Elasmobranchs like skates and rays are key species found in soft sediment habitates. Here, a blue spotted singray (Taeniura lymma) documented in the Red Sea cruises the sand.
© Morgan Bennett-Smith
Prior to coming to the University of Waikato, Joanne was based in the Red Sea where she led several research cruises to monitor benthic habitats.
© Florian Roth
Fieldwork in soft sediment habitats is dictated by the tides which often calls for early mornings in the field. But with sunrises like these, it is hard to complain.
Though Joanne primarily works in benthic communities, she worked closely with sea turtle scientists in the Red Sea.