Faculty

Institution

Unit

Venue

Sotka, Erik

College of Charleston

Affiliations

Center For Coastal Environmental And Human Health

Department Of Biology

Laboratory Of Hollings Marine

Laboratory Of Trna Biology

Erik Sotka is a Senior Professor at the College of Charleston, specializing in marine ecology, evolutionary biology, and genetics. His research integrates molecular tools with ecological field studies to investigate host-parasite co-phylogeography, cryptic speciation, and dispersal patterns in marine invertebrates and foundation species. Recent work includes identifying restricted gene flow in the decorator worm *Diopatra cuprea*, examining the genetic legacy of global marine invasions, and linking latitudinal clines in eelgrass epifaunal community structure to plant genetic diversity. His publications appear in *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*, *Molecular Ecology*, and *Global Ecology and Biogeography*, with ongoing research on oyster restoration and seagrass phenotypic responses.

Honors

Create free account to unlock more features

Experiences

Create free account to unlock more features

Education

Create free account to unlock more features

Sotka, Erik

College of Charleston

You can click a keyword to filter the displayed items

ecology marine biology biology marine ecology evolutionary biology aquatic ecosystems genetics functional ecology biodiversity biogeography oceanography algal biology population genetics marine systems molecular ecology algal research marine biota evolutionary ecology climate change phycology invasion biology behavioral ecology biological invasions spatial ecology animal ecology harmful algae global ecology ecology evolution avian biology fish biology food web interactions wildlife ecology wildlife ecological entomology biological pest control adaptation benthic ecology predator-prey interactions biotic interactions marine biodiversity plant ecology terrestrial ecology landscape ecology plant genetics harmful microalgae non-native populations interspecific behavioral interaction ecosystem engineers ecosystem interactions integrative biology foraging benthic communities natural selection phenology evolutionary genetics plant-animal interactions specie interaction seagrass marine genomics conservation genetics mariculture marine herbivores host use marine foundation species local adaptation benthic primary producers global patterns top-down control eelgrass ecosystems novel habitats likely vector genetic identification coral growth macroalgal proliferation nutrient enrichment population genetic analyses

Notable Scholarly Works

Notable Federal Grants

Collaborators

Heritability of Host Responses to Parasites in Marine and Estuarine Communities. (2026)

biologymedical entomologyecologyinvertebrate pathologyhost specificitymarine ecologyestuarine communitiesmarine biotaparasitologyhost responsessocial parasitismmarine biologyhost-parasite relationships

Multiple Cryptic Lineages and Restricted Gene Flow in the Decorator Worm Diopatra Cuprea. Marine Biology (2025)

geneticsbiologysystematicsgenomicsinvertebrate pathologymolecular ecologyphylogenomicsgene flowtaxonomy (biology)parasitologyparasite genomicsmultiple cryptic lineagesevolutionary biologymolecular evolutionphylogenetics

Non‐Random Mortality in an Experimental Oyster Restoration. Evolutionary Applications (2025)

experimental oyster restorationaquatic ecosystemsmarine ecologyaquaculturefisheriesmortalitycoastal conservationmarine biologyaquatic conservation

The Genetic Legacy of a Global Marine Invader. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025)

geneticspopulation geneticsmarine genomicsgenetic legacymolecular ecologygenetic variationevolutionary biologyconservation geneticsmarine biologymolecular evolution

A Latitudinal Cline in the Taxonomic Structure of Eelgrass Epifaunal Communities is Associated With Plant Genetic Diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography (2024)

Collin P. GrossJ. Emmett DuffyKevin A. HovelPamela L. ReynoldsChristoffer BoströmKatharyn E. BoyerMathieu CussonJohan EklöfAschwin H. EngelenBritas Klemens ErikssonF. Joel FodrieJohn N. GriffinClara M. HereuMasakazu HoriA. Randall HughesMikhail V. IvanovPablo JorgensenMelissa R. KardishClaudia KruschelKun‐Seop LeeJonathan LefcheckKaren McGlatheryPer‐Olav MoksnesMasahiro NakaokaMary I. O'ConnorNessa E. O'ConnorJeanine L. OlsenRobert J. OrthBradley J. PetersonHenning ReissFrancesca RossiJennifer RuesinkErik E. SotkaJonas ThormarFiona TomasRichard UnsworthErin P. VoigtMatthew A. WhalenShelby L. ZieglerJohn J. Stachowicz

latitudinal clineplant genetic diversityecologyeelgrass epifaunal communitiesglobal ecologybiogeographytaxonomic structure

