Department of Ecosystem Science & Management

I study sand dunes, salt marshes, beaches, and other coastal ecosystems with particular emphasis on the effects of global climate change and urbanization upon coastal plant community distribution using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its related technologies.  The central question of study is how coastal vegetation responds to and modifies its sedimentary environment, particularly in the context of long-term sea level rise versus short-term extreme disturbances.  My interests range from basic to applied science, and include community ecology, restoration ecology, coastal geomorphology, ecological complexity, and spatial analysis.  I typically integrate field-based manipulative experiments with lab-based spatial analysis/modeling.