Research Areas
Global coastal change
Against the backdrop of global climate change, coastal systems worldwide are subject to pressures associated with urbanization, agriculture, and the exploitation of natural resources. Our lab collates and contributes a wide array of coastal environmental and ecological monitoring data from the past and present. We aim to capture shifting patterns and to document the extreme events that punctuate the gradual trends under climate change.
Photo: Mike Doall
Shellfish, shellfish habitats, shellfisheries
Shellfish are amazing animals! Our lab works to understand the relationships between shellfish species, their habitats, and overall ecosystem functioning. Our work spans from shallow estuaries to broad continental shelf systems and across ecologically-important habitats like seagrass meadows, oyster reefs, and salt marshes. We are interested in shellfish services such as water filtration, nutrient and carbon cycling, habitat provision, shoreline stabilization, and fisheries.
Coastal restoration, aquaculture, and policy
We collaborate with community members to strengthen coastal communities through restoration, conservation, aquaculture, and policy. We also strive to increase coastal resilience to climate change and mitigate coastal impairment by optimizing restoration approaches and developing innovative solutions. In our lab, members are encouraged to be creative and use the tools of science to develop sustainable, equitable pathways forward.
Photo: Steve Tettelbach, PhD