Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory

Aaron Pilnick

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Aaron Pilnick is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Florida School of Forest Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences. He earned a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology from the University of Florida in 2022 under the advisement of Dr. Josh Patterson. Aaron’s research interests include restoration aquaculture and coral reef ecology, with an emphasis on marine invertebrate biology. He is currently based at the Florida Aquarium’s Center for Conservation in Apollo Beach, FL, just 15 minutes away from the Tropical Aquaculture Lab.

Aaron received his B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies at Tufts University in 2013. After graduating, he completed multiple research internships studying fisheries ecology in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and cold-water coral reef ecology in New England. He then worked as an aquarist at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD, starting in 2015. In 2018, Aaron moved back down to his home state of Florida to pursue graduate studies.

Aaron with urchins

Aaron checking corals

Aaron for right side of page

CONTACT

The Florida Aquarium's Center for Conservation
529 Estuary Shore Lane
Apollo Beach, FL 33572
apilnick@ufl.edu
813-419-4917

Google Scholar Profile

Education

Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Ecology, 2022, University of Florida

B.S., Biology and Environmental Studies, 2013, Tufts University

Selected Publications

For most recent publications please visit Aaron's Google Scholar Profile

Pilnick, A.R., J.A. Henry, D. Hensley, J.L. Akins, J.T. Patterson, and D. Lirman. Long-term retention and density-dependent herbivory from Diadema antillarum following translocation onto a reef restoration site. Coral Reefs 42:629-634.
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Wijers, T., A. Hylkema, A.R. Pilnick, A.J. Murk, and J.T. Patterson. 2023. Novel shaker bottle cultivation method for the Long-Spined Sea Urchin (Diadema antillarrum; Philippi, 1845.) results in high larval survival and settlement rates. Aquaculture 562:738855.
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Sharp, W.C., G.A. Delgado, A.R. Pilnick, and J.T. Patterson. 2023. Diurnal sheltering behavior of hatchery-propagated Long-Spined Urchins (Diadema antillarrum): a re-examination following husbandry refinements. Bulletin of Marine Science 99(2):97-108.
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Pilnick, A.R., K.L. O'Neil, M.A. DiMaggio, and J.T. Patterson. 2022. Development of larviculture protocols for the Long-spined Sea Urchin (Diadema antillarrum) and enhanced performance with diets containing the cryptophyte Rhodomonas lens. Aquaculture International 30:3017-3034.
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Hassan, Md.M., A.R. Pilnick, A.M. Petrosino, J. Harpring, C.J. Schwab, K.L. O'Neil, and J.T. Peterson. 2022. Growth and foraging behavior of hatchery propagated Long-spined Sea Urchins, Diadema antillarrum: implications for aquaculture and restocking. Aquaculture Reports 26:1011298.
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Henry, J.A., K.L. O'Neil, A.R. Pilnick, and J.T. Patterson. 2021. Strategies for integrating sexually propagated corals into Caribbean reef restoration: experimental results and considerations. Coral Reefs 40(5):1667-1677.
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Pilnick, A.R., K.L. O'Neil, M. Moe, and J.T. Patterson. 2021. A novel system for intensive Diadema antillarum propagation as a step towards population enhancement. Scientific Reports 11(1):1-13.
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Presentations

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Awards

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