D. Shane Hooley
Papers
1
Total Citations
10
H-Index
1
About
D. Shane Hooley is a conservation biologist whose research focuses on the intersection of animal behavior, coastal ecology, and anthropogenic impacts, particularly light pollution. His most cited work, "Robotic Vehicles Enable High-Resolution Light Pollution Sampling of Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches" (2018, 10 citations), introduces an innovative methodology using unmanned ground vehicles to map artificial light at fine spatial scales. This breakthrough allowed for precise quantification of how light pollution disrupts sea turtle nesting behavior—demonstrating that females avoid brightly lit areas and often abort nesting attempts prematurely. By pairing robotic sampling with behavioral observations, Hooley provided critical data linking light barriers (such as dunes and buildings) to nesting site selection, offering actionable insights for coastal management and dark-sky conservation. His work highlights the power of interdisciplinary tools—robotics, environmental sensing, and field ecology—to address pressing conservation challenges. Though early in his career, Hooley’s contributions are already shaping how researchers and policymakers mitigate light pollution’s effects on threatened marine species, underscoring the importance of technological innovation in wildlife protection.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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