Doctoral Student
Biotelemetry Laboratory
Faculty of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology
University of California, Davis
jketchum@ucdavis.edu

James is a marine biologist and PhD candidate in Ecology at the University of California, Davis. He has studied sharks and rays for the past ten years, particularly the ecology of whale sharks in the Gulf of California and more recently the movement patterns and habitat use of different species of sharks in the Galapagos Islands.

Degrees

Present: University of California, Davis – Doctoral Student, Graduate Group in Ecology

2003: Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas-IPN, La Paz, México – M.S. Marine Resources Management

1998: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, México – B.S. Marine Biology

Research Interests

Movements and migratory patterns of sharks in association to biological and physical conditions; habitat use and environmental preferences of pelagic sharks; behavior and modeling of marine predator movements in oceanic islands; design of marine reserves; ultrasonic and satellite tracking and telemetry; remote sensing; oceanography.

Publications

Ketchum JT, Hearn A, Espinoza E, and Klimley AP (in prep) Diel and seasonal movements of scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) in the Galápagos Islands.

Ketchum JT, Galván-Magaña F, and Klimley AP (in prep) Distribution and habitat preferences of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in the southwestern Gulf of California.

Richert JE, Jorgensen SJ, Ketchum JT, Mohajerani L, and Klimley AP (submitted) The importance of pínnacles and seamounts to pelagic fishes and fisheries off the southern Baja California Peninsula. Fisheries Management and Ecology

Hearn A, Ketchum JT, Shillinger G, Klimley AP, and Espinoza E (2008) Programa de investigación y conservación de tiburones en la Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Reporte Anual 2006-7. Fundación Charles Darwin, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador 114p.

Sergio F, Caro T, Brown D, Clucas B, Hunter J, Ketchum J, Mchugh K, Hiraldo F (2008) Top predators as conservation tools: ecological rationale, assumptions, and efficacy. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Sytematics 39:1-19 Download

Hacohen-Domené A, Galván-Magaña F, and Ketchum JT (2006) Abundance of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) preferred prey in the southern Gulf of California, Mexico. Cybium.

Ketchum JT (2005) Leave No Trace for Reefs. Outdoor skills and ethics for coral and rocky reefs. Leave No Trace and National Outdoor Leadership School, Lander. 32p

Presentations

Ketchum JT, Shillinger G, Hearn A, Klimley AP. Movements and migratory patterns of sharks in the Galápagos Islands using satellite telemetry. Presented at the Argos User´s Conference, Annapollis, Maryland, September 2008.

Ketchum JT. Shark movements and biological hotspots: implications for managing marine resources at the Galápagos Islands. Presented at the 10th Annual Bay Area Conservation Biology Symposium, University of California, Davis, February 2008.

Ketchum JT, Hoyos-Padilla M, Klimley AP. Conservación de tiburones y otras especies del Archipiélago Revillagigedo: ¿un último refugio en el Pacífico mexicano? Presented at the II Reunión Internacional de los Investigadores del Archipiélago Revillagigedo, Instituto Oceanográfico del Pacífico, Manzanillo, Colima, August 2007.

Ketchum JT. Seascape species and biological hotspots: A new approach to structure conservation action in the marine environment. Presented at the 9th Annual Bay Area Conservation Biology Symposium, University of California, Berkeley, February 2007.

Ketchum, J.T. and F. Galván. Distribution and habitat preference of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in the Bay of La Paz and nearby oceanic waters. Presented at the IX Congreso de la Asociación de Investigadores del Mar de Cortés and III Simposium Internacional sobre el Mar de Cortés, La Paz, B.C.S., May 2003.

Ketchum, J.T. Utilización del hábitat y comportamiento alimentario del tiburón ballena (Rhincodon typus) en la Bahía de La Paz, B.C.S. Presented at the I Foro de Intercambio Científico sobre Tiburones y Rayas, Guaymas, Sonora, May 2003.

Ketchum, J.T. El tiburón ballena en el Golfo de California. Presented at the I Semana del Tiburón en la UNAM, México D.F., November 2000.

Ketchum, J.T. and A.R. Lozano. Observations on the seasonal occurrences of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in the southern Gulf of California. Presented at the American Elasmobranch Symposium: Natural History of the Whale Shark, La Paz, B.C.S., México, June 2000.