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Researcher Information

Biography

Dr. Scott A. Shaffer is currently a Research Biologist and lecturer in the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz, CA. He completed a M.Sc. in 1996 and a Ph.D. in 2000 while working in the UCSC laboratory of Dr. Daniel P. Costa. Dr. Shaffer’s main research focuses on the physiological ecology, foraging behavior, and functional morphology of seabirds, especially albatrosses, petrels, boobies, and gulls. Much of this work has occurred on sub-Antarctic islands in the Indian Ocean and New Zealand as well as islands in the Northwest Hawaiian Island chain and in Mexico.
In addition to his experience studying seabirds, Dr. Shaffer has been involved in or has conducted research on Beluga whales, fur seals, Antarctic seals, California sea lions, and a variety of other bird species including penguins, auks, ravens, and shorebirds.
As part of the TOPP program, Dr. Shaffer’s involvement focuses on the foraging ecology and distribution of seabirds, as well as various aspects related to database management.

Contact Information:
Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of California Santa Cruz
Long Marine Lab - Center for Ocean Health
100 Shaffer Road
Santa Cruz, California 95060-5730
Phone: 831-459-1291
Fax: 831-459-3383

Website URL

http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/people/costa/people/shaffer.html

Title

Research Biologist and Lecturer

Selected Publications

Angelier, F., Shaffer, S. A., Weimerskirch, H., Trouvé, C. and Chastel, O. (2007) Corticosterone and foraging behaviour in a pelagic seabird. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 80, 283-292.
Shaffer, S. A., Tremblay, Y., Weimerskirch, H., Scott, D., Thompson, D. R., Sagar, P. M., Moller, H., Taylor, G. A., Foley, D. G., Block, B. A., and Costa, D. P. (2006) Migratory shearwaters integrate oceanic resources across the Pacific Ocean in an endless summer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 103, 12799-12802.
Shaffer, S. A., Tremblay, Y., Awkerman, J., Henry, W. R., Teo, S. L. H., Anderson D. J., Croll, D. A., Block, B. A., and Costa, D. P. (2005) Comparison of light- and SST-based geolocation with satellite telemetry in free-ranging birds. Marine Biology 147, in press.
Shaffer, S. A., Costa, D. P., and Weimerskirch, H. (2004) Field metabolic rates of black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophrys during the incubation stage. Journal of Avian Biology 35, 551-558.
Shaffer, S.A., Costa, D.P., & Weimerskirch, H. (2001a) Behavioural factors affecting foraging effort of breeding wandering albatrosses. Journal of Animal Ecology 70, 864-874.
Shaffer, S.A., Weimerskirch, H., & Costa, D.P. (2001c) Functional significance of sexual dimorphism in wandering albatrosses, Diomedea exulans. Functional Ecology 15, 203-210.
Weimerskirch, H., Guionnet, T., Martin, J., Shaffer, S.A., & Costa, D.P. (2000) Fast and fuel-efficient? Optimal use of wind by flying albatrosses. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 267, 1869-1874.

Affiliations

University of California, Santa Cruz