Co-Phylogeographic Structure in a Disease-Causing Parasite and Its Oyster Host. Parasitology (2024)

pathogensbiologyinfectious diseasesinvertebrate pathologyoyster hostmarine biotaparasitologyevolutionary biologyzoologyhost-parasite relationships

Non-Uniform Consumption of a Novel, Non-Native Seaweed by Native Consumers. Biological Invasions (2024)

Linsey E. HaramKaitlin KinneyTimothy MontgomeryErik E. SotkaJames E. Byers

non-uniform consumptionecologynative consumersbiological invasionsnon-native seaweed

Restricted Dispersal and Phenotypic Response to Water Depth in a Foundation Seagrass. Molecular Ecology (2024)

Erik E. SotkaA. Randall HughesTorrance C. HanleyCynthia G. Hays

biologyecologymolecular ecologymarine ecologyseagrassbenthic ecologywater depthphenotypic responseevolutionary biologymarine biologyfoundation seagrass

Cryptic Mtdna Diversity of Diopatra Cuprea (Onuphidae, Annelida) in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Biology (2023)

Erik E. SotkaTina BellSarah Berke

oceanographybiologydiopatra cupreamarine ecologynorthwestern atlantic oceancryptic mtdna diversitymarine biology

Phenology and Thallus Size in a Non‐Native Population of Gracilaria Vermiculophylla. Journal of Phycology (2023)

Stacy A. Krueger‐HadfieldAlexis P. OettererLauren E. LeesJessica M. HoffmanErik E. SotkaCourtney J. Murren

thallus sizealgal biologyphycologyecologynon-native populationmarine biologyphenology

1
2
3
4
5
10
10 / page

Sotka, Erik

College of Charleston

Affiliations

Center For Coastal Environmental And Human Health

Department Of Biology

Laboratory Of Hollings Marine

Laboratory Of Trna Biology

Honors

Create free account to unlock more features

Experiences

Create free account to unlock more features

Education

Create free account to unlock more features

Sotka, Erik

College of Charleston

You can click a keyword to filter the displayed items

Notable Scholarly Works

Notable Federal Grants

Collaborators

Heritability of Host Responses to Parasites in Marine and Estuarine Communities. (2026)

Multiple Cryptic Lineages and Restricted Gene Flow in the Decorator Worm Diopatra Cuprea. Marine Biology (2025)

Non‐Random Mortality in an Experimental Oyster Restoration. Evolutionary Applications (2025)

experimental oyster restorationaquatic ecosystemsmarine ecologyaquaculturefisheriesmortalitycoastal conservationmarine biologyaquatic conservation

The Genetic Legacy of a Global Marine Invader. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025)

geneticspopulation geneticsmarine genomicsgenetic legacymolecular ecologygenetic variationevolutionary biologyconservation geneticsmarine biologymolecular evolution

A Latitudinal Cline in the Taxonomic Structure of Eelgrass Epifaunal Communities is Associated With Plant Genetic Diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography (2024)

latitudinal clineplant genetic diversityecologyeelgrass epifaunal communitiesglobal ecologybiogeographytaxonomic structure

Co-Phylogeographic Structure in a Disease-Causing Parasite and Its Oyster Host. Parasitology (2024)

pathogensbiologyinfectious diseasesinvertebrate pathologyoyster hostmarine biotaparasitologyevolutionary biologyzoologyhost-parasite relationships

Non-Uniform Consumption of a Novel, Non-Native Seaweed by Native Consumers. Biological Invasions (2024)

Linsey E. HaramKaitlin KinneyTimothy MontgomeryErik E. SotkaJames E. Byers

non-uniform consumptionecologynative consumersbiological invasionsnon-native seaweed

Restricted Dispersal and Phenotypic Response to Water Depth in a Foundation Seagrass. Molecular Ecology (2024)

Erik E. SotkaA. Randall HughesTorrance C. HanleyCynthia G. Hays

biologyecologymolecular ecologymarine ecologyseagrassbenthic ecologywater depthphenotypic responseevolutionary biologymarine biologyfoundation seagrass

Cryptic Mtdna Diversity of Diopatra Cuprea (Onuphidae, Annelida) in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Biology (2023)

Erik E. SotkaTina BellSarah Berke

oceanographybiologydiopatra cupreamarine ecologynorthwestern atlantic oceancryptic mtdna diversitymarine biology

Phenology and Thallus Size in a Non‐Native Population of Gracilaria Vermiculophylla. Journal of Phycology (2023)

Stacy A. Krueger‐HadfieldAlexis P. OettererLauren E. LeesJessica M. HoffmanErik E. SotkaCourtney J. Murren

thallus sizealgal biologyphycologyecologynon-native populationmarine biologyphenology

1
2
3
4
5
10
10 / page