause significant human suffering. While most related studies focus on treating patients, Dr. Kevin Lafferty is studying how ecology of the local environment affects transmission of infectious...
Ecology of California's Sandy Beaches
WERC's Dr. Kevin Lafferty studies the food webs of California's sandy beaches, which support a network of wildlife from predators to prey. Species that depend on this habitat include the endangered western snowy plover.
Palmyra National Wildlife Refuge Ecology
Palmyra Atoll is a low-lying coral atoll and National Wildlife Refuge located south/southwest of Hawaii near the equator in the central Pacific Ocean. USGS is a member of the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium, which fosters collaborative multi- and inter-disciplinary studies by U.S. Department of the Interior agencies (USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), academic institutions, and non...
Santa Barbara Field Station
The Santa Barbara Channel area extends from the steep Santa Ynez Mountains on the north to the Channel Islands and adjacent continental shelf on the south and from Point Conception east to the Hueneme submarine canyon. This dynamic landscape, characterized by diverse ecosystems and both urban and rural populations, faces increasing environmental stress due to development, climate change, and...
Kelp Forest Community Ecology
The near shore waters along the coast of southern California host one of the most productive marine ecosystems on earth: giant kelp forests. These complex environments provide habitat, food, and hiding places for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals, but are easily disturbed by both natural events and human activities. Strong storms, fluctuating water temperatures, coastal development...
Densovirus Calculated as Culprit Killing Sea Stars
A prime suspect has been identified as a probable cause of the "Sea Star Wasting Disease," a mysterious epidemic that has been killing these animals in droves along the U.S. and Canadian Pacific Coast. Researchers from Cornell University, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and other institutions published their findings on this "sea star associated densovirus (SSaDV)" in the December 2014 issue of...
Does Biodiversity Protect Humans Against Infectious Disease?
Conserving nature can improve human lives. From forest watersheds that perform natural filtration of drinking water to coral reefs that break tsunami waves before they flatten seaside villages, intact ecosystems provide innumerable services to human society. Might biodiversity be healthy for the ecosystem and also protect people against infectious diseases? While most disease ecologists would say...
Wild Macaw Eating Fruits by the Beach
Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) eat hundreds of fruits a day.
Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) eat hundreds of fruits a day.
Vibrantly colored sea stars
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Baby Spider Monkey Snacking While Clinging to Mom
Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) are omnivores, often feeding on fruits and insects.
Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) are omnivores, often feeding on fruits and insects.
This Fish Gets to Taste What is Tasting it
This cymothoid isopod (Nerocila californica) chews on the tongue of its mullet host (Mugil cephalus).
This cymothoid isopod (Nerocila californica) chews on the tongue of its mullet host (Mugil cephalus).
Exit Glacier, Alaska (In Full Retreat)
USGS ecologist Kevin Lafferty visits the Exit Glacier in Alaska.
USGS ecologist Kevin Lafferty visits the Exit Glacier in Alaska.
Sea Star Succumbing to Sea Star Wasting Disease
Unlike their smiling cartoon brethren on television, since 2013, real-life sea stars have been suffering from a wasting disease epidemic in which they lose limbs and literally disintegrate in a matter of days.
Unlike their smiling cartoon brethren on television, since 2013, real-life sea stars have been suffering from a wasting disease epidemic in which they lose limbs and literally disintegrate in a matter of days.
Giant Sea Star (Pisaster giganteus)
In contrast to pale, sick specimens, healthy sea stars are vibrantly colored, active predators, like this giant sea star (Pisaster giganteus) with a captured cowrie snail.
In contrast to pale, sick specimens, healthy sea stars are vibrantly colored, active predators, like this giant sea star (Pisaster giganteus) with a captured cowrie snail.
Sea Star Death from Sea Star Wasting Disease
Sea urchins crawl upon the disintegrated corpse of a sea star that succumbed to Sea Star Wasting Disease—a smattering of unrecognizable white matter.
Sea urchins crawl upon the disintegrated corpse of a sea star that succumbed to Sea Star Wasting Disease—a smattering of unrecognizable white matter.
Sunflower Sea Star (Pycnopodium helianthoides)
The sunflower sea star (Pycnopodium helianthoides) can be found in a variety of colors in the wild, like this healthy specimen with a lavender hue.
The sunflower sea star (Pycnopodium helianthoides) can be found in a variety of colors in the wild, like this healthy specimen with a lavender hue.
Purple Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus)
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
Tidepool scenes of vibrantly colored sea stars could become a rarity as the Sea Star Wasting Disease spreads.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government